2025 saw another significant milestone reached in Ireland’s national cattle breeding programme. During the year, 1,249,688 animals were genotyped, making 2025 the largest single year for genomic testing to date.
Of these animals:
- 471,839 were dairy-sired, reflecting continued strong uptake of genomics within the dairy sector
- 777,849 were beef-sired, underlining the scale of genomic testing across suckler systems.
This brings the total number of genotyped animals in the ICBF database to just over 6.3 million.
The vast majority of genotypes generated in 2025 were recorded through the National Genotyping Programme, which continues to play a central role in driving genomic adoption at farm level. By supporting large-scale, cost-effective genotyping, the programme has enabled farmers across Ireland to integrate genomics into routine breeding decisions.
The national database, managed by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), continues to expand at pace, supported by strong industry collaboration. The integration of genomic data with extensive on-farm phenotypic recording underpins the accuracy and reliability of genetic evaluations relied upon daily by Irish farmers.
With more than 6.3 million genotyped animals now recorded, and continued momentum through the National Genotyping Programme, the foundations are firmly in place to support ongoing genetic improvement in profitability, fertility, animal health, and environmental sustainability as the industry moves into 2026 and beyond.