Irish Cattle Breeding Federation

The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) was formally set up in 1998, and is a non-profit organisation charged with providing cattle breeding information services to the Irish dairy and beef industries. ICBF exists to benefit our farmers, our agri-food industry and our wider communities through genetic gain. They do this by the application of science and technology to ensure that our farmers and industry make the most profitable and sustainable decisions, using the services provided from the ICBF cattle breeding database. Genetic improvement comes about when the parents of the next generation are genetically superior to their contemporaries. Bringing about improvement requires:

Identification, ancestry and quantitative data on those traits of importance for large numbers of animals in each generation.
A genetic evaluation system to identify the genetically superior animals in each generation. An essential part of the genetic evaluation system is a scientific knowledge of the objectives and principles of cattle breeding.
A breeding scheme design that ensures the required data is available, and that farmers use genetically superior animals in each generation.
Well informed farmers and industry partners who willingly provide accurate data from their own farms and make full use of the information services provided by ICBF, and its service providing partners, in their breeding and farm management decisions.

Ultimately, all the activity outlined above revolves around the maintenance and growth of the national cattle breeding database, which holds information on practically all animals registered nationally, and any available performance data relating to those animals and the herds in which they reside.

For more information visit https://www.icbf.com/?page_id=27