The Suckler Beef Gene Ireland Panel for Autumn 2025 has been launched, and we are excited to offer our customers the latest selection of new high index AI bulls. These bulls, selected by ICBF and our programme partners as part of the national breeding programme, in collaboration with DAFM, AI companies, commercial farmers, pedigree breeders, and breed societies. The Gene Ireland beef programme continues to grow in popularity as both commercial and pedigree breeders recognise the benefits of these new high index bulls.
Some of the most widely used AI bulls in the Irish suckler herd originated on the Gene Ireland programme, including Intelagri Matteo (AA4089), Lapon (CH4321), Castleview Gazelle (ZAG), Curraheen Earp (SI2152), Ewdenvale Ivor (LM2014), and Powerful Proper (LM7416). These bulls have become cornerstones of many herds, with significant numbers of their progeny retained as breeding stock.
The primary goal of the Gene Ireland programme is to progeny test young, high-index bulls and provide Irish suckler farmers with proven, high-index bulls as swiftly as possible. Increasingly, these bulls are young Irish sires identified through the ICBF database. Progeny testing helps verify their indexes and genetic merit, enabling stakeholders (breed societies, AI companies, and breeders) to enhance future breeding programmes with elite proven sires.
The ICBFs central database facilitates the flow of data from across the agricultural sector (vets, meat factories, AI companies, breed societies, farmers, and researchers) into a single hub. This data is analysed to deliver high-reliability evaluations, allowing AI companies to identify promising Irish bulls for future use in the national herd after Gene Ireland testing.
Herdowners who use Gene Ireland bulls are required to record essential data, such as insemination dates, calving dates, calving difficulty, and liveweights. This information helps identify important traits like gestation length, calving ease, average daily gain (ADG), milk production, and fertility.
Herdowners can purchase straws at €8 each (with delivery to their own or their technician’s tank), with a minimum order of 10 straws per herd (preferably two bulls x five straws of each bull). The usage of these straws within the national herd is critical to the programme’s success. ICBF may also contact farmers to purchase progeny from these bulls for further testing at the progeny test centre in Tully.
The bull panel is divided into two categories: Replacement and Terminal. Farmers can choose freely from any of the bulls, all of which are 5-star across breeds on at least one of the main indexes.
The bull panel this year is an offering of some of the highest index new bulls available in AI. We do acknowledge that the current panel of bulls for Autumn 2025 is smaller than usual. The bulls listed were those readily available at the time of printing the catalogue. As additional bulls and/or breeds become available, we will be able to offer them as well.
One of the Gene Ireland programme partners, namely NCBC, now require farmers to accept Intellectual Property (IP) conditions to get access to Gene Ireland Beef Bulls. Please review by clicking on the IP Authorisation link when you log into your HerdPlus account on www.icbf.com. Straws cannot be allocated until authorisation is given.
By participating in the Gene Ireland programme you are helping to drive the rate of genetic gain in not only your herd but also the national herd. You could also be amongst the first to use the next Lapon or Ewdenvale Ivor bull.
To order straws or find out bull availability please call ICBF on 023 8820452 or email [email protected].