P.PSH.0743 - Northern Beef Information Nucleus - Spyglass
The project has continued to build capacity and broaden the genetic diversity of phenotypic carcase and meat quality traits in the Brahman and Droughtmaster breed to contribute to the Reference Population data sets.
| Project start date: | 26 May 2015 |
| Project end date: | 29 March 2023 |
| Publication date: | 06 November 2023 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grass-fed Cattle |
| Relevant regions: | National |
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Summary
This project adds value to the 'Repronomics – Building and delivering effective genomic selection for northern Australian cattle' project as it manages the Brahman and Droughtmaster steer progeny from Spyglass Research Station, Charters Towers and collects data on additional traits.
Additional weight, carcase, meat quality and structural soundness data is collected to expand and balance the traits available for selection with the female reproduction traits from the Repronomics project in the Reference Population of the participating breeds. This contributes valuable data towards enabling the Northern multi-breed project.
Objectives
- collect carcase and meat quality phenotypic measurements on the steer half sib male progeny of females measured in the female reproduction project (MLA B.NBP.0759) undertaken by Dr David Johnston
- contribute to the BREEDPLAN carcase data on Brahman and Droughtmaster cattle by adding both the number of records and diversity of sires
- contribute valuable data to the AGBU Multi-Breed Database
- the project will allow stud and commercial Brahman and Droughtmaster breeders that are unable to facilitate BREEDPLAN data collection the opportunity to utilise genomic selection.
Key findings
The project collected data on 729 Brahman, 691 Droughtmaster and 10 Beefmaster cross.
• 400-day weight
• 600-day weight
• EMA scan
• P8 scan
• rump fat scan
• pre-slaughter weight and scans
• structural soundness scores
• full MSA grading data
• meat science data – shear force, extracted fat, cooking loss, objective meat colour.
Benefits to industry
The benefits to industry are higher accuracy genomically enhanced estimated breeding values (gEBVs) for carcase and meat quality traits for the Brahman and Droughtmaster breed from their Single Step BREEDPLAN genetic evaluations.
MLA action
The next phase of this project has been funded until 30 June 2025 to allow the No 21,22,23 drop Spyglass steers to be followed through to slaughter with relevant data collection.
Future research
Research has indicated about 4,000 records of the traits of interest are required in a reference population to provide gEBVs with a reasonable level of accuracy. Both the Brahman and Droughtmaster Reference Populations are short of the optimum number of records for the carcase and meat quality traits so the next phase of this project will assist in managing the current shortfall.
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For more information Contact project Manager: Clara Bradford |
