Certified Irish Angus, the Cavan-based Aberdeen Angus producer group headed up by Charles Smith, has decided to commence a breed improvement programme with the aim of improving the quality of Aberdeen Angus cattle that its 10,000 active farmer members produce.

Certified Irish Angus purchased the young bull Drumcrow Tribesman from the Cavan-based McKiernan family for €6,400 at the Irish Angus Cattle Society elite show and sale of bulls and heifers in Carrick-on-Shannon at the weekend. The purchase of the bull is a joint venture with Dovea Genetics.

The bull by Fordel Lockdown and out of a Drumcrow Joker-sired cow comes in with a terminal index of €68, a carcase weight figure of +9.5kg and a carcase conformation figure of +0.61kg.

It is now planned that Certified Irish Angus producer group will make this bull available through AI to all its members, with the aim of improving the quality of the animals they produce.

Use of genetics

It is intended that the use of these genetics will increase the performance of Certified Irish Angus members' cattle in terms of shortening the time it takes to reach finishing weight, therefore reducing overall emissions of the cattle that the producer group brings to slaughter.

Offspring from this bull will also be used in the Certified Irish Angus schools competition, which forms an education aid to students studying agricultural science for Leaving Cert and provides students with an insight into efficient animal breeding, feeding, processing and marketing.

We are delighted that we can now bring elite Angus genetics to all our members

Managing director Charles Smith said: “We are thrilled with the purchase of this bull in partnership with Dovea Genetics. Through this partnership, we are delighted that we can now bring elite Angus genetics to all our members.

"By making these genetics available on a large scale, we intend to drive down emissions from certified Angus beef production, while at the same time improving the financial sustainability of our family farm members.

"For the consumers of certified Irish Angus beef, this move provides assurance that the beef they consume and enjoy is produced in a sustainable manner.”