Gene Ireland Beef Sire Directory
Gene Ireland Beef Sire Directory
Introduction
We are delighted to present you with the latest catalogue of beef bulls that are now available through the Gene Ireland program. The breeding program is a joint initiative between Pedigree Breeders, Commercial farmers, Breed Societies, AI Companies, DAFM & ICBF. The aim of the program is to progeny test high index beef bulls which will produce profitable cows for the suckler beef industry. The minimum criteria for a bull to be included on the panel is 5 stars across breed on Replacement Index.
We have also included a section dedicated to high Terminal Index bulls which are selected to produce profitable animals for sale or slaughter. The minimum criteria for a bull to be included in the Terminal section is also 5 stars across breed on Terminal Index.
The Benefits
If you contact ICBF (023-8820452) and order semen from any of the bulls in this catalogue you will receive the following benefits:
Access to the highest index new beef bulls in Irish AI at €8 per straw (technician charges may apply).
Straws delivered to your own tank or the technician of your choosing.
Progress towards meeting SCEP scheme targets.
Potentially sell some of the progeny back to ICBF for performance testing at the Tully Beef Test Centre.
Freedom to choose whatever combination of bulls & breeds that you require from the catalogue.
Two of the Gene Ireland programme partners, namely Eurogene and NCBC, now require farmers to accept Intellectual Property (IP) conditions to get access to Gene Ireland Beef Bulls. Please review by clicking on the IP Authorisation link when you log into your HerdPlus account on www.icbf.com. Straws cannot be allocated until authorisation is given.
Gene Ireland Overview
The diagram below gives an overview of both the design and operation of the Gene Ireland Beef program.
2025 Spring Replacement Panel
2025 Spring Terminal Panel
This report has been prepared by ICBF in good faith on the basis of information provided to it. No representation or warranty expressed or implied is made or given by ICBF as to the accuracy, reliability, completeness of this Report. ICBF shall not be liable for any losses (whether direct or indirect), damages, costs or expenses whatsoever, incurred or arising from any use of or reliance on this Report or the information contained in it by any person.
Gaggin Timely
“Highest Replacement Index on the panel. Sired by Lexicon and out of a Cerberus dam”
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Genomic Evaluation ID: LM1946
Breed: Limousin Dob: 14-Sep-2022
Myostatin: 2 x F94L
Ballyclough Theo P
ID: AU1515
Otto657efb
Calverstown Oleander
Genomic Evaluation
Breed: Aubrac Dob: 08-Feb-2023
Myostatin: 2 x F94L
Breeder: James Woulfe Co Cork
Evaluation Date: Mar 2025 Next Evaluation Date: 25-May-2025
Lobrac Efb
Lio239 Efb
Clooneylissane Kieran
Calverstown Ilex O Shea
Breeding Performance
Daughter
Rathlee Pirate
Ranfurly Klinker 19 Tf
Rathlee Joleen
Genomic Evaluation
Breed: Simmental Dob: 03-Dec-2022
Myostatin: Free
Breeder: Gerry Lenehan Co Sligo
Evaluation Date: Mar 2025 Next Evaluation Date: 25-May-2025
