More than 70 farmers attended a farm walk in Co. Donegal to see how Ryan McElhinney is using breeding, genetics and Commercial Beef Value (CBV) to improve performance and profitability across his dairy and beef enterprise.
In ideal summer conditions, more than 70 farmers gathered on the scenic farm of Ryan McElhinney near Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, for an informative farm walk focused on the role of Commercial Beef Value (CBV) in improving farm profitability.
The event was jointly organised by Foyle Food Group, Teagasc and ICBF, following Ryan’s success as the inaugural winner of the Dairy Farmer Finisher category for Foyle suppliers at the national Beef Quality Awards. The awards recognise beef finishers who consistently produce high-performing beef animals with strong Commercial Beef Value (CBV).
Building a High-Performing Herd Through Breeding Decisions
Ryan operates a 130-cow spring-calving dairy herd and, despite only entering dairy farming five years ago, has rapidly developed one of the country’s top-performing herds.
His success reflects a clear breeding strategy and a commitment to using every available tool to drive genetic improvement. Speaking at the event, Ryan explained how he combines ICBF genetic evaluations, milk recording data, and IHFA classification information to identify both the strengths and weaknesses within his herd. This information allows him to make more informed sire selections and target specific traits for improvement.
The objective is to develop a balanced herd that performs strongly for milk production and fertility, while also improving the beef merit of surplus calves and cull animals. As shown in Table 1, Ryan’s herd ranks within the top 5% nationally for Economic Breeding Index (EBI).
Importantly, this strong EBI performance is built on a balanced profile, with excellent rankings for both the Milk and Fertility sub-indexes. The herd’s Beef Sub-Index is also close to the national average, demonstrating that dairy performance can be maintained while continuing to improve beef traits.
Ryan’s breeding programme has already produced bulls that have been purchased by AI stations, underlining the quality of the genetics being developed within the herd.
Why Commercial Beef Value Matters on Dairy Farms
As a beef-focused event, much of the discussion centred on the opportunities that Commercial Beef Value (CBV) presents for both dairy farmers and beef finishers.
Speakers highlighted that improving CBV begins with breeding decisions at cow level. Farmers were encouraged to pay close attention to the Beef Sub-Index within the EBI when selecting dairy sires. Examples from Ryan’s breeding programme demonstrated how bulls with similar EBIs can have significantly different levels of beef merit.
For dairy farmers aiming to improve the value of their calf crop, selecting dairy sires with strong beef traits is critical. Continuously breeding replacement heifers from sires with poor beef characteristics can result in a gradual decline in the herd’s beef potential, which can be difficult to reverse over time.
With strong demand in the beef sector and improved beef prices in recent years, dairy-beef calves have become an increasingly important contributor to overall farm profitability. Ensuring that replacement females and beef calves inherit stronger beef genetics can deliver benefits across the entire production system.
High CBV Animals Deliver Better Performance and Profitability
The final part of the farm walk focused on the performance differences farmers can expect between high and low CBV cattle.
Several example animals were presented to demonstrate the impact of genetics on growth and carcass performance. Across different animal types, high CBV cattle consistently achieved growth rates approximately 0.2kg per day higher than their lower CBV counterparts.
Over a typical two-year finishing period, this difference could equate to an additional 146kg of liveweight for high CBV animals.
Table 2 outlines slaughter performance data from a group of dairy bulls finished by Ryan in 2025. The results clearly demonstrate the financial advantages associated with higher CBV cattle. The high CBV bulls were:
- One month younger at slaughter
- 12kg heavier in carcass weight
- Worth an additional €154 per head in sale value
Research from the ICBF Tully Progeny Test Centre also shows that high CBV animals consume approximately 1kg of dry matter (DM) less feed per day compared to low CBV cattle. This improved feed efficiency represents a significant cost saving that is often overlooked when assessing animal performance.
A Clear Message for Dairy and Beef Farmers
The farm walk demonstrated how strong genetics, combined with excellent management, can deliver outstanding results on commercial farms.
For those in attendance, the key takeaway was the importance of having a clear strategy from breeding through to finishing. By using tools such as Commercial Beef Value (CBV) and making informed breeding decisions, farmers can improve animal performance, increase profitability, and create a more sustainable dairy-beef production system.
Learn More About Commercial Beef Value (CBV)
To learn more about Commercial Beef Value (CBV) and how it can benefit your farm business, click here.