Breeding Programme FAQ

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Accepted Answer

Breeding Programme
of the
IRISH AUBRAC CATTLE BREED SOCIETY LIMITED
(hereafter known as the “Society”)
 
Approved by the Council of the Irish Aubrac Cattle Breed Society
on March 3, 2022
 
With approval under the EU Legislation Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 by the
Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine
 
Contents
Page

1. Aims of the Breeding Programme..................................................................................... 2

2. Name of the Breed............................................................................................................2

3. Geographical Territory...................................................................................................... 2

4. Characteristics of the Breed..............................................................................................2

5. System for Identifying Breeding Animals............................................................................2

6. Procedure for Entry of Pedigree Animals............................................................................2

7. Procedure for the Entry of Embryos.....................................................................................3

8. Imports................................................................................................................................4

9. Selection and Breeding Objectives.......................................................................................4

10. Performance Testing...........................................................................................................4

11. Genetic Evaluation...............................................................................................................5

12. Division of the Breeding Book..............................................................................................5

13. Technical Activities Outsourced..........................................................................................6

14. Authorised Derogations.......................................................................................................6

15. Zootechnical Certificate.......................................................................................................6



1. Aims of the Breeding Programme 

The aim of the society is to preserve and improve the Aubrac Breed by adhering to a strict breeding programme which maintains the breed characteristics, and using all available technology to improve the breed.

2. Name of the Breed 

The name of the cattle breed is “Aubrac”.

3. Geographical Territory 

The geographical territory being the island of Ireland to conduct it’s breeding programme.

4. Characteristics of the Breed

The fawn coloured coat can vary from wheaten to pale grey. The neck is darker in males. The muzzle and the area around the eyelids are black surrounded by some white hair. All the extremities must be black. The extremity of the tail and the outer hairs of the ears are black. The head, beautiful and expressive, has a short wide black muzzle and is carried proudly. It is an animal of medium size with deep and wide chest rounded hips and very strong correct legs.

5. System for Identifying Breeding Animals

a) All animals shall be identified in the Herd Book using the National Identification

Number, which is displayed by ear tag. b) Every member who registers an animal in the Society’s herd book must register an approved herd prefix, which shall be applicable to all animals born in his/her herd and registered by that member either alone or jointly with any partner(s) or other person(s) in any one herd. c) A prefix shall consist of approved word(s), and the member shall pay a fee for the registration thereof. d) In addition to the herd prefix, each animal must have a name, which shall have as the first letter, the year designation letter as specified by the Council of the Society, of the year in which the animal was born.

6. Procedure for Entry of Pedigree Animals

The birth of every calf alive or dead to any dam registered in the Society’s Herd Book shall be notified within 27 days from the date of the birth of the calf with ICBF, or on agfood.ie.
a) Notification should be made by the registered breeder, being a member of the Society, of the animal in question, either alone or jointly with any partner(s) or other person(s).
b) The Council reserves the right to refuse the notification of birth of a calf where the data provided is deemed to be deficient or inaccurate.
c) In the case of twin or multiple births a separate birth shall be recorded for each calf born alive or dead.
d) The pedigree registration fee payable shall be as the Council of the Society may from time to time decide. Payment is due within 4 months of the date of the animals registered. Late payments will be subject to additional fees, which council may apply from time to time.
e) Late pedigree registration for animals identified as pedigree, will be subject to the late registration fees and genomic analysis for parentage verification, at the Breeder’s expense.
f) All bulls used for pedigree breeding purposes must be genotyped parentage verified, by an approved laboratory before any progeny can be accepted for registration. Exceptions may be considered by Council.
g) Where calves are born as a result of insemination from a bull registered in the Society’s Herd Book or other qualified Aubrac Herd Book, Council reserves the right to request a copy of the official insemination certificate in cases where the Inseminator is not uploading his insemination records direct to the ICBF database. If such request is made the official AI docket/s should be forwarded within 7 days of the request. All insemination certificates must be fully completed. Where more than one insemination has been made all the insemination certificates shall be forwarded. In the event of the A.I documentation not being available the calf may have to be parentage verified by genotyping analysis carried out at an approved laboratory, prior to registration. If the insemination certificate is issued by a centre, which is not officially recognised by the Department of Agriculture & Food, then the resultant calf must be genotyped for parentage verification.
h) Where calves are born as a result of DIY insemination a copy of the inseminator’s licence may be required to be forwarded to the Society along with a list of straws purchased. Failure to do so, when requested, may result in the animal being parentage tested. (DIY FORMS AVAILABLE FROM THE AUBRAC SOCIETY).
i) When calves are born as a result of insemination with imported semen from a bull registered in another approved Herd Book, registration or notification will only be accepted provided that a copy of the bulls herd book certificate and Genotyping certificate are forwarded to the Society.
j) If it is found that any detail of any AI certificate has been changed by the breeder, or someone acting on his/her behalf, the calf may be subject to DNA/Genotyping analysis for parentage verification at the owners’ expense, have fines levied, or be disqualified from the Herd Book. Parentage verification, by DNA or genotyping, of each 25th calf notified to the Society will be carried out. Laboratory costs for typing the calf and its dam will be borne by the breeder.
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7. Procedure for the Entry of Embryos Entries of embryos

