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Changes to €uro-Star evaluations set to be implemented in 2026 are expected to generate an additional €35 million in profit for the sheep industry over the next decade. This forecast was presented by Sheep Ireland and Teagasc during a recent sheep industry meeting in Tullamore.

Approximately €15 million of the expected profit will derive from modifications to the terminal index, while €20 million will come from adjustments to the replacement index. The updated genetic evaluations will utilize revised costs and values in the bio-economic model for determining values. Additionally, two new traits, faecal egg count and methane production, have been included in the genetic evaluations, allowing farmers to incorporate these metrics into their breeding decisions.