The Australian Wagyu Update

update

th e australian

wagyu

issue 47

DEC 2010

The Australian Wagyu Update is produced by the Australian Wagyu Association Ltd. on behalf of the membership

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FMD virus continually evolving Expert advocates the A, B ‘P’s for genetic testing Vet’s advice - diagnosis and control of diseases Incorporating DNA information with performance data From the lab - industry sires genotyping project Changes for traditional japanese beef production

DATES for THE DIARY ■■

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Wagyu Update advertising deadline Mar 3rd 2011 Christmas closures AWA office 24/12/10 - 4/01/11

digital image analysis of rib eye Wagyu have very different marketing opportunities to most beef breeds with limited specific carcase attributes that reward producers of carcases that achieve market specifications with good financial returns.

Conversely producers of carcases that fail to achieve attributes such as adequate marble score, carcase weight and good feed efficiency can have large negative financial outcomes.

In Japan carcase price is very closely linked with Beef Marbling Standard (BMS). BMS is presently visually linked as assessed by accredited graders from the Japanese Meat Graders Association (JMGA) to specific standards. The process is similar in Australia.

A transition is now taking place that involves high resolution digital imaging of a cross section of rib eye muscle. Computer software analyses features of this image using electronic callipers to provide a permanent record of the relevant characteristics of that individual carcase rib section.

Professor Kuchida taking a digital image of a Wagyu carcase.

top

The imaging technique has been developed

by Professor Keigo Kuchida of the Obihiro University; Hokkaido Japan. He was the main speaker at the AWA Annual conference held at Rydges Lakeside in Canberra in September

2010 where he explained the features and applications of the technology.

BMS in Japan has multiple inputs governing the final grade assigned. Factors such as percentage of intramuscular fat, coarseness of marbling, rib eye area and rib eye shape all contribute to the final calculation.

Computerised digital image analysis is able to calculate, document and store an electronic record of these parameters.

Based on the cumulative data from 8,000 images to date, the technology is able to accurately predict BMS score when compared to JMGA grading. There is a 96% accuracy and near 100% reproducibility.

Professor Kuchida has a close working relationship with JMGA and is continuing to develop advanced digital imaging technologies that may in the future assist in the official grading in Japanese processing plants.

Continued page 7

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australian wagyu Update I December 2010

protecting our industry

FMD virus continually evolves and mutates Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) A highly contagious viral illness of cloven hoofed animals caused by the Foot and Mouth disease virus (Aphtae epizootecae. This is a highly variable and transmissible virus.

Occuring throughout much of the world, North America and Australia are considered free of the disease and New Zealand has never had a case.

FMD is endemic in Europe, Asia and many parts of South America.

After an incubation period of two to twelve days symptoms appear and include high fever, blisters in the mouth together with excessive foaming, salivation, and blisters on the feet resulting in lameness. Weight loss is high.

Most animals recover after a prolonged illness.

But not without the animal suffering and significant economic loss to the owner.

Some infected animals remain asymptomatic and represent a source of transmission to other animals. Transmission occurs in a number of ways – animal to animal, long distance aerosol and spread by non affected host animals including humans and by inanimate objects such as fodder and vehicles. Cows can catch FMD from the semen of infected bulls.

Seven serotypes of FMD virus are believed to exist. Like many other viruses the FMD virus continually evolves and mutates. Vaccination is possible but of restricted benefit. Vaccination for one serotype will not protect against another because of the rapid rate of mutation provides immunity for a limited period only.

Humans are rarely affected. They can however spread the disease by carrying the virus on their body, clothing and vehicles. Control measures include quarantine, the destruction and appropriate disposal of both infected and potentially infected livestock and export/import bans on meat and other animal products. In Australia, feral animals, especially pigs and buffalo, pose an enormous potential risk.

Earlier this year, an outbreak of FMD occurred in the Miyazaki Prefecture on the north east coast of the island of Kyushu in Japan affecting cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. It occurred 10 years after a similar outbreak in 2000.

www.wagyu.org.au

The outbreak was considered a crisis because some 15% of all Japanese Fullblood Black Wagyu are born in Miyazaki. The spread of disease affected not only the local industry but other areas as well because calves from within the prefecture are moved and raised in other parts of Japan. Semen is purchased and distributed nationwide. Control measures included the slaughter of almost 300,000 animals of which nearly 90,000 of these were Wagyu cattle. The legendary stud bull Yasuhira (age 21) was included in these. So too were 49 of the 55 top breeding bulls in the prefecture.

