HerdPlus Dairy Calving Statistics 2022
Following the recent release of the HerdPlus Dairy Calving reports, ICBF can report a steady trend in the fertility performance of the national dairy herd. (more…)
Have you received a text message about a sire error in your herd?
First of all, don’t panic, the issues that these text messages relate to are minor and very simple to rectify. There are many reasons why you may have a received a text from us (outlined below).
Making Use of the ICBF Inbreeding Checker
The Inbreeding Checker is breeding application, that can be found under ‘Applications’ in the HerdPlus menu. As the name suggests, the Inbreeding checker allows herd owners to check up to 10 bulls at a time with their cows and heifers. (more…)
7 Simple steps to make Selective Dry Cow Therapy common practice for your herd.
From 28th of January 2022 blanket use of antibiotic dry cow tubes will be prohibited. This regulatory change means that veterinary proof will be required when administering antibiotic treatment.
End of Season Fertility reports now online
The latest HerdPlus End of Season Fertility reports are now available for viewing online under the reports section. This report is an…
What is the Optimum Age at First Calving in Dairy Heifers?
When it comes to calving in dairy heifers for the first time, opinions differ as to what is the optimum age to calve them. (more…)
Dairy Cow Population by County 2017 – 2021
The National dairy cow population is continually increasing, despite challenging conditions in recent years. Total dairy cow numbers for 2021 (as…
Application of Genomics on Dairy Farms
Genomics has contributed significantly to the increased rate of genetic gain within the Irish dairy cow population and has transformed how the Dairy Gene Ireland breeding programme operates. Genomic selection (GS) is a tool to help more accurately identify genetic elite animals. (more…)
Sustainable Breeding through EBI
It is well documented that Irish dairy farmers are among the most environmentally sustainable food producers in the world. However, the very significant targets that the EU have set us makes it necessary for all farmers to achieve GHG reductions. Agriculture accounts for 33% of Ireland’s GHG emissions. (more…)