Irish Hereford Breed Society
The Irish Hereford Breed Society (IHBS) is the sole recognised Hereford cattle breed society in Ireland, headquartered in Mullingar, serving 800+ members across six regional branches and processing 5,000+ pedigree registrations annually through its EU-approved breeding programme and ICBF partnership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersMullingar, Ireland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Irish Hereford Breed Society does
The Irish Hereford Breed Society (IHBS) is a recognised breed society headquartered in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Ireland, serving approximately 800 members across six regional branches covering all four provinces of Ireland. It is approved by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine to maintain the official breeding programme for Hereford cattle in Ireland under Regulation (EU) 2016/1012, making it the sole authorised pedigree registry for the breed domestically. The society processes more than 5,000 pedigree registrations annually and provides pedigree registration documentation, a Breed Improvement Scheme with Semen Directory marketplace, genomic testing through its partnership with the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), Eurostar genetic evaluations, and a structured Next Gen youth development programme.
The society's operational technology is centred on a national data recording programme that integrates with ICBF's HerdPlus service for genomic hair test kit ordering and Eurostar result delivery. Distribution occurs through three auction venues (GVM Tullamore, GVM Kilmallock, Central Auctions Nenagh), an online Adverts platform for breeder-to-buyer listings, and the Semen Directory marketplace for AI straw purchases sourced through four AI station partners (Dovea Genetics, Progressive Genetics, Munster Bovine, Eurogene).
Revenue is generated across five streams: annual membership fees, pedigree registration fees (€45 via direct debit, €50 via cheque/cash/card, with €5/week late penalties after 30 days), show and sale entry fees at the three mart venues, semen sales through the Breed Improvement Scheme, and advertising on the Adverts platform. The society is a private limited company under Irish law with no external investment, no parent entity, and no subsidiaries, governed by an 11-person elected Council with a one-year rotating Presidency.
Irish Hereford Breed Society firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Irish Hereford Breed Society
- Legal name
- Irish Hereford Breed Society Ltd.
- Website
- https://irishhereford.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Irish Hereford Breed Society (IHBS) is the sole recognised Hereford cattle breed society in Ireland, headquartered in Mullingar, serving 800+ members across six regional branches and processing 5,000+ pedigree registrations annually through its EU-approved breeding programme and ICBF partnership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Irish Hereford Breed Society industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Livestock Breed Society
- SIC
- Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Breed Registry, Pedigree & Performance Recording Services (AFAEAJAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Genetic Trait Selection (e.g., polled, disease resistance) Services (AFAEAJAJ)
Keywords
Where Irish Hereford Breed Society is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mullingar
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Irish Hereford Breed Society business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees providing access to society services, breed improvement scheme, and participation in shows and sales
- Pedigree Registration Fees: Registration fees for calves: €45 via direct debit or €50 via cheque/cash/card. Late fees of €5 per week for notifications not made within 30 days of birth
- Show and Sale Entry Fees: Fees for entering animals in society-hosted shows and sales across multiple venues including GVM Tullamore, GVM Kilmallock, and Central Auctions Nenagh
- Semen Sales: Sale of Hereford bull semen through the Breed Improvement Scheme marketplace
- Advertising Services: Platform enabling breeders to list cattle for sale to targeted Hereford community buyers nationwide
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Calf Registration - Direct Debit |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Calf Registration - Other Methods |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Late Registration Fee |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Genomic Testing |
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Irish Hereford Breed Society product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Irish Hereford Breed Society is the official registry and breed society for pedigree Hereford cattle in Ireland, providing pedigree registration, an EU-approved breeding programme, a Semen Marketplace (Breed Improvement Scheme), member services through six regional branches, national shows and sales, and a youth development programme (Next Gen Herefords). It is a recognised breed society by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine under Regulation (EU) 2016/1012.
Product overview
The Irish Hereford Breed Society operates as a breed society offering a comprehensive suite of services for Hereford cattle breeders in Ireland. The core offerings include membership services with pedigree registration, an official breeding programme approved under EU Regulation 2016/1012, and breed improvement through the Semen Marketplace. Additional services encompass the Next Gen Herefords youth programme, an Adverts Platform for cattle sales, Member Finder directory, Shows and Sales event calendar, and the Members Portal for exclusive member access. The society also organizes the European Hereford Conference 2026 for international engagement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Next Gen Herefords: Youth club program for young Hereford breeders providing resources, events, and interactive content.
- IHBS
Products and services
- IHBS Membership Annual membership in the Irish Hereford Breed Society providing access to pedigree registration, breed improvement scheme, members portal, regional branch events, shows and sales, and society publications.
- Pedigree Registration Service Registration of pedigree Hereford calves through the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF). Pricing is €45 via direct debit or €50 via cheque/cash/card, with €5 per week late fees after 30 days from birth. Processes 5,000+ registrations annually.
- Breed Improvement Scheme / Semen Marketplace Online semen directory and marketplace offering top-quality semen from premier Hereford bulls (both horned and polled AI sires). Members can browse, compare, and purchase genetics to elevate herd quality, with semen supplied via partner AI stations (Dovea Genetics, Progressive Genetics, Munster Bovine, Eurogene).
- Hereford Shows and Sales Calendar and management of national and regional Hereford shows and sales including the Premier Spring and Autumn Bull Sales, Heifer Sales, National Hereford Show, National Hereford Calf Show, and regional shows held at GVM Tullamore, GVM Kilmallock, and Central Auctions Nenagh. Includes entry fees and participation for members.
