What Are We Wrestling With? The Future of Angus Genetic Evaluation
Dear Members,
In my recent Spring Bulletin article, I discussed some of the significant changes confronting Angus Australia and the broader Australian beef industry, particularly Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) ambition to establish a national multi-breed genetic evaluation.
I also outlined the importance of protecting the value created by registered Angus breeders and the broader Angus supply chain.
Since writing that article, there have been further developments, and I believe it is important to keep members informed about where matters currently stand, what we are seeking to achieve and the decisions that lie ahead.
There is considerable discussion occurring across the industry about the future of genetic evaluation. Some of that discussion has been public, while much has taken place between breed societies, research organisations and industry bodies.
I appreciate these matters can appear complex, particularly when discussions turn to genetic evaluation technology, intellectual property, data ownership and commercialisation arrangements. However, the underlying questions are relatively straightforward.
Who will control the genetic evaluation systems of the future?
How will they operate commercially?
And what will the consequences be for the breeders who have invested in registered genetics over many generations?
These are questions that Angus Australia is taking very seriously.
What are we trying to achieve?
Before discussing MLA’s proposals, I want to be clear about Angus Australia’s own strategic direction.
Our objective is to deliver the best possible Angus-specific genetic evaluation for Australian Angus breeders, while protecting the integrity and commercial value of registered Angus genetics.
Importantly, this direction is not new, nor is it simply a response to MLA’s proposed multi-breed evaluation. It is firmly established in Angus Australia’s Five-Year Strategic Plan.
Critical Objective 2 of our Strategic Plan is:
“To achieve genetic improvement in Angus and Angus Influenced cattle in member herds.”
Supporting this objective are three clearly defined key outcomes:
Key Outcome 1 — Genetic Evaluation Service
“To provide market leading Genetic Evaluation services and associated decision support tools to Angus and Angus Influenced cattle, both seedstock and commercial, in Australia and New Zealand.”
Key Outcome 2 — Genetic Evaluation Control
“To have control over our Genetic Evaluation services and capability, both independently and through collaboration with third party providers.”
Key Outcome 3 — Genetic Evaluation Efficiency
“To enhance the efficiency of our Genetic Evaluation services, resulting in reduced turn-around times, and improved cost-benefit.”
I think it is important that members understand these objectives because they explain much of the work Angus Australia has undertaken over recent years.
Our investment in Angus GenetiQ is a direct expression of this strategic direction. We have sought to develop a genetic evaluation capability that delivers world-class outcomes for Angus breeders, provides Angus Australia with greater control over its future, and improves the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the services we deliver.
Importantly, our Strategic Plan recognises that this capability can be developed both independently and through collaboration with third-party providers. Independence does not mean isolation, nor does it preclude constructive industry partnerships. It means retaining the ability to make decisions in the best interests of our members.
The Strategic Plan also recognises that our responsibilities extend beyond registered seedstock to Angus-influenced cattle and commercial producers in both Australia and New Zealand.
This is an important distinction. Angus Australia is not simply seeking to preserve existing arrangements. We are seeking to improve and expand the genetic evaluation services and decision-support tools available to Angus breeders and the wider commercial beef industry.
For more than 30 years, Angus breeders have invested heavily in pedigree recording, performance measurement, genomics and genetic improvement. That investment has created enormous value, not only for seedstock breeders but throughout the Australian beef supply chain.
Our responsibility is to build on that investment, continue advancing genetic improvement and ensure that Angus Australia retains the capability and financial sustainability to serve future generations of breeders.
Our strategy is therefore not defined by MLA’s multi-breed ambition. It is defined by our own Five-Year Strategic Plan and our commitment to delivering better genetic evaluation, greater strategic control and improved efficiency for our members.
Where is MLA’s multi-breed proposal up to?
MLA continues to progress its ambition to develop a national multi-breed genetic evaluation.
Angus Australia has been involved in discussions regarding this initiative, and our Board and management have sought further information about the proposed business model and its potential implications.
We recognise that multi-breed genetic evaluation may offer scientific and technical opportunities, particularly in evaluating animals across different breed populations.
Our concerns are not principally about the science, but rather how such an evaluation might ultimately be commercialised and what that could mean for registered seedstock producers.
In particular, we have been seeking clarification about the potential role of commercial genomic DNA testing companies in delivering breeding values.
One possibility that concerns us is that high-accuracy breeding values could eventually be marketed for unregistered or composite cattle outside established breed society systems.
If this were to occur, it could change the competitive environment for registered seedstock producers. Registered Angus breeders invest considerable resources in maintaining pedigrees, recording performance, undertaking genomic testing and participating in genetic improvement programmes.
These activities have costs, but they also create substantial value and confidence for purchasers of registered Angus genetics.
We believe it is reasonable to ask whether a new commercial evaluation model could allow others to benefit from that accumulated investment without making equivalent contributions.
This is not an assertion that MLA has decided to adopt such a model. It is a potential consequence that we believe needs to be properly examined before decisions are made.
We have asked MLA for a comprehensive business case, including greater clarity about commercialisation, governance and the potential effects on registered cattle breeders.
Those questions remain important and, in our view, have not yet been adequately answered.
A recent development concerning ASBP data
One of the more significant recent developments concerns the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program (ASBP). Members will be familiar with the ASBP and its important contribution to Angus genetic improvement.