Only 6 could be salvaged and were transferred to quarantine on an offshore island.

On April 20th 2010, the export of all Japanese beef was banned. The economic cost to the community has been estimated at $3 billion however the emotional cost cannot be calculated. Considered a national treasure, Wagyu holds a special place in the Japanese psyche. Animals are fed up to 900 days and often come to be considered a part of the family.

Death by misadventure is a cause for grief. Our heartfelt sympathies go to those in Japan who have been affected by this tragedy.

The recent Japanese experience is a reminder to the Australian Wagyu industry of our fragility.

Disease poses a most dramatic risk to our own economic survival. Our international marketing advantage lies in our clean green image. If failure of vigilance on quarantine issues sees the introduction of diseases such as BSE and FMD then our most powerful marketing tool is lost – and probably lost forever. From time to time there have been initiatives proposed at government level to introduce FMD to Australia for research purposes and to allow the import of beef products from countries in which FMD is endemic for trade and economic purposes.

These initiatives should be vigorously opposed.

The risk is too high and the benefits too little. n

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from the editor

what is right for our product?

Profit is a subject always close to a cattleman’s thoughts. "No one ever went broke making a profit." Individual agribusiness will always be the determiners of their own profitability. But for them to be profitable, the Wagyu industry as a whole must also be profitable. To achieve that we must constantly be looking for new and better ways to go about doing what we do; producing and supplying Wagyu.

All components of the industry must be profitable.

The price paid for Wagyu reflects three characteristics: ■■ the weight, ■■ the marble score and ■■ the value that the purchaser assigns to the individual Wagyu brand.

striploin by 1 kilogram. There is one strip loin on each side so there is an extra 2 kilograms of striploin per beast.

Striploin is advertised on some Internet sites in Australia for $150 per kilogram.

An extra $300 per carcase can therefore be achieved.

By genetic selection it should also be possible to increase the national average marble score by one. An increase in Ausmeat marble score from 7 to 8 currently attracts an increased carcase price of approximately $1 per kilogram.

For a 470 kilograms carcase this adds an extra $470 to the price achieved.

As has been mentioned in previous editorials, genetic gain is a cheap and effective way of increasing profitability.

It costs no more to make good selection choices than it does to make average choices. Several examples illustrate this.

Again by genetic selection, the average daily gain in Japan for progeny tested animals on a long feeding program has arisen from 0.91 kilogram per day in 1993 to 1.3 kilogram per day in 2010.

This represents an increase of almost 0.4 kilogram per day and has been achieved without compromising the marble score as this has also risen. This represents an extra 200 kilograms over a 500 day feeding program. It may be that this increase reflects, in part, a tendency to earlier maturity and thus target weight (carcase weight of 470 kilograms) could be achieved at 450 rather than 500 days.

50 days at $4 per day represents a $200 saving on production expenses.

By genetic selection it should be possible to increase the weight of a

Add the three together and this totals an extra $970 per animal in the profit

Development of the latter is best left to the producers and promoters of those brands. Development of the first two can be achieved collectively as it involves some capital input and the dissemination of knowledge - characteristics that are enhanced by cooperation.

CONTRIbutors Editor Angus McClure email auswagyu@bigpond.com phone 0400 435 631 writers Enoch Bergman, Joe Grose. designer/publisher Heather Frazier email heather@squishcreative.com phone 0432 949 764 www.squishcreative.com

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column representing an addition to the profit already realised. There is almost no corresponding addition to the expense column. For a breeding herd of 100 animals the annual interest bill is now all but taken care of.

The common feature of the three examples quoted is that they can all be achieved by genetic gain. All three examples represent traits that carry a high degree of heritability. The traits are therefore rapidly expressed and will remain within the herd for many generations.

Such gain can be achieved quickly [within 10 years/five generations] and are all of economic significance.

Breeding an animal that matures earlier, has a bigger striploin and has superior marbling will not come from crossing the best bull on the farm with the best cow in the paddock. It will come from crossing the best bulls available outside of Japan with the best cows in the national female herd. To do that these animals must first be identified. This is a principle on which the Japanese national breeding program is based.

