An online survey has been launched to allow Angus producers to have input into what key selection traits will shape the future of their breed.
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The aim is to determine current industry preferences for different traits within Angus breeding programs.
Angus Australia’s breed development and extension manager, Andrew Byrne, said the survey was a critical part of a project to review the selection indexes that are calculated within the Angus Breedplan genetic evaluation.
“Survey outcomes will help to shape the future selection indexes that are calculated for Australian Angus animals,” he said.
Facilitated by CSIRO Agriculture and Food in collaboration with Angus Australia, the online survey aims to determine industry preferences for not only traditional production traits like calving ease, fertility, growth rate and carcase quality but also traits not currently considered in the selection indexes such as structural soundness and temperament along with more novel traits like immune competence.
CSIRO research project officer, Amy Bell, said the traditional focus of breeding programs had been on production and reproduction traits, however other traits were starting to be considered to maintain a healthy, sustainable and productive herd.
One example of this was immune competence which had only recently been developed as a measurable trait.
Immune competence describes an animal’s ability to mount an immune response to a disease challenge with animals with high levels of immune competence having a strong immune response, which is favourable.
“It has been demonstrated in Australian Angus cattle that immune competence has potentially large benefits for improved herd health and reduced health treatment costs during feedlot finishing,” she said.
The survey information will help to better understand how the value placed on each trait differs between different operations, climatic regions or target markets and will enable the tailoring of selection indexes that best meet the needs of industry.
Four selection indexes are now calculated within Angus Breedplan - the Angus breeding index, domestic index, heavy grain index and heavy grass index.
The Angus breeding index is a general purpose selection index that is suitable for use in the majority of commercial beef operations whereas the domestic, heavy grain and heavy grass selection indexes are specific to beef operations targeting a defined production system and market endpoint.
