DON’T WAIT FOR BETTER ANGUS CATTLE.
ACCELERATE INTO THE FUTURE WITH CERTIFIED IRISH ANGUS
Accelerate sustainable breeding into the future through improved genetics with the Certified Irish Angus Elite Breed Improvement Programme
Ireland is one of the largest exporters of beef in the world but the environmental and economic pressure on Irish beef and dairy farmers has never been greater. At a time when agriculture accounts for 37.5% of Ireland’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the Certified Irish Angus Elite Breed Improvement Programme aims to help farmers meet the challenges of climate change by increasing the sustainability of Angus cattle production through superior genetics. Certified Irish Angus members will benefit from the continuous genetic improvement that delivers environmental and financial sustainability throughout the supply chain.
Accelerate change
To accelerate change in Angus breeding we need to think about genetics. Improved genetics benefits the entire supply chain, pedigree breeders, calf producers and beef finishers. Angus breeders, dairy and beef farmers working together can build on the financial and sustainability efficiency of Certified Irish Angus beef production, while providing consumers with reassurance around animal welfare and a superior dining experience.
Pioneering programme
This pioneering programme began in 2021 with our purchase of the exceptional bull Drumcrow Tribesman (AA8172), in partnership with Dovea Genetics. Certified Irish Angus members can use Tribesman’s genetics via artificial insemination (AI) to produce superior Angus cattle. This will result in an increased weight for age that reduces emissions per kilo of beef produced.
Find out what the Elite Breed Improvement Programme will offer you:
PEDIGREE BREEDERS:
DRUMCROW TRIBESMAN: BEST IN CLASS
Unique gene pool
Tribesman is an outstanding young bull sired by Fordel Lockdown out of a Drumcrow Joker-sired cow.
Pedigree Angus breeders report Fordel Lockdown’s progeny to be easy-calving, with a beef cow calving figure of 2.9%, exceptional growth rate, and five-star carcass weight. Calves by Lockdown are an exquisite example of the Angus breed. He also boasts outcross bloodlines: his sire is TC Stockman 365 and his dam is the superb American donor cow Champion Hill Lucy 6863 ET.
Tribesman’s dam, Drumcrow Naomi, was sired by Drumcrow Joker, he is a perfect example of the Irish Angus breed’s longevity, who has been siring calves for almost a decade. His top-quality progeny include Drumcrow Rolls Royce and Drumcrow Reeko who are both AI sires.
Performance
It is no surprise that the combination of Fordel Lockdown and Drumcrow Naomi produced a supreme bull like Tribesman, whose genetics are available to all members for improving the quality of animals produced and for reducing the time they take to reach finishing weight. This will decrease overall emissions and improve financial sustainability.
Drumcrow Tribesman ancestry
WHAT’S ON OFFER FOR THE PEDIGREE BREEDER:
SUBSIDISED MALE-SEXED SEMEN:
- €80 refund per Tribesman male calf born and genotyped (1.8 straws refunded per calf)
- Sale of Tribesman offspring will be promoted to 10,000 Certified Irish Angus members
- €200 refund per Tribesman bull bought, on completion of Certified Irish Angus reclaim form
- This premium applies to all Tribesman bulls that are participants in the programme. Bull can be sold through any sale format (e.g. private sales, Donedeal sales, breed society sales, mart sales)
DAIRY FARMERS
INCREASE YOUR HERD’S SUSTAINABILITY
Dairy farmers
Calves of first-class genetic quality command a premium. Calf genetics and breeding decisions influence how calves perform in a calf-to-beef system The use of high genetic merit beef sires with an emphasis on carcass weight is vital to improving calf performance and ultimate sustainability. The breeding programme allows dairy farmers access to a panel of Tribesman bulls which will enhance the quality and value of Angus cross calves, and in turn drive social sustainability through the production of safe, healthy, quality food with animal welfare at its core.
Suckler farmers
The breeding programme offers farmers the opportunity to add value to their Angus-cross progeny through increased carcass weight at finishing or via higher-value weanlings. Reducing the age of slaughter by just 1 month can cut GHG emissions by 250 kg per animal, and also means that progeny from the breeding programme finish at a younger age.
WHAT’S ON OFFER FOR THE DAIRY FARMER:
€200 CASHBACK PREMIUM ON BUYING A TRIBESMAN BULL:
- Opportunity to source high-calibre Tribesman bulls easily
- Access to superior genetics from Tribesman AI and stock bull sources
- €200 refund on completion of Certified Irish Angus reclaim form
OPPORTUNITY TO MARKET CALVES HASSLE-FREE:
- Exclusive access to marketing Tribesman offspring through the Certified Irish Angus portal
- Access to online auction of Tribesman offspring, which is promoted among the 10,000 members of Certified Irish Angus
- Minimise your workload and your farm’s exposure to disease/cross-contamination by selling Tribesman offspring direct from your farm
BEEF FARMERS
FINANCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
DELIVERED THROUGH GENETICALLY SUPERIOR CALVES
Beef Farmers
Delivering financial sustainability in an environmentally friendly manner is one of the key aims of the Certified Irish Angus Elite Breeding Programme.
The ultimate objective
Supplying genetically superior Angus-cross calves to beef farmers.
In tandem with the sustainability programmes of our processor partners, ABP and Kepak, Angus-cross calves offer an opportunity for forward-thinking beef farmers to follow sustainability best practice at every stage of the production process, from birth to slaughter. Certified Irish Angus has a positive reputation among retail and food service customers resulting in a willingness to support our products and return a dependable premium to farmer members.
Those same consumers now demand that we produce our fantastic beef in a more environmentally friendly manner.
Future beef production will be dependent on a livestock production system that is resilient
and sustainable throughout the supply chain from Soil to Society.
Certified Irish Angus Elite Breed Improvement Programme helps deliver a solution to these challenges.
WHAT’S ON OFFER FOR THE BEEF FARMER:
BETTER-QUALITY CALVES
- Genetically superior calves
- Increased farmer margin as a result of improved weight for age
- Engage with producers directly and gain knowledge of their herds and calf-rearing systems
- Access to calves with their breeding data recorded, making genetic evaluations available for further improvements
IMPROVED WELFARE
- Healthy calves reared in line with best management practice
- Minimised movement of calves through targeted sales to members ensures quality assurance and less exposure to health risks and stress
- Flexible purchasing and collection of Angus cross calves
SUSTAINABILITY BENEFITS
- Increased performance reducing age of slaughter and GHG emissions
- Opportunity to avail of our processor partner sustainability programmes, premiums, support and advice
- Deliver social sustainability through the production of safe, healthy, quality food with animal welfare at its core
EVERYONE WINS WITH GENETIC IMPROVEMENT
For further information contact:
catherine@certifiedirishangus.ie
Certified Irish Angus
Longfield, Virginia, Co. Cavan
EVERYONE WINS WITH GENETIC IMPROVEMENT
For further information contact:
catherine@certifiedirishangus.ie
Certified Irish Angus
Longfield, Virginia, Co. Cavan