Milestone Achieved in Angus Sire Benchmarking Program
Angus Australia has announced the inclusion of 30 new sires in Cohort 16 of the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program (ASBP), marking a major milestone—over 500 bulls have now been placed under evaluation since the program began in 2010.
The ASBP is a key research initiative led by Angus Australia, with support from the MLA Donor Company (MDC). It was established to build the Australian Angus genetic reference population and underpin the genetic selection tools provided by Angus Australia, helping breeders make informed decisions when selecting animals for their breeding programs.
The newly selected sires represent a diverse and high-quality mix of genetics:
- 26 Australian sires
- 1 New Zealand sire, and
- 3 sires from the United States of America.
These sires will be joined to over 2,000 Angus females through a single round of fixed-time artificial insemination across seven cooperator herds – including, for the first time, a herd based in Queensland.
Dr Liam Mowbray, Research & Development Specialist at Angus Australia, leads the ASBP and noted strong interest in the program, with over 60 nominations received for Cohort 16.
Final selections were made in consultation with the ASBP Consultative Committee, whoa take into account a broad range of factors, including:
- Genetic merit
- Genetic diversity
- Currnet and anticipated penetration into the Augus seedstock and commercial sectors
- Performance potential in cooperator herds, and
- Needs of supply chain partners who support the program.
With 519 sires now entered into the program over 16 years, the ASBP has helped build one of the world’s most comprehensive Angus reference populations.
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“The ASBP is a major initiative of Angus Australia, and its impact on genetic evaluation and industry advancement cannot be overstated,” Liam said. “By collecting data on hard-to-measure and future-focused traits, we are continually improving the accuracy and reliability of Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) published through the Trans-Tasman Angus Cattle Evaluation (TACE).”
Through the ASBP, Angus Australia continues to drive genetic progress, expand the reference population, and deliver world-leading tools for Angus breeders in Australia and globally.
To view the full list of sires in Cohort 16, visit: Cohort 16 Sires
