genetic improvement strategies and successes by australian angus

Genetic improvement strategies and successes by Australian Angus breeders

Peter Parnell

Chief Executive Officer

Angus Australia

Outline

1. Angus Australia, background

2. Angus Breedplan, breed trends

3. Selection indexes, breed & herd trends

4. Sources of genetic trend

5. Management of recessive genes

6. Future needs

Angus AustraliaOur Vision:

Leadership in the delivery of innovative programs that enhance and promote the value of Angus cattle and Angus beef products

What we do …….• Breed registration & recording• Breed development (R&D)

• Marketing

• Education• Youth development

There are over 2.5 million There are over 2.5 million cows in Australia joined to cows in Australia joined to

Angus bullsAngus bulls

Over 50% of AustraliaOver 50% of Australia’’s feedlot s feedlot cattle for export are Angus or cattle for export are Angus or

Angus crossbred Angus crossbred

Female Inventory:

Calf registrations:

Calf registrations:

Compiled by Australian Registered Cattle Breeders Association (ARCBA)

Performance Recording:

>50% of all beef performance recording in Australia

Performance Recording:

>60% of all carcase scan records collected in Australia

ReproductionDays to CalvingGestation LengthCalving Ease (Dir)Calving Ease (Dtrs)Scrotal Size

CarcaseCarcase WtEMARib FatRump FatRBY %IMF%

GrowthBirth Wt.200‐day Growth400‐day Wt.600‐Day Wt.

Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs)

MaternalMilkMature Cow Wt.

EfficiencyNet Feed Intake Other (trial)

Structural scoresTemperament

ARDROSSAN ADMIRAL A2 (AI) (ET)

Birth Date: 16/02/2005

Register: HBR

Genetic trend:

ARDROSSAN ADMIRAL A2 (AI) (ET)Birth Date: 16/02/2005Register: HBR

Selection indexes:

Genetic trend:

Contributions to genetic trend in theAustralian Angus population

Amer, 2012 ( unpublished)

Gene contribution of key ancestors of theAustralian Angus population:

Estimated Breeding Values (EBV)

EBV

Own records‐ weights‐ scans‐ scores

Genomic values‐ Pfizer Molecular Value Predictions

Pedigree‐ parents (sibs etc)‐ progeny

• carcass• daughters

Correlated traits‐ other weights‐ other scans‐ other traits

AGBU

Inclusion of Pfizer 50K SNP data into Angus Breedplan

1) DISCOVERY1) DISCOVERY 2) 2) CALIBRATION CALIBRATION

into into EBVsEBVs

3) IMPLEMENTATION3) IMPLEMENTATION

AGBU

Step 1. Discovery (Pfizer, Angus Australia)

1,031 sires genotyped with Illumina SNP50 to develop “prediction equations” to estimate Molecular Value Predictions (MVPs) based on correlations with EBVs

Step 2. Calibration (AGBU) Correlations of MVPs with grand‐ progeny phenotypes

Calibration of Pfizer 50K SNP panel

explain 4 ‐ 20% genetic variationAGBU

Inclusion of Pfizer 50k SNP panel into Angus Breedplan

1) DISCOVERY1) DISCOVERY 2) 2) CALIBRATION CALIBRATION

into into EBVsEBVs

3) IMPLEMENTATION3) IMPLEMENTATION

AGBU

Step 1. Discovery (Pfizer, Angus Australia)

1,031 sires genotyped with Illumina SNP50 to develop “prediction equations” to estimate Molecular Value Predictions (MVPs) based on correlations with EBVs

Step 2. Calibration (AGBU) Correlations of MVPs with grand‐ progeny phenotypes

Step 3. Implementation (AGBU, ABRI, Angus Australia)

“Blending” of MVP results with EBVs

Animal has genomic information included in EBVs

Inclusion of MVPs

Trait CED BW WW YW MCW CEM MILKBefore 52.4 79.8 75.2 75.2 69.2 45.3 61.5After 57.2 80.8 76.9 77.3 70.5 50.1 66.6Change +4.8 +1.0 +1.7 +2.1 +1.3 +4.8 +5.1

Trait SCROTAL CARC‐WT CARC‐EMACARC‐RUMPFATCARC‐RIBFAT CARC‐IMFBefore 64.4 67.9 59.9 67.0 66.1 57.9After 69.2 70.5 64.3 69.2 70.4 59.0Change +4.8 +2.6 +4.5 +2.1 +4.3 +1.1

Accuracy (%) for 2,241 Angus animals with MVPs blended (April, 2012)

Overall impact on $Index accuracy: 1 ‐ 3%

2010: 35 bulls joined by AI to 1,640 cows to produce 906 calves

2011: 47 bulls joined by AI to 2,325 cows2012: Target > 50 bulls

Cohort 1:NFI testing: Aug – Dec, 2012Carcase data: Jun‐Sept, 2013



http://www.growsafe.com/index.php

Recessive genetic conditions:

Impact of DNA tests on frequency of Arthrogryposis Multiplex (AM) and Neuropathic Hydrocephalus (NH) and ContracturalArachnodactyly (CA) in registered Australian Angus

Recessive gene status of key ancestors of theAustralian Angus population

Key messages:

Key messages:1. Angus breeders in Australia have achieved

excellent genetic progress

2. Much of the genetic progress has been due to introductions from USA

3. Rates of genetic progress have declined in recent years

4. Recessive genetic conditions need to be rapidly identified and managed

Key messages:5. Need for strategic investment in collecting

phenotypes necessary to exploit genomics opportunities

6. Greater global co‐operation in genetic evaluation may enable better utilisationof breed genetic diversity

Thank You !

[email protected]

genetic improvement strategies and successes by australian angus

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