What is the Commercial Beef Value?
The Commercial Beef Value (CBV) assists non-breeding beef producers by indicating an animal’s genetic capability for key beef traits. For example, these traits include carcass weight, conformation and feed intake. Like the Maternal and Terminal Indexes, it is measured in pounds (£), with higher CBV figures reflecting stronger beef genetic merit. All animals which have been genotyped and are destined for finishing, from both suckler and dairy herds, will receive a CBV figure. CBV figures will be displayed on market boards in the future, helping farmers make more informed purchasing decisions.
Does CBV work?
There can be massive variation in the beef merit of calves even within breeds. ICBF research has shown that calves bred from higher genetic merit beef bulls have higher carcass weights and better conformation. These calves are more likely to meet factory specifications than calves bred from lower genetic merit beef bulls.
The tables below highlight the importance of having the CBV to hand when purchasing animals.
This table shows the CBV of over 100,000 genotyped Dairy × Beef steers finished in 2024. The difference in CBV between the top 10% and bottom 10% is €160 . With the top 10% in CBV achieving a 67 kg heavier carcass weight and finishing four days earlier than the bottom 10%. This highlights the value of genetic information in supporting more informed buying and selling decisions for farmers.