AHDB Dairy
Breeding+ site providing valuable data to farmers and breeders
Supporting dairy farmers and processors with independent research, market insights, consumer campaigns and export opportunities
CRITICAL
Industry tool
COMPLEX
DATA SETS
REGULAR
DATA UPDATES
20 years
PARTNERSHIP
The Challenge
This project focused on updating the Breeding+ website to align with the latest AHDB Dairy branding while enhancing overall functionality. The redesign ensured visual consistency with current brand guidelines, creating a modern and cohesive appearance.
In addition to aesthetic improvements, key functional updates were implemented to enhance usability, navigation, and accessibility. These changes were aimed at making it easier for visitors to find relevant information quickly and interact with the site effectively.
The aim was to deliver a complex project with a user-friendly platform that meets organisational standards, user expectations, and supports improved engagement through efficiency.
Our Solution
Rade further developed Breeding+, an online platform publishing UK dairy cattle genetic evaluation results, alongside explanations, statistics, and detailed information on bulls, cows, and herd genetics. Data, prepared by the Scottish Agricultural College, supports farmers and breeders with reliable insights.
Now in its ninth year, the system offers tools such as £PLI and £SCI to guide breeding decisions. Users can access personalised herd reports, searchable bull data sheets, and Herd Genetic Reports in multiple formats.
Enhanced functionality includes improved search filters and support for multiple-herd owners. A bespoke data integration module enables efficient handling of large datasets, allowing timely and regular updates to the website.
The Result
This update upgrades the AHDB site to the latest Umbraco version, strengthening security, improving performance, and ensuring long-term stability.
The Dairy Herd Genetic Report platform is highly effective because it simplifies complex breeding data into clear, actionable insights for farmers. It presents trusted genetic evaluations through easy-to-understand visual reports, enabling quick assessment of herd performance.
Key tools such as £PLI and £SCI support more informed and profitable breeding decisions. Personalised reports, strong search capabilities, and intuitive navigation make data easy to access. Combined with regular updates and a clean structure, the system remains a reliable, efficient resource for herd management.
"WE’VE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE THEY PROVIDE"
Marco Winters | Head of Genetics, Breeding+
AHDB Dairy
AHDB Dairy (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) supports British dairy farmers and processors by providing evidence-based research, market intelligence, and technical knowledge exchange
Project Scope
The aim of this project was to bring the Breeding+ website into line with new AHDB Dairy branding and update the site’s functionality to improve the user experience.
Solution
Rade developed a system which publishes online the latest UK dairy cattle genetic evaluation results, explanations on genetic evaluations and statistics for all major dairy breeds. Information for bulls, top cows and herd genetics information is made available. Data for the website is collated and prepared by Scottish Agricultural College.
Now in its ninth year, the system continues to provide valuable data to dairy farmers and breeders alike.
The Breeding+ website was set up to provide an online resource of key breeding and genetics information for the national herd.
Personal herd reports can be accessed via the herd owner’s unique login.
Data sheets for individual bulls are made available via a search tool – searchable by name or herdbook number.
New data elements include revised functionality for multiple-herd owners, filters to easier data search and a completely revised fact sheet showing information about each bull/cow stored in the system.
Herd Genetic Reports (HGRs) are available to all UK dairy farmers who milk record. They are available in two formats: Individual Cow reports and Genetic Herd Report summary.
Tools include the £PLI – Profitable Lifetime Index to help select bulls for a breeding programme to suit a farmer’s herd. The £SCI – Spring Calving Index – introduced in August 2014, matches bulls to suit herds which operate a spring block-calving system.
One of the key challenges was to provide a means to enable SAC to make regular updates from very large data sets. Using a bespoke data integration module, Rade provide a system for automated import, enabling the team at DairyCo to publish information regularly to specific deadlines.