Entries of embryos will only be considered that meet the requirements of the main section of the Herdbook. In the case of calves born as a result of the implantation of purchased/imported

embryos the notification should be made by the person whose name appears on the official documentation supplied by the exporting country, including zootechnical certificate (in the case of imported embryos, or on the transfer certificate if purchased in Ireland. A calf born by Embryo Transplant will only be accepted for registration in the Herd Book provided that:
a) the donor female has been notified to the Society on form ET 1, along with a copy of her DNA or Genotype profile prior to flushing. (This form is to be completed by the technician/MRCVS)
b) the proposed sire’s DNA or Genotype profile is lodged with the Society and his pedigree should not contain any ancestors in common with the donor female at the parent and grandparent level.
c) the flushing is carried out by an approved ova/embryo collection team
d) details of the flushing are forwarded to the Society on form ET 2 (Implantation form), duly signed by the registered owner of the donor female and the representative of the approved collection team within 14 days of the flushing.
ET 3 (Embryo Registration Form) has to be completed along with ET 2, and returned to the office.
e) in the case of frozen embryos, the date of thawing and implanting must be notified to the Society on form ET 4, duly signed by the owner and the veterinary surgeon.
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8. Import
a) Each imported animal must be registered with the Society as soon as possible by submitting the official Herd Book Pedigree certificate of the country of origin together with the normal registration fee. Donor bulls of imported semen must be registered with the Irish Society in the normal manner and be Genotyped.
b) Imported embryos should be registered with the Society, applying the same criteria and fees as home produced embryos. Copies of official documentation must be applied as appropriate, including copies of the official Herd Book. Both donor animals must be genomic /blood typed and the resulting calf’s parentage verified.
c) Export of animals, embryos, semen etc., should comply with the national legislation in place at the time.
9. Selection and Breeding Objectives In selection of breeding animals, members are encouraged to maintain the breed’s characteristics, and keep a good balance in size and conformation (ie. medium, no extremes). They should also focus on the following qualities of the breed:

• Easy Calving

• Short Gestation

• Plentiful Milk Supply to Rear Calf

• Docile

• Long Lived

• Good Forage Efficiency

The Breeding objective is to have a national Aubrac herd:

• producing cows with adequate milk, medium size, economically kept, long-lived, regular breeders and with a docile temperament.

• producing bulls of adequate size, with good feed conversion and temperament, high kill out but all without forgetting the maternal orientations of the breed.

The overall objective is to provide top quality breeding stock to both suckler and dairy farmers on the island of Ireland.

10. Performance Testing

The society provide performance testing for breeders, which is outsourced to ICBF. Data collected are compiled to form the “€uro-Star” Index. The €uro-Star Index is a breeding index designed to aid beef farmers in the selection of more profitable breeding animals.

€uro-Star Indexes quantify the genetic component of an animal’s performance across all traits of importance for Irish suckler farmers. Whole Herd Perfomance Recording (WHPR) is available to breeders, to Linear Score their animals.
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11. Genetic Evaluation

The society also provide Genetic Evaluation for breeders, which again is outsourced to ICBF. Results of the genomic tests are added to the data, thus increasing the overall reliability of the €uro-Star figures. All these help to give a good indicator of the breeding potential of the animals.

12. Division of the Breeding Book

The herdbook shall have a Main section and a Supplementary section.
a) To qualify for entry in the Main section of the herdbook an animal shall:
i. Be descended from parents and grandparents entered in a herdbook of the same breed
ii. Be identified at birth according to the rules of the Society’s herdbook
iii. Have a pedigree established in accordance with the rules of the Society’s breeding programme.
b) The main Section of the herd book shall be divided into two classes, Class I (Elite class) and Class II as follows:
i. To qualify for entry in Class I of the Main section of the herdbook an animal shall comply with all the characteristics of the breed and be free from genetic defects and undesirable breed characteristics. Animals in this class are recommended for breeding.
ii. To qualify for entry in Class II of the Main section of the herdbook an animal must meet the minimum criteria for entry in the Main Section at Rule 12 a), however, the animal does not meet the criteria for Class I, as he/she may be identified as being a carrier of a genetic defect or have undesirable breed characteristics.
iii. Animals may be re-classified within the main section of the herdbook at any period during their lifetime.
c) The supplementary section is available for animals that do not qualify for entry into the main section. To qualify for entry into the supplementary section:
i. The animal must be identified and inspected as Aubrac by the Society.
ii. The animal must be 75% Aubrac as per ICBF’s Tauris System.
iii. The animal must be genotyped.
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13. Technical Activities Outsourced

The following technical activities are outsourced to ICBF:
a) Core Functionality – Taurus (Electronic system for recording & maintaining pedigree of breeding animals entered into the herd book).
b) Zootechnical Certificate generation and Supplementary certificate generation.
c) Catalogue generation application.
14. Authorised Derogations

None.

15. Zootechnical Certificates

The zootechnical certificate printed on Society paper with the animal’s ancestry shall be issued to the Breeder by the Society as soon as reasonably possible, when all the registration criteria are met. The onus is on the breeder to verify that all the information on the certificate is correct and if not to contact the Society’s office with corrections. The procedure for the change of ownership is that the new owner receives the zootechnical certificate, when taking ownership of the animal, and submits it to the Society office. If everything is ok, a new zootechnical certificate will be reissued to the new owner, with name of the new owner displayed on the zootechnical certificate.
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Breeding Programme FAQ

Breeding Programme FAQ

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