The British Charolais Cattle Society has launched its live herdbook at www.charolais.co.uk a new information tool believed to be the first ever of its kind and providing 24 hour 'real time' instant access to the society's pedigree database.

British Charolais Live Herdbook comprises three web pages: members - including details of each individual, their current herd and all registered animals; animal enquiry - offering at a glance four generation parentage of each registered animal within the society's herdbook and their accompanying EBVs; EBV enquiry - a search facility to locate an animal or groups of animals within a stated specification for each recorded trait.

The service is updated on an immediate basis, every time a new animal is registered or a transfer takes place. In addition, each animal's accompanying EBV data will automatically be updated after MLC's BLUP run, three times a year.

"We're pleased to be the first breed society to offer an on line live herdbook. It's a great new tool we agreed to provide for our members now that the majority of farmers and cattle breeders have internet access," explains BCCS' chairman, Murray Lyle. "In fact within 24 hours of going live, British Charolais Live Herdbook has had positive feedback from members based in the UK and as far a field as Botswana."

He adds: "British Charolais Live Herdbook is completely innovative helping farmers to access potential bulls for purchase from their home office without the need for a catalogue or paperwork. They can be assured the information provided is bang up to date and for those interested in detailed lineage, it is possible to trace the original French imported cattle and beyond; records of up to 100 years of Charolais breeding can be accessed."