Breedplan - Australian Based International Beef Cattle Genetic Evolution Programme

Brian Sundstrom

Australian programme offers opportunities to improve genetics of the UK beef herd

BREEDPLAN is an Australian based international beef cattle genetic evaluation program. It is used by Breed Societies in the USA, Canada, Hungary, New Zealand and South Africa and individual herds in the UK, Argentina and parts of South East Asia. While some other genetic evaluation systems, such as Signet in the UK, use similar genetic principles, BREEDPLAN offers

A much wider variety of traits breeders can choose from (Table 1).
Variable indices according to the objectives of the stud breeder and their clients, eg many UK Angus breeders would have different aims to many Limousin breeders.
Integration with Breed Society management software and websites.
Analyses for breeders every time they submit new data.
Potential to link in with world evaluations for some breeds.

For reasons such as these, several UK Breed Societies are currently investigating if BREEDPLAN would benefit their endeavours.

BREEDPLAN assists stud breeders to make genetic progress and to objectively describe their seedstock for bull and semen buyers. Commercial cattle breeders benefit by using the figures in their buying decisions: they can better select genetics to suit their environment and market.

The units of BREEDPLAN (and other systems) used to describe cattle are EBVs (Estimated Breeding Values). BREEDPLAN EBVs are available for a full range of calving ease, growth, milk, fertility, feed efficiency, docility and carcase traits (Table 1). It is up to stud breeders and the Societies as to which traits they record and how they are grouped into indices.

Table 1

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An important first step in using BREEDPLAN is to understand the current average EBVs for the breed(s) in question. Genetics can then be selected to improve important traits of importance in studs.

For example, if the bull in Table 2 were to be used to breed an average Angus herd, growth would be increased and the progeny would be leaner, less muscular and higher in marbling.

Table 2

BREEDPLAN is actively involved in the carcase area. In most countries using BREEDPLAN, commercial scanning services accredited by Breed Societies, are available to measure fatness, eye muscle area and intra-muscular fat (IMF%) of live cattle. Most breeds then publish these EBVs along with Carcase Wt and Estimated Meat Yield % (EMY%). Wherever possible, abattoir Carcase data, particularly on marbling and other meat quality factors, are included to contribute to these EBVs. Some breeds also 'import' overseas information on sires to further strengthen the analysis.

While marbling is not important for all markets, research in Australia (and recently in Scotland) has shown consumer preference with cooked steaks is for moderate marbling. This could well be important in some high quality UK catering markets. If so, breeders need the tools to improve this trait without unduly harming productivity. As mentioned earlier the, BREEDPLAN performance recording system is closely integrated with Society management. Enrolled breeders are able to e-mail pedigrees and performance data, and download files, list sale bulls etc. Bull buyers can search Breed sites and list bulls according to their own criteria.

For example, the Hereford website listing of four bulls (Figure 1) was selected by ranking according to the Australian Hereford Supermarket Index and then (at the user's discretion) also to have the following EBVs: Birth Wt < 4.5kg; 600 day Wt > 70kg; Rump Fat > -0.4; Milk < 10kg and EMA > 2.3 cm².

Figure 1: Hereford website listing

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The four standard Hereford indices are shown on the right hand columns. Dunoon Albany, with a Supermarket index of $36 is predicted to 'earn' an extra $8.50 per cow joined, compared to a breed av. bull with an $19 index (Half of the $17 difference in the Sire EBVs, $36 - $19, will be expressed in the calves).

Different countries can of course design suitable indices with their own economic weightings - just another example of the flexibility offered.

Contact:
Brian Sundstrom +61 (0)2 6773 3555, is Cattle Breeding Specialist with NSW Agriculture. From an office at ABRI Armidale, he supports extension work for BREEDPLAN and the Beef Co-operative Research Centre.

Story 2 - The Future

While BREEDPLAN has made major progress in the range of options it offers, many other features are being developed to further improve the system. Most BREEDPLAN R & D is centred at AGBU (Animal Genetics & Breeding Unit) on campus at the University of New England (UNE). MLA is a major funder of this research, along with AGBU's partners, NSW Agriculture and UNE.

Three main areas planned for introduction are:

Multibreed EBVs - these would allow: crossbred data to be used to evaluate purebreds; EBVs on crossbreds or composites; and eventually, a common base for some or all breeds. The latter will depend on breed society willingness to participate.
Feed Efficiency EBVs - MLA supported research at Trangie and at the Beef CRC is allowing progressive understanding of this important but difficult to measure trait. Some trial EBVs have been released by Angus and individual herds in some other breeds. Full scale EBVs however will require a much bigger set of feed efficiency test results from well linked herds and sires. This may unfortunately take some time to achieve, as the test is costly and not simple (70 days in central test stations or with automated feed intake recorders on stud farms).
Gene marker use - most geneticists agree that gene marker information will be a valuable addition (not a replacement) to BREEDPLAN. AGBU researchers are planning how to use this data, when it becomes available in sufficient quantity.

Another area of rapid expansion in BREEDPLAN use, is via the Internet. Most major breeds now publish their EBVs on websites. The new and expanding area is to use these sites for sale catalogues and member/animal searches. Bull buyers can now, for example, log on to several breed sites for a listing of sales. Bulls can then be listed in order of various EBVs of interest. Breed websites can be accessed direct, or via the links on the BREEDPLAN site: http://breedplan.une.edu.au.

AGBU also has a trial website for its indexing system, http://breedobject.com. Sale stock can be listed and customised indexes calculated. Moves are underway to further integrate this with the Society cataloguing initiatives described above.