Smith launches cutting-edge scheme to boost cattle breeding

IRELAND has become one of the first countries in the world to make available to its dairy farmers genomic technology, a cutting edge tool for cattle breeding.

Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith praised the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC), headed by Tom Corcoran, chairman, on introducing the programme, launched in Dublin yesterday. The initiative is the culmination of research and collaboration between Teagasc, NCBC, and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).

Mr Smith’s department provided financial assistance via Stimulus funding. Mr Smith said NCBC recognised from the outset the huge potential of genomic selection technology and took on the challenge of delivering it for the benefit of Irish commercial dairy farmers.