Ultra Sound Scanning for Beef Cattle

Summary

Knowledge of the correlations between live animal ultrasound and abattoir measurements of carcase quality traits was required for accurate EBV calculations for BreedPlan. Live animal ultrasound measurements of seed stock and progeny, together with actual abattoir carcase measurements of steer progeny are included in the analysis of carcase EBVs of sires.

This project has been successful in demonstrating the benefit of ultrasound scanning in assisting in the identification and ranking of superior Angus carcase sires through measuring both heifer and steer progeny. Project results have highlighted that live animal ultrasound measurements of carcase quality traits before feedlot entry in steers and heifer progeny, are accurate in predictors of abattoir carcase performance post feedlot. Progeny ultrasound scanning is also useful to determine how sires will rank in abattoir measurements of carcase quality traits.

The high cost and difficulty of performing properly structured progeny test programs can be eased by scanning heifer and steer progeny at approximately 600 days of age and before feedlot entry. Feedlotters and processors can identify progeny and genetics that will reach particular beef markets. The industry can also be confident of the reliability of carcase quality EBVs calculated by Breedplan, as accurate predictors of progeny carcase performance.