New Fertility Focus for Angus HeiferSELECT
Angus Australia is pleased to announce the next enhancement of the Angus HeiferSELECT product with the inclusion of a Heifer Conception Genetic Prediction.
The Heifer Conception (HC) genetic prediction (GP) was developed in partnership with CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency.
HC describes genetic differences in female fertility based on foetal age at pregnancy diagnosis from yearling Angus joining programs. A heifer with a higher HC genetic prediction value is expected to produce progeny that are more likely to conceive and conceive earlier (i.e., older foetal age at pregnancy diagnosis), than those with lower values.
General Manager of Genetic Improvement Christian Duff views this development as the latest step in Angus Australia’s ongoing commitment to Genetic Evaluation innovation and providing Angus producers the latest technology for high performing breeding systems.
“Given the importance of female fertility as a profit driver in most commercial operations, the Heifer Conception genetic prediction will allow commercial Angus producers to focus directly on heifer fertility. The application of this research and its inclusion in the Angus HeiferSELECT suite gives users the ability to utilise genomic enhanced genetic predictions in the commercial setting” he says.
Angus HeiferSELECT is designed to aid Angus producers in replacement heifer selection. Through genomic technology, it leverages world leading performance data collated on Angus cattle at Angus Australia to provide genomic based genetic predictions.
There are currently more than 38,000 females that have been tested with Angus HeiferSELECT since its release in 2017. With the addition of the Heifer Conception Genetic Prediction, Angus HeiferSELECT offers genetic predictions on 14 commercial relevant traits, covering cow-calf, fertility, feedlot, carcase and resilience traits.
To learn more about Angus HeiferSELECT visit the Angus Education Centre
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