The only tool currently available to make this identification and to enable logical planning of genetic gain is a BLUP analysis and the most practical of these for our purposes is Breedplan. In its current format, Breedplan has some

Australian wagyu office www.wagyu.org.au email office@wagyu.org.au phone 02 6773 3138 | fax 02 6772 5376 Australian Wagyu Association, ABRI, University of New England, ARMIDALE NSW 2351 AUSTRALIA

disclaimer

MAGAZINE ENQUIRIES phone 02 6773 3138 email office@wagyu.org.au

service by the magazine of the Association, nor

The views expressed in the Wagyu Update are not necessarily those of the Australian Wagyu Update or the publisher. Reproduction in whole or part is strictly forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Acceptance of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of any product or support any claims by the advertisers. Published

by Squish Creative. Printed by Litho Art.

australian wagyu Update I December 2010

limitations for the Wagyu producer. It provides information such as scrotal size and flight times that is not particularly relevant and fails to offer information that is unique and of critical importance.

It is no coincidence that the traits of marbling (0.64), the fineness of intramuscular fat (0.47) and average daily gain are all highly heritable traits. Genetic gains made in these areas are both scientifically realistic and economically profitable.

The information that we do need to make breeding decisions includes the percentage of total intramuscular fat, the proportions of fine and course marbling, fatty acid profile and rib eye muscle area and shape. Breedplan has indicated that they are prepared to offer a Wagyu specific breedplan if 5000 individual records can be provided for each new trait. To be scientifically relevant these animals must be raised in contemporary groups.

This allows for animal to animal comparison.

Digital computer image analysis allows objective measurement of these traits. It provides accurate and reproducible information at low cost per animal. Developed by Prof, Keigo Kuchida of the Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine at Hokkaido in Japan, it is a photographic grading system that enables standardisation of the characteristics mentioned above to a level acceptable for scientific comparison. It allows comparison to be made from centre to centre, country to country and generation to generation in a way that visual appraisal cannot.

Observation of visual grading results in Japan suggests that there is considerable variation amongst results for each marble score. The variability can be as much as BMS three marble scores. There is no reason why Australian visual marble score variation would not be of the same order of magnitude. There is good correlation between chemical analysis (as measured by percentage of fat extracted) and digital imaging. (96% accuracy and near 100% reproducibility). Digital computer image analysis also provides an accurate, objective and recordable measure of both meat and fat colour.

It may well become the preferred meat grading technique of the future. For the next year or two at least its value lies as a scientific tool. A bank comprising stored tail hairs, a digital image of a cross-section of ribeye muscle and a sample of fat for every fullblood animal slaughtered in this country is an invaluable scientific resource whether held on the farm as the intellectual property of the breeder or held in common by the Australian Wagyu Association.

The board of the Australian Wagyu Association has made the decision to purchase a digital imaging device and the associated Beef Analyser 2 software at a cost of approximately $31,000.

The purchase was made in order to carry out research into better methods of genetic improvement (section 2.10, memorandum and articles of the AWA Association). This technology will be of most benefit to AWA members who have registered animals that are enrolled with breedplan and whose cattle are raised and slaughtered in a contemporary group structure that is suitable for high quality data collection.

This technology will become the objective basis on which future progeny testing programs will be undertaken. It is clear that if superior carcases are identified accurately the performance of the national herd can be quickly improved. Improvement in profit follows.

Angus McClure

recipes wanted The Wagyu Update proposes to run a regular cooking article featuring dishes made with Wagyu.

Recipes are invited from the membership.

Acknowledgements will be made & accompanying photographs would be especially welcome.

It is hoped that over time, enough recipes will be received to allow the publication of a Wagyu recipe book that can be used to aid the publicity and marketing of Wagyu.

We would love to hear from you

www.wagyu.org.au

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President’s report

Round-up of a busy year for the AWA COUncil Dear Members, As foreshadowed at the Annual Conference in Canberra your Council has begun a process of preparing a strategic plan for the association. To this end we devoted our normal November meeting to a review of what might be involved in a new plan and what would be required to develop one. In order to facilitate this discussion we engaged Professor Geoff Lewis from the Melbourne Business School to provide us with some insights to insure the key components of a good plan were included in the strategic process.

As part of this process we took the opportunity of Michael Beattie’s last day in his role as Executive Officer to review the history of the Association and to look at the two previous Strategic Documents which had been prepared many years ago.

This demonstrated how much the association and the industry have changed and developed since the Association was founded in 1989. Professor Lewis encouraged us to consider the purpose of an industry association and even to consider what would happen if there was no association.

The initial conclusion of our discussion was that a Wagyu Industry Association exists in order to: Add value to the Australian Wagyu industry by finding opportunities for facilitating collaboration between members and specifically by: ■■ Maintaining a rigorous, comprehensive breed registry with clear rules for inclusion and DNA records.

■■ Undertaking Advocacy on behalf of the industry e.g.; relations with governments, industry and the media.

