Introducing UltraSELECT
BACKGROUND
Angus Australia has partnered with International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) to provide a collaborative genetic evaluation, UltraSELECT, for Angus Australia members breeding UltraBlack animals. The genetic evaluation will utilise data from Australia and the United States, producing estimated breeding values (EBVs) for the global benchmarking of Ultrablack and Brangus animals registered in the Multibreed Register (MBR) with Angus Australia. UltraSELECT will run alongside the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation (TACE).
Key benefits for Brangus and UltraBlack breeders:
- Improved selection decisions through the ability to better describe an animal’s genetic merit through more accurate EBVs as a result of utilising the larger IBBA reference population, which provides significant genetic influence on Australian Ultrablack herds.
- Increased international trade capabilities as Australian genetics can be compared against animals in the wider IBBA genetic evaluation.
- Increased collaboration, with breeders across the globe able to work together on common initiatives that will benefit Ultrablack and Brangus breeders globally, including Angus Australia members.
- Achieving strategic goals, by enabling Angus Australia UltraBlack and Brangus breeding members to genetically benchmark their animals with other major Angus influenced populations around the world.
- Proven capability, Angus Australia is able to provide this service to our members as we have the required expertise, relationships, data (both quality and quantity, primarily because of dedicated, performance focused members) and data pipelines to participate in collaborative genetic evaluation programs.
Important details to be aware of:
- The UltraSELECT analysis will be released on monthly basis.
- Animals recorded in the MBR that have a listed breed composition of Brahman and Angus (predominantly Ultrablacks, but including Brangus animals) are automatically included in the evaluation.
- The recorded performance data and genotypes for eligible animals and that of their pedigree are analysed, providing that it meets the IBBA parameters. The vast majority of data submitted to the TACE evaluation is suitable to be included in the UltraSELECT evaluation. Guidelines regarding the collection of performance data for both TACE and UltraSELECT will be provided to members.
- Sires can be expected to rank similarly, but not exactly the same when comparing rankings of UltraSELECT EBVs to TACE EBVs, for the same trait. This is a result of it being tailored specifically to Ultrablack animals, rather than the Australian & New Zealand Angus population. UltraSELECT includes significantly more data from North America and there are also some differences in the analysis model and trait definitions.
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As UltraSELECT results are published as EBVs, the breeding values for animals in the UltraSELECT evaluation are not directly comparable to IBBA EPDs. However, due to being a joint evaluation, with the correct conversion factors applied UltraSELECT EBVs can be converted to EPDs with BIF accuracies and directly compared to those reported by IBBA for North American registered animals. The percentiles reported in UltraSELECT are calculated specifically for animals registered with Angus Australia and therefore, animals cannot be compared on a percentile basis between UltraSELECT and IBBA. Angus Australia is able to provide EPDs and BIF accuracies for those members who wish to compare animals from the different associations.
ACCESSING UltraSELECT
UltraSELECT EBVs will be available as a search function through angus.tech online. This search tool allows users to set EBV thresholds and other search criteria to directly compare UltraBlack and Brangus sires from across the globe, that are registered in the Angus Australia MBR.
UltraSELECT EBVs will be updated at the start of every month.
NAVIGATING TO UltraSELECT
You will need to be logged in to angus.tech to access the UltraSELECT search function.
To locate the UltraSELECT search function, select Angus SELECT (located on the right-hand side of the top banner) and then select UltraSELECT.
UTILISING THE SEARCH TOOL
Filters can be applied based on animal details, ownership and EBVs.
Selection criteria can be easily applied with interactive slider bars on percentiles and filters placed on EBV range and the minimum accuracy desired.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Angus Australia is collaborating with IBBA to produce UltraSELECT, to provide UltraBlack and Brangus breeders with a genetic evaluation that is more tailored to their population opposed to the Australian and New Zealand Angus population (utilised for TACE). This provides UltraBlack and Brangus breeders with improved selection capabilities and increases the opportunity for cross trade between Australia and North America of UltraBlack and Brangus genetics. Additionally, it provides the opportunity for future global collaboration on initiatives that will benefit Ultrablack and Brangus breeders globally, including Angus Australia members.
Animals registered within the MBR, with a recorded breed composition of Brahman and Angus (predominantly Ultrablacks, but including Brangus animals) are automatically included in the UltraSELECT.
A data pipeline has been constructed to allow pedigree, phenotypes and genotypes to seamlessly flow between Angus Australia and IBBA. As a result, recorded performance data and genotypes, that meets IBBA collection parameters, are analysed by UltraSELECT. The vast majority of data submitted to the TACE evaluation is suitable to be included in the UltraSELECT evaluation.
In the near future, an updated collection of performance data guideline for both TACE and UltraSELECT will be provided to UltraBlack breeding members to ensure that collected performance data is suitable for the analysis.
There are currently twelve EBVs published in the UltraSELECT genetic evaluation, covering calving ease, growth, fertility and carcase, as well as two indexes. The specific EBVs and indexes are:
- Calving Ease Direct (CED)
- Calving Ease Maternal (CEM)
- Birth Weight (BW)
- Weaning Weight (WW)
- Yearling Weight (YW)
- Mature Cow Weight (MCW)
- Milk (M)
- Heifer Pregnancy (HP)
- Scrotal Circumference (SC)
- Ribeye Area (REA)
- Fat Thickness (FT)
- Intramuscular Fat (IMF)
- Fertility Index (FI)
- Terminal Index (TI)
To understand the descriptions of these EBVs and indexes please see the Angus Education Centre module for UltraSELECT.
Sires can be expected to rank similarly, but not exactly the same when comparing rankings of UltraSELECT EBVs to TACE EBVs, for the same trait. This is a result of it being tailored specifically to Ultrablack animals, rather than the Australian & New Zealand Angus population. UltraSELECT includes significantly more data from North America and there are also some differences in the analysis model and trait definitions.
As UltraSELECT results are published as EBVs, the breeding values for animals in the UltraSELECT evaluation are not directly comparable to IBBA EPDs. However, due to being a joint evaluation, with the correct conversion factors applied UltraSELECT EBVs can be converted to EPDs with BIF accuracies and directly compared to those reported by IBBA for North American registered animals.
The percentiles reported in UltraSELECT are calculated specifically for animals registered with Angus Australia and therefore, animals cannot be compared on a percentile basis between UltraSELECT and IBBA.
Angus Australia is able to provide EPDs and BIF accuracies for those members who wish to compare animals from the different associations.
UltraSELECT EBVs will be updated at the start of every month.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT THE ANGUS AUSTRALIA EDUCATION CENTRE
CLICK HERE
