The Charolais View

The delegation representing Charolais breeders and their customers made a number of points detailing how in their view the current BDGP scheme is flawed in its approach to cattle breeding.

The group gave a number of examples of how the scheme has and is going to have a negative impact on Irish cattle breeding.

€uro-Star index volatility

The group outlined the frustration around the index changing three times a year and how this affected breeders’ decisions. Irish Charolais Cattle Society secretary Nevan McKiernan outlined how an Aberdeen Angus cow purchased by Michael O’Leary which had a replacement index of €120 in the May 2016 evaluation has seen this index drop to -€9 in the latest evaluation run.

“Indexes were introduced as a tool for farmers to use when selecting and buying livestock. I agree they are a useful tool, but they are only a guide and they should not have been linked to a payment scheme railroading farmers down the figures road,” said McKiernan.

The group said that due to a shortage of four- and five-star females from the suckler herd, suckler farmers are being forced to source poor-quality replacements from the dairy herd and that this influx of dairy genetics will increase the number of O and P grade cattle from the beef herd. R and U grade cattle have decreased by 35% and 26% since 2012 according to McKiernan.

The group were extremely dissatisfied that the fact that a BDGP participant can run a crossbred stock bull with their herd and questioned ICBF as to how the industry can make genetic improvements with this arrangement in place.

They insisted that at a minimum all stock bulls in BDGP herds should be pedigree. Alison de Vere Hunt, who manages Cashel Mart, said the quality of cattle going through her mart was evidently worse and she was losing customers because of this.

Fifteen mart managers from across the country have also backed up this case.

Communication and board Issues

McKiernan outlined the dissatisfaction with ICBF around the level of communication with breed societies. “No beef industry meetings or herd book meetings have taken place in over 12 months,” McKiernan said.

“We have sought clarification on how indexes are being calculated, how genomics is being incorporated into indexes and have received nothing in response.”

The group said it was unacceptable to ask one man to represent 15 different beef breed societies and yet AI stations have six positions on the board. He also questioned how many shares the IFA held to allow it have four positions on the board.

McKiernan called for meat industry representation on the ICBF board and finished by stating “As a country we have a reputation for producing quality cattle, which we are currently seeing disappear.

“The efficient farmer, who is producing healthy beef in an environmentally friendly way, must be rewarded before it’s too late”

ICBF View

The ICBF representatives outlined their views and told the committee how the ICBF database has information on 30m animals and over 100m records. The ICBF view of the ideal suckler cow is one that weans a calf every year of good weight and quality. ICBF CEO Sean Coughlan outlined that the ICBF has recently carried out analysis demonstrating that of the 11,180 weanlings sold for €1,000 or more in marts in 2017, 37% were from five-star suckler beef cows compared with just 13% from one-star cows. Coughlan also stated that key profitability metrics for the suckler herd were improving, highlighting BDGP as being a major factor in this.

Coughlan also outlined how things such as the development of the database, promotion of sire recording and other Government-led projects have contributed close to €580m to Irish beef farmers.

The percentage of replacements coming from the dairy herd is currently 23%, down from 26% in 2008. Due to BDGP, the rate of genetic gain for three-quarter-bred animals from the suckler herd is higher than the first crosses from the dairy herd.

Coughlan used the steer kill as an example to show that the carcase weights of suckler-bred progeny have actually increased from 379kg in 2014 to 386kg in 2017.

The number of steers from the dairy herd has increased and this is the reason for the 4.5kg drop on a national basis. Carcase conformation of suckler-bred steers has stayed the same as 2013 at R=. In relation to replacement index movement, Coughlan stressed that there would always be movement as more information is input into the database.

“We are starting to see the real benefit of genomics for lower heritability traits like fertility, milk, health and disease,” he said.

Coughlan stressed that the ICBF has engaged with the Charolais Cattle Society on numerous occasions over the past 12 months and they meet on a regular basis.

The ICBF chair, Michael Doran, highlighted that the organisation underwent a corporate governance review in 2017 carried out by the Institute of Public Administration and there were no issues with that review. The table below gives a summary of index movement comparing 2015 to 2017.

Comment

It has been a difficult week for the ICBF. The organisation came in for heavy criticism from the Irish Charolais Cattle Society on the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and the makeup of its board. Last week also saw the Irish Limousin Cattle Society pull away from the Whole Herd Performance Recording programme co-ordinated by ICBF. This was disappointing given the already low level of performance recording taking place in pedigree herds across all breeds. While some may see these standoffs as a positive for their respective breeds, it doesn’t serve commercial producers well to have two of the largest beef breed societies in the country at loggerheads with the organisation responsible for directing genetic progress in our national suckler herd. Given the high use of pedigree bulls in Irish suckler herds, breed societies have a pivotal role in making this progress. It is time for level heads – shouting at each other from the sidelines won’t achieve anything. Surely middle ground can be achieved if all parties sit down and discuss their issues in a structured manner and come to a resolution. Breed societies cannot be afraid of change, but the ICBF needs to listen to their concerns, make alterations and bring the industry forward together as a unit.