2024 Annual TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation Enhancements
A number of important enhancements have been made to the calculation of Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) for Angus cattle in Australia and New Zealand.
The enhancements form part of the annual updates that are applied to the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation (TACE), with the enhancements implemented in the December 2024 analysis.
The enhancements which were implemented broadly fall in three main categories:
- Advancements in Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs): TACE will introduce two new EBVs, being the transition of Mature Body Condition (MBC) and Mature Cow Height (MCH) from Research Breeding Values (RBVs) to Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs). This transition will provide Angus breeders with EBVs focussed at making breeding decisions related to cow performance. Additionally, the Structural Soundness EBVs will see updated percentile graph descriptions for easier, more intuitive interpretation.
- Expansion of Selection Indices: In response to the growing demand for Angus genetics in the dairy sector, Angus Australia will also launch a new Angus on Dairy Research Selection Index. This index will assist dairy farmers in selecting Angus genetics for beef production from dairy herds. The growing interest in producing quality beef from dairy cattle highlights the importance of this new tool, designed to improve the genetic selection process for dairy beef production.
- Enhancement to the Genetic Evaluation Model and Pipeline: The 2024 updates will also include several enhancements to the genetic evaluation pipeline and model itself. These improvements are designed to better manage the growing number of genotyped animals and better address issues such as duplicate genotypes (including those from identical twins) and sex discrepancies. These updates ensure that TACE remains accurate and reliable as the volume of data continues to increase.
Further information on the annual enhancements which will be implemented in TACE is provided below.
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