Next generation of breeding values

Beef multibreed genetic evaluations provide a platform for a range of traits, with new breeding values for:

• Methane emissions, which will contribute to Australia’s net zero ambitions.
• Female reproduction, enabling improved selection for female fertility – an important driver of profitability in beef breeding enterprises.
• Carcase value i.e. the economic value of a carcase and its key drivers (weight, yield and eating quality). This will provide a more direct measure of an animal’s genetic capacity to generate value.
• Structural soundness, including locomotion and feet/leg conformation using computer vision-based phenotyping technology rather than subjective scores.
• Male fertility, combining traits such as percent normal sperm, mass, motility and sperm abnormalities, along with bull measurements such as body weight, scrotal circumference and sheath score.
• Adaptation, identifying animals with a better ability to maintain productivity, health and welfare when exposed to environmental and parasite challenges such as heat stress, buffalo flies and cattle ticks.
• Mature cow resilience, reflecting the ability of females to maintain adequate body condition and reproductive performance under the ongoing demands of a commercial breeding herd.
• Immune competence, enabling selection for healthier, more resilient cattle with reduced susceptibility to disease and lower reliance on animal health interventions.