- IHBS Adverts Platform Self-serve online advertising platform enabling Hereford breeders to list bulls and cattle for sale to a targeted community of Irish Hereford buyers nationwide.
- Official Breeding Programme EU-approved breeding programme for Hereford cattle in Ireland, maintained in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 and approved by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine. Available as a downloadable PDF document.
- European Hereford Conference 2026 International conference hosting Hereford breeders from across the world, featuring educational sessions, competitions, and networking opportunities, hosted by the Irish Hereford Breed Society.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5000+ pedigree registrations annually
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Irish Hereford Breed Society
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Irish Hereford Breed Society technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Irish Hereford Breed Society partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ICBF (Irish Cattle Breeding Federation)corePartnership for genomic testing, data recording, and Eurostar genetic evaluations. All pedigree Hereford cattle registrations are processed through ICBF. Their HerdPlus service handles genomic test kit ordering and results.
- GVM Tullamore MartcoreVenue for Premier Hereford Spring and Autumn sales, National Hereford Show, and National Calf Show. Central auction location for society sales.
- GVM Kilmallock MartcoreVenue for Hereford bull show and sales serving the Munster region.
- Central Auctions NenaghcoreVenue for Hereford bull show and sales serving the Mid-West region.
- Dovea GeneticsminorAI station providing access to Hereford bull semen for breeding programmes.
- Progressive GeneticsminorAI station providing access to Hereford bull semen for breeding programmes.
- Munster BovineminorAI station providing access to Hereford bull semen for breeding programmes.
- EurogeneminorAI station providing access to Hereford bull semen for breeding programmes.
- Irish Hereford PrimecorePrimary sponsor of the society providing €10,000 in travel bursary funding for youth competition teams representing Ireland internationally. Sponsors shows, sales, and Next Gen events.
- KepakminorBeef processor partner hosting farm tours and stock judging for bursary candidates as part of the competition programme.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Irish Hereford Breed Society competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF): Core infrastructure partner that processes all IHBS pedigree registrations, genomic testing and Eurostar evaluations; not a peer in the registry sense but the indispensable data services provider behind IHBS operations.
Direct peers
- Irish Limousin Cattle Society: Irish national breed society for Limousin cattle providing equivalent pedigree, registration, show and breed improvement services to IHBS, competing for the same beef breeder member base.
- Hereford Cattle Society (UK): UK equivalent national Hereford breed society; operates the same registry, breeding programme, shows and youth engagement model as IHBS but serves the British Hereford population under a different national jurisdiction.
- Irish Angus Cattle Society: Irish national breed society for Aberdeen Angus cattle; operates the same registry, pedigree registration, show circuit and member services model as IHBS but for the competing Angus breed.
- Irish Simmental Cattle Society: Irish national Simmental breed society offering comparable registry, membership, AI sire and show/sale services to the IHBS within the same Irish pedigree cattle market.
- Irish Charolais Cattle Society: Irish national breed society for Charolais cattle; offers parallel pedigree registration, breed improvement and show/sale infrastructure to IHBS for a competing continental beef breed.
Broad incumbents
- American Hereford Association: Largest national Hereford registry in the world, providing pedigree registration, genetic evaluation (Herdbook) and member services; broader portfolio and scale than the IHBS but operates the same breed-registry business model.
Regional players
- Canadian Hereford Association: Canadian national Hereford breed registry providing the same pedigree, breeding programme and member services as the IHBS, but operating exclusively in Canada rather than competing in Ireland.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Irish Hereford Breed Society social profiles
Digital presenceIrish Hereford Breed Society financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Irish Hereford Breed Society leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Irish Hereford Breed Society funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Irish Hereford Breed Society M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Irish Hereford Breed Society
What does Irish Hereford Breed Society do?
The Irish Hereford Breed Society is the official registry and breed society for pedigree Hereford cattle in Ireland, providing pedigree registration, an EU-approved breeding programme, a Semen Marketplace (Breed Improvement Scheme), member services through six regional branches, national shows and sales, and a youth development programme (Next Gen Herefords). It is a recognised breed society by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine under Regulation (EU) 2016/1012.
Is Irish Hereford Breed Society a public or private company?
Irish Hereford Breed Society is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Irish Hereford Breed Society founded?
Irish Hereford Breed Society was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Irish Hereford Breed Society based?
Irish Hereford Breed Society is headquartered in Mullingar, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Irish Hereford Breed Society make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are pedigree Registration Fees, show and Sale Entry Fees, semen Sales and advertising Services.
Who are Irish Hereford Breed Society's main competitors?
Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) is listed as an others. Direct peers are Irish Limousin Cattle Society, Hereford Cattle Society (UK), Irish Angus Cattle Society, Irish Simmental Cattle Society and Irish Charolais Cattle Society. American Hereford Association is listed as a broad incumbent. Canadian Hereford Association is listed as a regional player.
Does Irish Hereford Breed Society have an API?
No public API is recorded for Irish Hereford Breed Society.
What industry is Irish Hereford Breed Society in?
Irish Hereford Breed Society's product category is Livestock Breed Society. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEAJAD, Breed Registry, Pedigree & Performance Recording Services, with a secondary code of AFAEAJAJ, Genetic Trait Selection (e.g., polled, disease resistance) Services. Its SIC code is 200.