The ICBF HerdPlus service is designed to help Irish farmers improve their herd management and enhance the genetic quality of their cattle. It provides farmers with a range of tools and data to make better breeding and management decisions.
Non-HerdPlus members can also log in to HerdPlus to access their basic herd profile, scheme profiles/reports and to record events.
What is my Password?
Your Username is your Herd Number (BTE number) and your password is a minimum of 6 characters. If you cannot remember your password, there are 3 ways to get your password:
- Text the word PASS to 089 4577663 to receive your password. NOTE: Your mobile number needs to be stored on our database for this system to work.
- Email Support ([email protected]).
- Call us on 023-8820452 during office hours (9am – 5.30pm)
Breeding and Genetic Insights
- HerdPlus offers genetic evaluations that provide important information about the potential performance of your cattle. This helps in selecting the right animals to breed, leading to better genetic progress in your herd.
- The system provides breeding values for various traits like milk yield, fertility, growth, and conformation.
Individual Animal Data:
- By using genotyping and milk recording, HerdPlus gives you detailed information about each animal’s genetic potential. This can be useful for selecting animals that will improve the overall quality and profitability of your herd.
- It also helps monitor the health and performance of your animals over time.
Herd Management:
- You can track the performance of your cows, such as calving intervals, milk production, and health status.
Data Integration:
- The service pulls together data from various sources, including milk recording, genomics, and performance testing, to give a comprehensive overview of your herd’s strengths and areas for improvement.
- This helps farmers identify high-performing animals and make decisions that can reduce costs and improve profitability.
- Information can be recorded in one place, reducing multiple recordings of information.
Decision Support:
- HerdPlus provides decision-support tools and recommendations based on the data collected. This helps farmers optimise herd performance and maximise the return on investment in breeding and management practices.
Key Benefits for Farmers:
- Improved herd genetics through better breeding decisions.
- Higher productivity with healthier, more profitable animals.
- Time-saving through integrated data and easy-to-use reports.
- Increased profitability by focusing on traits that are important for your farm’s specific goals (e.g., milk, beef, fertility).
How much does it cost?
| HerdPlus Membership | Fee |
|---|---|
| Beef HerdPlus | €60 per year (incl. VAT) |
| Dairy HerdPlus On-line Service | €100 + €0.50/cow calved (Incl. VAT) |
| Dairy HerdPlus Postal Service | €160 + €0.50/cow calved (Incl. VAT) |
| Dual HerdPlus On-line Service | €100 + €0.50/cow calved (Incl. VAT) |
| Dual HerdPlus Postal Service | €160 + €0.50/cow calved (Incl. VAT) |
Not a member of HerdPlus? Sign up to today to access the many benefits available to dairy and beef farmers.