Team Celtic 11
Ranfurly Weikel 2nd Et
Glebefarm Tyson
Rathlee Andrea
Daughter
Scollop Krackerjack ET
ID: SP1521
Breed: Speckle Park
Dob: 02-Mar-2023
Myostatin: Free
Breeder: Robert Martin Co Armagh
Colgan'S Dexter D'Angelo
Lanmore Breeze
Genomic Evaluation
Codiak Tycoon Cat
Spots 'N Sprouts 10y
Ballylough Warrior (Et)
Rosemount Xtra (Et)
Rockview Klassy
ID: SP1299
Breed: Speckle Park
Dob: 01-Apr-2023
Myostatin: Free
Breeder: Stephen Brady Co Cavan
Minnamurra Leander L81
Knockleigh Cheyanne
Genomic Evaluation
Six Star 82u Royal
Minnamurra 60w Nice
Farranbrien Zodiac
Knockleigh Abby
Crowenstown Hanley
Genomic Evaluation ID: HE1503
Conmelvin Ollie
Crowenstown Arethusa Ivy
Daughter
Breed: Hereford
Dob: 17-Mar-2023
Myostatin: Free
Breeder: Catherine Connor Co Kildare
Evaluation Date: Mar 2025 Next Evaluation Date: 25-May-2025
Cill Cormaic Kasper
Clondrina 1035th
Cave Hill Storm
Kilsunny Doreens Ivy
Deelish Vantastic
Hw Farghal T516
Colomane Kristine
Genomic Evaluation
Breed: Angus Dob: 04-Dec-2022
Myostatin: Free
Breeder: Michael Dullea Co Cork
Evaluation Date: 25-May-2025
Netherton Kracker P790
Netherton Fleur L623
Gabriel Emperor 804
Colomane Bridget
Daughter Breeding Performance
Daughter
Lisna Ultimate
LM1683
Myostatin: 2 x F94L
Breeder:
Lisna Nima Fuschia Gama
Ampertaine Foreman Lisnadell Eiran
Evaluation
Autumn 2024 AI Birth Stats
The class of Autumn 2024, who sired them?
The second half of 2024 saw 151,748 suckler beef calves (beef sire x beef dam) born on Irish farms, of which 34,382 have been registered to an AI sire. This represents approximately 22% of all suckler beef calves born in the period. Interestingly – 44% of these AI sired calves are already genotyped. Below is a list of the Top 10 AI sires of autumn 2024 born suckler progeny based on sires recorded.
The Top 10 AI Sires with the most progeny recorded to them between 1/7/2024 to 31/12/2024.
3
4
5
6
Evaluation based on the November 2024 evaluation.
These 10 sires account for 32% of all the AI suckler progeny born in the first half of 2024. The list is dominated by well proven Charolais and Limousin sires along with one Angus and one Belgian Blue. The 10 sires listed above have an average Replacement Index of €122 with relatively high reliability across all the sires and very high in some cases.
Encouragingly, 7 of the 10 sires, and all the top 4, listed above have graduated from Gene Ireland over the years which highlights the value of the programme for consistently progeny testing young high impact sires. This helps to drive the rate of genetic gain by building high reliability indexes at a young age on the back of robust data recording. Every Spring and Autumn a new panel of young high genetic merit AI sires are made available to suckler farmers for just €8 per straw.
Ewdenvale Ivor
Gene Ireland Beef Sire Directory
GI Progeny Pics
bred by Owen Flannery, Clare.
bred by Kenny Roberts, Kildare.
bred by John O’Reilly, Clare.
bred by Seamie Egan, Mayo.
bred by Michael Tarpey, Roscommon.
bred by Adrian Morris, Mayo.
bred by Jarlath Burke, Galway.
bred by Kevin Sweeney, Sligo.
bred by Liam McWeeney, Leitrim.
