The Bovine Genetics Project
The Northern Ireland Bovine Genetics Project (BGP) is a key initiative led by Sustainable Ruminant Genetics (SRG). Through the delivery of key project objectives, SRG is driving positive, long-term outcomes for the bovine sector, supporting sustainable and profitable cattle production.
The BGP underpins long-term genetic improvement in cattle by leveraging high-quality data and robust evidence to deliver permanent gains in key traits, including:
- Improved efficiency and profitability
- Improved animal health and welfare
- The ability to identify animals with greater resistance to Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB)
- Lower greenhouse gas emissions
The project is delivered by SRG in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) as part of the Sustainable Agriculture Programme (SAP). Through the BGP, herdowners are provided with the information they need to make more informed management decisions. This information is available through the SRG User Portal on the SRG website. The project supports the breeding and finishing of cattle that are more efficient, healthier and more productive. This benefits both farm performance and the wider environment.
Northern Ireland Bovine Genetics Genotyping Scheme
Under the NI Bovine Genetics Genotyping Scheme, farmers are eligible for subsidised genotyping from September 2026, initially covering all breeding animals (both breeding males and females). From 1 January 2027, the scheme extends to include every calf born in 2027.
Find out more about the Genotyping Scheme here.
The Partners
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- SRG is a not-for-profit company established in 2022 by the agri-food industry in Northern Ireland. SRG assists DAERA in the delivery of several key functions. These include supplying industry data and supporting the promotion and marketing of the project to producers and other stakeholders. The aim is to maximise uptake and benefits for participating herds. SRG also supports this through the ongoing development of resources, knowledge transfer and the provision of advice.
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- DAERA is funding the BGP and are working in partnership with SRG to provide strategic direction for the programme.
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- The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) was established in 1998 as a non-profit organisation charged with providing cattle breeding information services to the dairy and beef industries. In January 2025, DAERA awarded a contract to ICBF to act as the service provider for the Northern Ireland BGP. As such, ICBF will collate data, produce reports, build and manage a database of genetic and genomic information, and run genomic evaluations.
When will it commence?
The ability to sign up to the project and access the first Benchmark reports and profiles for your herd, is available from May 2026. Sign-up is through the www.srgni.com website.
Additionally, the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) is developing a suite of Knowledge and Innovation Programmes. These programmes ensure farmers have the required knowledge and understanding of data required to effectively use the available benchmarking and genetic evaluation services. Thus, enabling farmers to make more informed future breeding decisions.