Changes to the December 2011 Angus Breedplan analysis

The Angus Multi-breed register demand continues to grow with changes to Angus Breedplan analysis required

The Angus Multi-Breed Register was established more than a decade ago to enable the registration and performance recording of cross-bred animals.

INCREASE

In recent years the number of animals registered in the Multi-Breed Register continued to increase to a point where over 3000 MBR animals have been registered with Angus Australia in 2011.

With the growing frequency of Angus-content crossbred animals in the Angus BREEDPLAN analysis, the model used in the December 2011 evaluation was changed to provide better handling of the performance records available on such crossbred animals.

CHANGE

In the past pure Angus and cross-bred animals were separated into different contemporary groups even if they were run together and treated the same on-farm.  In the December 2011 evaluation records were pre-adjusted for both direct and maternal heterosis based on breed content of the calf and cow.

NEW METHODOLOGY

A new genetic grouping methodology has been implemented to better handle effects of breed-type differences. These changes mean that contemporary groups may now comprise both purebred and cross-bred animals, allowing head-to-head comparisons where such breed types are being run together.

In addition, ET calves born to different breeds of recipient dam are now potentially compared head-to-head. These changes in contemporary group structure might also mean that some "older" records are now flagged as outliers - such records should be checked and verified, where possible.

RESULTS

The results of the December 2011 Angus Breedplan analysis have been examined and there are some animals with significant EBV changes.  Investigating these animals shows they are generally either cross-bred animals, or Angus animals that are now in contemporary groups in which they are getting compared head-to-head with non-pure Angus animals.