■■ Protecting and building the reputation of the Wagyu brand with the consumer e.g.; potentially through a certification scheme or encouraging truth in labelling in the beef industry.

■■ Developing genetic tools and knowledge for improving the breed e.g.; EBVs, progeny testing and recessive gene disease analysis.

■■ Promoting and evaluating science with respect to the Wagyu industry.

■■ Educating and promoting the next generation of Wagyu industry leaders.

■■ Developing, maintaining and disseminating the knowledge base for the industry.

In our discussions we spent some time on the need for the Wagyu industry to continue to position itself as superior product and to avoid the trap of becoming commoditised.

This discussion was helped by Geoff’s experience in the wine industry which has some direct parallels with our own.

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The next steps are for a subcommittee of the council to prepare a detailed suggestion as to how we can gather data on the market and input from all interested members on how they wish the AWA to add value to both their business and to the industry. The subcommittee will work with our new Executive Officer as soon as he or she is appointed to develop this plan.

Members of the subcommittee are: Dominic Bayard, Peter Bishop, Scott Hughes and Frank Whitford.

We look forward to keeping you informed of progress on the development of the plan and to receiving your input on the future direction for our association.

Best regards,

Joe Grose

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australian wagyu Update I December 2010

images of the future

LEFT Professor Keigo Kuchida of the Ohihiro University; Hokkaido Japan, main speaker at this years AWA Annual conference where he explained the features and technology of digital image analysis.

from page 1 - Digital image analysis of rib eye

From his descriptions it would appear that this technology could be adapted to commercial Australian Industry requirements. Time for software image analysis is approximately 60 seconds. There is the capability to scan and capture the carcase identification label (bar code scanning).

The software must be developed to interface with the plant’s database in the future to allow commercial utilisation. The unit is relatively light weight and is transportable. Professor Kuchida has already visited Australia on several occasions to assess his unit’s applications for Australian conditions. He is willing to return to provide servicing and support and to provide operator training. This technology represents a reliable and objective carcase measurement system that allows for accurate meat grading it also provides an invaluable tool to aid in the genetic selection and breed improvement. It provides the opportunity to introduce evidence into the process of selection for genetic gain. n

www.wagyu.org.au

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australian wagyu Update I December 2010

tools of the trade

Expert advocates the A, B ‘P’s for genetic testing DNA marker technologies promise much but producers should apply the three ‘P’s to identify whether the technology is right for their businesses, a visiting US genetics extension specialist says.

Dr Alison Van Eenennaam, from the University of California, says the questions producers should ask themselves are: Is it possible, is it practical and is it profitable? “DNA marker technology is in the development stage for the beef industry,” Dr Van Eenennaam says. “The technology is evolving at a rapid rate and it is difficult to keep up to speed with the latest developments.”

Until now farmers have been breeding cattle based on their performance and that of relatives – without being able to take a detailed look ‘under the bonnet’ of the animals’ DNA to pinpoint the genes that produce a good effect. In the 21st century, mapping of the bovine’s genome is helping to increase the accuracy and range of these breeding predictions. The Beef CRC has undertaken decades of work identifying new traits and their associated heritability. To help producers and extension specialists better understand how to use these technologies, Dr Van Eenennaam advises to think of the three ‘P’s: ■■ Is it possible? What information is there that the DNA test works? The Beef CRC has worked to independently test new panels of DNA markers in Australian populations and validate that tests are performing in accordance with the claims of the companies selling the tests.

■■ Is it practical? What information is provided by the test and how will it be used? For example, is it worth investing in a genetic test that improves the accuracy of genetic merit estimates for marbling score? A stud breeder using DNA information to inform selection decisions may have different commercial uses for DNA technologies than a feedlotter using the information to sort groups of cattle.

■■ Is it profitable? The most important question to ask of DNA testing is whether it is profitable? From a genetic improvement perspective does the DNA information accelerate the rate of genetic progress sufficiently to pay for the cost of testing?

The answer to this question will depend on the selection index and attributes of the seedstock herd and its customers. Ideally genetic test information will be included into estimates of genetic merit (EBV).

www.wagyu.org.au

Dr Alison Van Eenennaam, from the University of California

Above

The Beef CRC has an active genomics research program to identify DNA tests that will account for at least 15 percent of genetic variation for a range of important production traits such as feed efficiency, beef tenderness, marbling and female reproductive rates. n

ava i L a B Le o n re Q u e St: n Limited numbers of Embryos. n Semen from Tajima and Shimane sires

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Veterinary advice

diagnosis and control of diseases A new product now available in Australia may help simplify Bovine Pestivirus control programs and have wider applications for assisting in the diagnosis and control of a range of diseases and genetics testing.