Genomic Evaluation ID: CH1753
Breed: Charolais Dob: 17-Oct-2022
Evaluation Date: Mar 2025 Next Evaluation Date: 25-May-2025
“French
Breed: Charolais Dob: 14-Nov-2020
Genomic Evaluation
Date: Mar 2025
Evaluation Date: 25-May-2025
Special du Grand Doyer
ID: BB9792
Breed: Belgian Blue
Dob: 01-May-2022
Myostatin: 2 x NT821
Breeder: n/a
Evaluation Date: Mar 2025 Next Evaluation Date: 25-May-2025
Scan for More Information
Genomic Evaluation
Attribut Du Fond De Bois
Molecule Du Grand Doyer
Imperial De L'Ecluse
Orageuse Et Du Fond De Bois
Adajio De Bray
Jouvence Du Grand Doyer
Expected Daughter Breeding Performance
Daughter
Goodmoove Usher ET
CH2554
Genomic Evaluation
Kilvilcorris Tim
ID: CH1287
Twin to Male
Kilvilcorris Philadelphia
Genomic Evaluation
Breed: Charolais
Dob: 19-Oct-2022
Myostatin: 2 x F94L
Breeder: Matt Ryan Co Tipperary
Evaluation Date: Mar 2025 Next Evaluation Date: 25-May-2025
Meillard Rj
Banquise
Blelack Digger
Kilvilcorris Lola
Hausse de Jauvelan
Breed: Belgian Blue
Dob: 01-Dec-2021
Myostatin: 2 x NT821
Breeder: n/a
Evaluation Date: Mar 2025 Next Evaluation Date: 25-May-2025
Ganache D'Achet
Fee De Jauvelan
Genomic Evaluation
Resistant D'Au Chene
Agile D'Achet
Virulent De Jauvelan
Bienfaite De Jauvelan
Expected Daughter Breeding Performance
Daughter
Genomic Evaluation ID: CH8568
Breed:
17-Sep-2020
GI User Profile
The Bennett family farm on the Kildare/ Offaly border in the village of Clonbullogue. James’ sons Eddie, Peter and Tim have always been actively involved on the farm. Eddie through his college years had taken on more responsibility, doing most of the inseminating. He currently works as a large animal vet in Canada, specialising in reproductive embryology within dairy and beef herds there. Peter is more involved in the day to day work on the farm. He graduated from Agricultural Science in 2023 from UCD and has been farming in partnership with his father since January 2024. Along with this, Peter is undertaking a PhD in Teagasc Grange. His work is on the Derrypatrick herd investigating the sustainability of suckler systems in the context of sire and pasture type.
They calve down 60 suckler cows in spring –starting in February and finishing up in midMay. The vast majority of the calves arrive in the first two weeks of March. Alongside the suckler herd, they run a mid-season lambing flock of ewes as well as a small tillage enterprise. The foundation cow type in the herd are Limousin x Rotbunt cows which were bought in from a local dairy farmer several years ago. Limousin and Simmental daughters from these cows now make up the main bulk of the herd today. Heifers are synchronised on an out farm and inseminated with easy calving Limousin and Salers bulls. In 2024, approximately 93% of the calf crop born were sired by AI. James trained and took out a DIY AI license a number of years ago and it has helped greatly in breeding in many ways. It allows him to pick bulls to suit certain cows during the breeding season. Cows are bred for docility and he added that daily handling of the cows have made them even quieter. This focus on docility follows through in the progeny and it makes working with the herd very safe for all involved. The system is mainly focussed on finishing steers and surplus heifers on farm whilst they have often sold Gene Ireland sired stores to ICBF for finishing at the nearby Tully Test Centre. All replacement heifers are homebred for the last number of years. The herd is an active participant in HerdPlus, SCEP and NGP. Alongside these schemes,
James Bennett
they have also taken a pack of Gene Ireland straws almost every year since the programme began in 2007.
The average Replacement Index of the cows in the herd is an impressive €114 - this compares to the national average of approximately €98. The first calvers coming into the herd have an average Replacement Index of €127. This high level of genetic merit is backed up with a high level of data recording with 100% of calves having a calving record and all the breeding females in the herd now genotyped through the various schemes. Combined with this genomic data, all cows and calves have been weighed on farm for the last number of years which has given them some very useful information to aid in their breeding decisions.
One of the standout young cows in the herd is a ¾ bred Limousin cow (tag 372223519990907). Sired by the Gene Ireland graduate sire LM4217 (Moondharrig Knell), she was born in spring 2021. This cow first calved at 23 months and produced a good quality Angus bull calf which weighed 285 kgs at 218 days. This translates into a very respectable 1.12 kgs/day. She has recently calved again and has produced a really nice quality Charolais heifer calf this time (pictured below). The cow herself currently is genotyped and is 5 stars with a Replacement Index of €162. She has a really strong Milk figure of +8.2 kgs which is contributing to the strong growth rates seen in her first two calves. She is yet another example of what can be achieved in the suckler industry through a combination of elite genetics and top-class management.
Gene Ireland Beef Breeding Chart
