Beef Working Group

Objectives

The Beef Working Group was redefined at the end of 2025, evolving from the Interbeef Working Group, with an updated mandate and responsibilities to broaden the group’s activities beyond its historic focus on the international Interbeef genetic evaluations.

Objectives

The objectives of the Beef WG are to:

  1. Provide a forum for members of ICAR to collaborate, exchange information and learn from each other on all aspects of recording and genetic evaluation of breeds and traits of relevance to beef production.
  2. Maintain, update, promote and extend universal guidelines for the recording of performance and other data relevant to beef production worldwide.
  3. Conduct and report the results of periodic international surveys of beef recording and genetic evaluations.
  4. Develop, provide, and promote standards for performance recording and genetic evaluation of beef breeds and traits.
  5. Facilitate and coordinate international collaboration in data exchange and research and development on the utilisation of genomic information related to beef cattle breeding.
  6. Provide strategic oversight for the Interbeef Evaluations User Group.

Interbeef Services

The Beef Working Group provides the overall framework for ICAR’s beef cattle genetic evaluation activities, within which the Interbeef Evaluations User Group manages the development and policy of the Interbeef international genetic evaluations.

The Interbeef Evaluations User Group is dedicated to developing, delivering and promoting the Interbeef international evaluation service for beef and dairy‑beef cattle.

The services are based on participating organisations sharing phenotypes, genotypes and pedigree which are brought together at the Interbull Centre (which sits within the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden). The Interbeef Evaluation is run by the Interbull Centre.

Read more about the Interbeef Evaluation Services (here)

Terms of Reference

Governance

 

 Minutes of the meetings

  • Minutes of the Working Group from November 2025 on ward are available here
  • Minutes of the previous Interbeef Working Group (prior to November 2025) have been made available on a specific page available here

 

Publications and documentations

Composition

Chairperson

  • Kim Matthews, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), UK

Members

  • Kristine Adama, Lauku atbalsta dienests, Latvia
  • Andrea Bassini, AIA, Associazione Italiana Allevatori, Italy
  • Martino Cassandro, Fedana/ANAFIBJ, Italy
  • Ross Evans, Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), Ireland
  • Siri Furre, TYR, Norway
  • Laurent Griffon, Institut de l’Elevage, France
  • Kamil Malat, ČSCHMS, Czech Rep.
  • Anne Menrath, Fachbereich Zucht und Genetik, Germany
  • Steven Miller, Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (AGBU), UNE, Australia
  • Jo Newton, Agriculture Victoria, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Australia
  • Klemen Potocnik, Biotehniška fakulteta, Univerza v Ljubljani, Slovenia
  • Andrea Quaglia, ANAFBIJ, Italy
  • Elisenda Rius, Vaxa, Sweden
  • Pedro Santos Vaz, Aberdeen-Angus Portugal, Portugal
  • Haifa Spittorff, Nordic Cattle Genetic Evaluation
  • Svenja Strasser, Mutterkuh Schweiz, Switzerland
  • Mart Uba, Eesti Põllumajandusloomade Jõudluskontrolli AS, Estonia
  • Japie van der Westhuizen, South African Stud Book and Animal Improvement Association, South Africa

 

Composition of the Interbeef Evaluations User Group

  • Kim Matthews, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), UK.
  • Kristine Adama, Lauku atbalsta dienests, Latvia
  • Ross Evans, Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), Ireland
  • Siri Furre, TYR, Norway
  • Kaivo Ilves, Eesti Põllumajandusloomade Jõudluskontrolli AS (EPJ), Estonia
  • Andrea Quaglia, ANAFBIJ, Italy
  • Svenja Strasser, Mutterkuh Schweiz, Switzerland

ICAR Groups