The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) Programme forms part of Ireland's Rural Development Programme and allocates funding of some €300 million over the next six years to suckler farmers in Ireland. The BDGP builds on the large strategic investment in data recording and genomics which has been made in recent years, and will ultimately bring about fundamental improvements to the entire sector by substantially improving the genetic quality of the national beef herd. The Programme was launched on 5 May and almost 30,000 applications had been received by my Department when it closed on 5 June. While analysis of the applications is still ongoing, the initial figures suggest that the programme is fully subscribed.
The requirement for farmers to move towards using four and five star rated stock bulls and heifers is an essential component of the Programme. All farmers will receive comprehensive training, and ongoing information and advice to assist them in introducing the required breeding strategy. I am also aware that these requirements will take time to introduce which is why there is a substantial lead-in time included in the design of the programme.
The Deputy is correct to state that bulls or heifers rated as 4 or 5 stars at either the time of genotyping for animals sourced within the herd, or at the time of purchase for animals sourced outside the herd, will remain in compliance with the replacement strategy requirements of the Beef Data and Genomics Scheme even in situations where the animal may be subsequently reassessed to 3 stars or lower as the index evolves.
The intention of the programme is to encourage the introduction and retention of higher genetic merit animals into suckler farms in Ireland – it would not be appropriate to penalise a farmer who follows this replacement strategy and subsequently finds that some of the animals are reassessed at a later date as the index rises. The fact that breeding is on the basis of animals that are four or five stars at the outset means that the trend is towards an overall increase in the genetic merit of the herd at individual and national level.
