Tips and guides

The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) is a farmer-led, not-for-profit organisation that delivers genetics, data and technology solutions for the Irish beef and dairy industry.

Established in 1998, ICBF was created to bring together cattle breeding information from across the industry and use it to drive genetic improvement in the national herd. Today, ICBF works in partnership with farmers, breed societies, AI companies, milk recording organisations, marts, processors, research institutions and government agencies to collect, analyse and deliver valuable livestock information.

By transforming animal identification, pedigree, performance, genomic and carcass data into practical breeding evaluations, indexes and decision-support tools, ICBF helps farmers make more informed breeding and management decisions.

Through national genetic evaluations, breeding indexes such as the Economic Breeding Index (EBI), EuroStar Indices and the Dairy Beef Index (DBI), genomic services, herd performance reporting and digital tools including HerdPlus, ICBF provides independent, science-based information that supports profitable, sustainable and more efficient beef and dairy production systems.

ICBF

Autumn 2026 Replacement Panel:
Tweet (LM3059) - ‘Ranks in top 2% for Daughter Milk within Limousin breed’ - Just €8/straw!

Gene Ireland is a joint initiative involving ICBF, pedigree breeders, commercial farmers, breed societies, AI companies and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). The primary aim of the programme is to progeny test high-index beef bulls and identify sires with the potential to produce profitable animals for the Irish suckler beef industry.

The main benefits are:
· Access to the highest index new beef bulls in Irish AI at only €8 per straw
(technician charges may apply).
· Straws will be delivered to your own tank or the technician of your choosing.
· Potential to sell some progeny back to ICBF for future performance testing at the
Tully Beef Test Centre.
· Progress towards meeting the requirements of suckler schemes.
· Freedom to choose the bulls and breeds that you require from the catalogue.

To order your straws log into your ICBF HerdPlus account or alternately call or email the HerdPlus office on 023 882 0452 / query@icbf.com and one of the team will assist you.

cattletype

cattlebreed

averageage

averageweight

livestockforsale

numberofresidencies

qualityassuredherd

daysinherd

animalsinwithdrawal

medicinerecordsavailable

photo_402487282

photo_402487281

Autumn 2026 Replacement Panel:Tweet (LM3059) - ‘Ranks in top 2% for Daughter Milk within Limousin breed’ - Just €8/straw!Gene Ireland is a joint init...

Beef Gene Ireland: Tweet (LM3059)

Overview

Description