The programme represents a substantial research investment by Angus Australia and MLA, generating valuable performance, genomic and other information that contributes to more accurate genetic evaluation. MLA has requested that Angus Australia provide data developed through earlier ASBP projects for use in its proposed multi-breed evaluation.
However, there is a broader strategic issue. Our concern is not simply about who has the right to use research data. It is about how that information may ultimately be used commercially, and whether the interests of registered seedstock producers will be adequately considered and protected.
Angus Australia remains committed to collaborative research and to ensuring that research investment generates the greatest possible benefit for cattle breeders. However, we also have a responsibility to understand the consequences of major changes to the commercial structures supporting genetic improvement.
We will continue to seek appropriate clarity from MLA while addressing our contractual obligations through the proper processes.
Where does Angus GenetiQ fit into this?
Against this changing industry background, Angus Australia has been investing in the development of Angus GenetiQ. This has been a deliberate strategic decision, consistent with the objectives established in our Five-Year Strategic Plan. When the Angus GenetiQ project was commenced Angus Australia did not have long term security in its access to Breedplan.
Angus GenetiQ is our own Angus-specific genetic evaluation capability, designed to deliver accurate, efficient and commercially relevant breeding values to members. It provides the opportunity to continue advancing Angus genetic improvement while giving Angus Australia greater influence over the development, operation and future direction of our evaluation.
It also provides the potential to improve the efficiency of genetic evaluation, reduce turnaround times and deliver better value to members, consistent with the three key outcomes in our Strategic Plan.
Importantly, Angus GenetiQ is not simply a reaction to MLA’s multi-breed proposal. It is an investment in the long-term capability and sustainability of Angus Australia. Our technical team has made substantial progress in developing the evaluation, and we are now approaching an important stage in its assessment.
No decision has yet been made to replace BREEDPLAN with Angus GenetiQ as our primary genetic evaluation. However, I believe the investment we have made in Angus GenetiQ has placed Angus Australia in a stronger strategic position. It gives us a genuine alternative and the ability to make decisions based on what is best for Angus breeders.
There is more to Angus than an EBV
In my Spring Bulletin article, I discussed the broader value of Angus and the collective contribution made by everyone throughout the Angus supply chain. I described how research, genetic improvement, seedstock production, commercial cattle breeding, feeding, processing, beef brands and the consumer experience all contribute to the value associated with Angus. I made the point that no single organisation owns the commercial value of Angus. It has been created collectively over generations. I believe that observation is particularly relevant to our present circumstances. The value of registered Angus genetics is not simply a numerical breeding value.
An EBV is an important tool, but it is only one part of a much broader system. That system includes pedigree integrity, performance recording, genomics, research, genetic evaluation, breeder accountability and the confidence commercial cattle producers place in registered Angus genetics.
It also includes the reputation of Angus beef and the premiums that have developed throughout the supply chain. We have described this broader proposition as The Angus Value System.
Our responsibility is to protect and strengthen that system, because it is ultimately what underpins the value of registered Angus genetics.
As I wrote in the Spring Bulletin:
Protect what Angus means. Improve what Angus delivers. Keep the value of Angus flowing through the entire supply chain.
That remains an important guiding principle as we consider the future of genetic evaluation.
What happens next?
The Angus Australia Board is approaching an important period of decision-making. Over the coming weeks, we will continue assessing the future of our genetic evaluation arrangements, including the potential adoption of Angus GenetiQ as our primary evaluation.
We will also continue seeking greater transparency from MLA regarding its proposed multi-breed evaluation, particularly the commercial model, governance arrangements and potential consequences for registered seedstock producers.
These issues extend beyond Angus Australia. Other registered breed societies face similar questions, and we believe there is a legitimate need for wider industry discussion. We intend to engage with Cattle Australia, other breed societies and relevant industry stakeholders to ensure these matters receive appropriate consideration. We will also continue communicating directly with members, including providing further information about Angus GenetiQ and the strategic choices before the Board.
I recognise that members will hold differing views about the future of genetic evaluation. Some may see significant opportunities in multi-breed evaluation. Others will be concerned about the implications for registered seedstock. Both perspectives deserve consideration.
Our responsibility is to make informed decisions based on evidence, the long-term interests of members and the future sustainability of Angus Australia.
Our future is ultimately in our own hands
I want to conclude with an important observation. Angus Australia cannot necessarily determine the strategic direction taken by MLA or other industry organisations.
We can, however, determine our own direction. Our future should not be defined simply by our response to MLA’s multi-breed ambition. It should be defined by our commitment to delivering the best possible genetic evaluation, strengthening the Angus System and ensuring that registered Angus breeders continue to prosper.
We have a remarkable breed, an extensive history of genetic improvement, a strong membership and a reputation that extends throughout the Australian beef industry. Those are substantial strengths. Our challenge is to ensure that the decisions we make today build upon those strengths and provide a sound foundation for the next generation of Angus breeders.
Our objective remains clear: to achieve genetic improvement in Angus and Angus-influenced cattle through market-leading genetic evaluation, supported by greater strategic control, improved efficiency and a strong, independent and sustainable Angus Australia, while protecting and strengthening the value of registered Angus genetics.
That is what we are working towards. I will continue to keep members informed as these important matters progress.
As always, I welcome your questions, observations and views.
Scott Wright
Chief Executive Officer
Angus Australia
October 2026
