Key facts
- Higher CBV dairy-beef calves deliver better carcass performance and revenue.
- 5-star CBV animals returned €113 more per carcass than 1-star cattle.
- 5-star CBV animals were finished 13 days earlier on average.
- Improved performance is linked to genetic beef potential identified at the calf stage.
- Higher CBV cattle were more likely to meet factory specifications for weight and conformation.
New data from over 87,000 Irish beef cattle, recently made available by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), reveals significant differences in carcass performance and age at slaughter based on Commercial Beef Value (CBV). The analysis, which included 87,323 spring-born dairy-beef heifers and steers finished in 2025, shows that animals with higher CBV genetic potential consistently outperform those with lower CBV.
Specifically, 5-star CBV animals delivered carcasses that were, on average, 14kg heavier, had higher conformation scores, and were finished 13 days earlier compared to 1-star CBV cattle. This improved performance was not driven by increased fat levels, as fat scores remained largely unchanged. The added value stemmed from enhanced carcass weight, better grading, and more efficient finishing. Cattle with higher CBV were also more likely to meet factory specifications for carcass weight (280-380kg) and conformation grades ('O+' or better).