Nearly 80% of stock bulls meet genomic target

Of the 29,123 herds and 641,000 cows in the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP), 79% of herds have a stock bull meeting the June 30, 2019 programme requirement of four or five-star genotype on either the terminal or replacement index.

The 2018 requirement that heifers/eligible suckler cows equivalent to 20% of the number of an applicant’s reference animals be four or five-star rated is already met in 61% of herds.

A similar programme requirement for females equivalent to 50% of reference animals, by October 31, 2020, is already met in 37% of herds.

This information is contained in the BDGP reports which ICBF is sending each participant in the Programme, for their herd.

This report will help herdowners make informed breeding decisions, such as identifying the better breeding females, to meet the requirements of the BDGP.