December 2023 TACE Enhancements – Recap
It’s now been over 4 months since a range of significant enhancements were made to the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation (TACE), which provides Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) on Angus and Angus influenced cattle in Australia and New Zealand.
While a range of related extension resources and communication initiatives were undertaken around the time of implementation, we acknowledge that some members, and producers in the wider cattle industry using Angus genetics, may not have had the opportunity to consider all the explanatory information. For this reason, we provide the brief recap below of the 2023 TACE enhancements, along with direction to associated resources and contacts.
Why does Angus Australia enhance TACE?
The annual TACE enhancements are focussed on providing Angus breeders with enhanced tools (particularity EBVs) to make more accurate selection decisions. They build on Angus Australia’s long history of providing world leading genetic evaluation programs to its members.
The enhancements may also provide more efficient genetic evaluation systems, that can cope with the growing pedigree, phenotype and genotype residing on the Angus databases.
The enhancements are mostly based on new understanding coming from research undertaken by livestock Geneticists internally at Angus Australia or externally with our R&D collaborators.
What enhancements were implemented in the December 2023 TACE?
The enhancements which were implemented broadly fall in three main categories:
- Optimal use of genomics; including an increase in the relationship weighting applied to genomics for all single-step EBVs and the transition to a single-step model for the Docility EBV.
- Enhanced Research Breeding Values; including updated variance components (heritabilities) for the Mature Body Condition (MBC), Mature Cow Height (MCH), and Coat Type (CT) RBVs. Along with MBC and MCH being transitioned to a single-step model, to be consistent with the CT RBV evaluation model.
- Genetic evaluation efficiency and maintenance; including a more efficient Calving Ease EBV analysis and updates to the contemporary grouping for the days-to-calving trait.
Are there other resources to help me understand the enhancements?
Angus Australia has produced comprehensive documented and short video resources to help all TACE EBV users understand the enhancements applied, the benefits and the expected changes.
The resources can be found if you CLICK HERE
Who do I contact to discuss the TACE Enhancements?
To further discuss any of the enhancements implemented in the December 2023 TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation or TACE in general, please contact members of Angus Australia’s Genetic Improvement and Extension team.
Jake Phillips, Extension Manager
Ph: +61 2 6773 4625 Mob: 0401 261 217 E: EMAIL
Nancy Crawshaw, Extension Officer
Ph: +61 2 6773 4643 Mob: 0436 337 652 E: EMAIL
Hanlie Jansen, Extension Officer
Ph: +61 2 6773 7641 Mob: 0427 943 436 E: EMAIL
Christian Duff, General Manager – Genetic Improvement
Ph: +61 2 6773 4620 Mob: 0457 457 141 E: EMAIL
Christian Duff – General Manager, Genetic Improvement
