Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2015
374. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the requirement in the new beef data and genomics programme that 80% of all bulls used for artificial insemination are to be 4 or 5 star, if he will include in the scheme all imported new bulls that come in at 4 star until they are proven; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19962/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra375. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the requirement in the new beef data and genomics programme that 80% of bulls used for artificial insemination are to be 4 or 5 star, if he will include in the scheme all imported new bulls under 60% reliability as eligible for the requirements of the scheme, regardless of star, until proven; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19963/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra376. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the requirement under the new beef data and genomics programme that 80% of bulls used for artificial insemination are to be 4 or 5 star, if he will include in the scheme all new imported sires without progeny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19964/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 374 to 376, inclusive, together.
The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme and will provide suckler farmers in Ireland with funding of some €300 million over the next 6 years. The BDGP builds on the investment in data recording and genomics in recent years, and will ultimately bring about long-term improvements to the sector by fundamentally improving the genetic quality of the beef herd.
One of the requirements of the programme stipulates that from 30 June 2016, at least 80% of the AI used on participating holdings must be from 4 or 5 star bulls on either the terminal or replacement index. This complements the requirement that where a stock bull is used, at least one stock bull on the holding on the 30 June 2019 must be a genotyped 4 or 5 star bull on either the terminal or replacement index.
There is a very wide range of AI bulls available for pedigree beef breeding that are 4 or 5 stars on either the replacement or terminal index. For example, ICBF recently completed its listing of recommended sires for bull breeders involved in the Gene Ireland maternal beef breeding program. In total there are some 164 bulls in that catalogue of which 151 (92%) are 4 or 5 stars on either the replacement or terminal index within or across breeds.
For imported bulls, the ICBF assigns a rating based on the data available for each bull at that time. The approach used to assigning this rating is in line with that used for all other bulls under the eurostar rating system. It would not be appropriate to assign higher ratings to imported bulls without any scientific rationale for doing so. It is important that any rating is based on objective, scientific criteria which the ICBF can justify to each and every farmer using such bulls.
The fact that 20% of the AI used can come from other types of bulls gives scope for pedigree breeders that wish to use some outcross sires as part of the scheme. ICBF calculates a euro star evaluation for imported sires based on their foreign data so that they can be utilised under the programme. For example, there were 166 new beef AI sires coded last year, both Irish and internationally bred, and of these 69% are already compliant with the scheme. Indeed, ICBF can provide an indication of the likely euro star rating to be given to such bulls when imported into Ireland and it is likely that AI companies and breeders will be much more vigilant regarding the type of “outcross” bulls that they purchase/import in the future.
