The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) has today (Friday, July 18) confirmed that the next genetic evaluation will be published at the later date of September 2025.

Initially scheduled for July, the publishing of the evaluations has been delayed due to "the planned implementation of important upgrades to both the beef and dairy evaluations", according to the ICBF.

In a statement the ICBF said: "The scope and scale of the current changes designed to align with international best practices and enhance the value of genetic indexes require additional time for testing and implementation as well as industry collaboration."

ICBF typically issues six evaluations annually, spaced roughly every two months.

The federation said that all updates have been thoroughly reviewed and approved by both the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and the ICBF Board.

The updates will see changes to both the beef and dairy evaluations.

The updates will see revised economic values for both the Terminal and Replacement Indexes, "ensuring they reflect current market conditions", according to the ICBF.

Changes will be made to the following values:

Carcass price;
Labour;
Land market value.

A new method to integrate international genetic data will be implemented which is being described by the ICBF as "more robust".

Farmer-recorded animal weight data from schemes like the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) will now also be included in the evaluations "further enhancing evaluation accuracy".

Economic Values in the economic Breeding Index (EBI) will be updated "reflecting recent changes in input and output prices and production systems", according to the ICBF.

Changes will be made to the following trait values:

Milk;
Price;
Labour;
Feed.

An improved health and management evaluation will be introduced which aims to "offer deeper insights into traits such as mastitis and lameness resistance as well as cow temperament and milking speed".

A base year change for genetic evaluations will also be implemented. This involves shifting the base from cows born in 2005 to cows born in 2015. The aim of this is "to align the base population more closely with today’s herds".

The ICBF has said that "some changes to herd figures are to be expected" when the September evaluation is released.

"This is completely normal and reflects the improvements being made to ensure indexes more accurately represent current genetics, economic conditions, and farm performance." the cattle breeding authority has said.

All current proofs remain valid and can continue to be used for breeding and selection decisions until then.

The ICBF stated: "Genetic evaluations are always evolving to reflect the most up-to-date science, economics, and on-farm data.

"By regularly improving the system, we’re helping farmers make better breeding decisions that lead to more productive, profitable, and sustainable herds.

"Change may bring some short-term shifts in figures, but it’s ultimately about delivering long-term gains for farmers and the wider industry".

The federation also shared with farmers that it "appreciated" their patience and "continued trust as we work to deliver these important updates for the long-term benefit of Irish cattle breeding".