The National Genotyping Programme (NGP) is reshaping the future of Irish dairy and beef production. By making genomic testing widely available and affordable, the programme offers powerful tools for improving genetic accuracy, herd health, profitability, and environmental performance.
Backed by strong industry support and public funding, Ireland’s NGP is delivering world-class genetic technology to commercial farms at a fraction of the global cost—placing Irish farmers at the forefront of innovation in livestock breeding.
Why should I consider joining NGP? Less work, more value and greater sustainability.
- Heavily discounted genotyping- As part of NGP, all ungenotyped cows and potential breeding heifers in your herd would be genotyped for free, saving you €18/animal. For a typical 100 cow herd, this is worth upwards of €1,800. You will also receive heavily discounted genotypes for calves @ ~ €6/calf.
- Exclusive access to double tissue tags – take BVD AND DNA samples from your calves at birth without any extra tags.
- All calves fully parentage verified before registration – remove the risk of parentage/sex errors and the need to correct the passports (Blue card) subsequently.
- Animals receiving genomic evaluations soon after birth – ensure all your animals have genomic evaluations well before being selected/sold for breeding.
- Commercial Beef Value (CBV) – only genotyped animals can have a CBV displayed on mart screens.
- Safer Practice – tagging newborn calves is easier and safer than DNA sampling older animals.
What would I be signing up for?
- In year one (2025), all ungenotyped females and stock bulls in your herd will be genotyped free of charge. This equals €1,800 worth of free genotyping for a 100 cow herd.
- From January 2026, you will DNA sample all calves at birth regardless of sex or breed.
- If you are not already, you will need to submit your calf registrations online, via Agfood.ie or via a farm software package. (Paper registrations are not compatible).
- Any sires, dams or sex incorrectly recorded will be identified by the DNA sample and corrected before the passport is issued.
How much will it cost?
Shortly after you order your tags, a you will pay €4/tag ordered by direct debit which covers the testing of the sample in the lab. With the additional cost of Double tissue calf tags and postage, the cost is approximately €6/calf.
How will I take the samples from the calves?
Herds that sign up to the programme will use “double tissue tags”. One tag will take a sample for BVD, while the second tag will take a sample for genotyping, removing the need for a third button tag to be applied later to collect DNA.
How do I sign up for the programme?
To sign up log into go to National Genotyping Programme – ICBF and log into your ICBF account.
Once logged in, click the “NGP Apply Here” button on the home screen and follow the instructions
If you have any questions, please call 023-8820452 or email [email protected].