The TEGO Animal Blood Collection Kit was developed in Australia and is currently being marketed both here and overseas as an alternative for genetic testing due to the inherent risks associated with ensuring and maintaining sample integrity associated with traditional hair testing.

The TEGO is comprised of a simple disposable device consisting of a plastic housing enshrouding a set of retractable blades providing a safe way to collect blood from an animal’s ear onto a specially designed absorbent card. The device is applied with a pair of Allflex tagging pliers. The shrouded sharps make a small cut, as the blood wells to the surface it is absorbed by the card. Once enough blood has collected on the card, taking from a few seconds to half a minute, the device is pulled free from the ear, the card removed from the device, and the card is placed in a small included specialized envelope.

The small individually labeled cards can then be mailed without any special handling for analysis.

Our lab was very excited about the TEGO devices and after performing validation work have found them suitable for BVDV antibody testing. We have since begun offering them to our veterinary clients for their use with their clients to perform BVDV serology. The Swans Veterinary Services BVDV Laboratory pioneered ear notch testing for the diagnosis of PI animals and the TEGO

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is a natural fit to the philosophy of our service which has gone beyond simply PI testing to providing advice to veterinarians and producers pursuing systematic BVDV control ranging from simple testing to full scale herd level eradication programs.

BVDV serology or antibody testing is the cornerstone of Pestivirus investigations.

BVDV serology or antibody testing is the cornerstone of Pestivirus investigations.

Quite simply, if an unvaccinated animal has antibodies to BVDV then it has been exposed to the virus. If an animal has been exposed to the virus, then that animal has likely been exposed to a BVDV carrier animal (PI). In most instances that PI has been home reared. Where PI’s exist, there are likely more, and there have been and are likely to be ongoing production losses representing an opportunity for veterinary intervention. Once a producer wishes to manage BVDV one of the earliest steps is to assess the herd structure’s BVDV risk profile. This entails testing a handful of animals from each management group on the farm for antibodies to BVDV. The goal is to assess which management groups have low levels of immunity to BVDV, and conversely, which groups have evidence that a PI may exist within them. Simply put, groups with low levels of immunity would benefit from vaccination with Pestigard, groups with high levels of immunity have been exposed to a PI, and may even still contain a PI. The management strategy from that point varies from farm to farm, but we usually don’t advocate chasing PI’s in older management groups, however screening and acting appropriately with each new group of replacement heifers is an exceptionally cost effective strategy.

story by Enoch Bergman DVM Swans Veterinary Services

Once a producer and their veterinarian have committed themselves to a systematic BVDV control program and have identified the at risk management groups and begun a vaccination program where appropriate, the program can be both monitored and maintained by annual replacement heifer screening. Quite simply, annually, after having been commingled for at least a couple of months and at least 8 months of age a representative number of previously unvaccinated heifers are screened for antibodies to BVDV. If they are all antibody negative they are enrolled in a Pestigard vaccination program before mating. If they are predominately antibody positive then they need individually ear notched, for one of them may be a PI. A highly seropositive group of heifers would not receive any tangible benefit from vaccination. Sometimes only a proportion of the heifers will have antibodies, indicating perhaps past exposure of some animals prior to weaning and may require further investigation.

With time, this systematic approach, with reasonable biosecurity, should result in a BVDV free completely vaccinated herd.

Six years ago our veterinary practice spent well over a year searching for a lab willing to test ear notch tissue to screen for PI animals, however we were repeatedly told that only blood tube based testing was available in Australia. Out of frustration we established Australia’s first commercial laboratory for the diagnosis of PI animals from ear notch tissue freeing veterinarians like myself from having to come on farm to find PI’s. We now test over 50,000 animals a year, helping over 150 veterinary clinics to help their clients. By allowing producers to collect blood samples for their veterinarians, I beleive the TEGO devices are the next logical step to our lab helping vets and their producers to manage BVDV more cost effectively. n

australian wagyu Update I December 2010

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1

Conference wrap-up

2010 annual conference and AGm Designed to inform educate and entertain, the annual AWA conference this year took place at Rydges Lakeside on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in the nation’s capital, Canberra, from Friday To Sunday 17 – 19th of September.

With a theme of “It’s Political” a substantial portion of the program was devoted to the issue of the proposed Australian Wagyu Certification Scheme. A detailed “walk” through the scheme was provided by Phil Green of Greenleaf Enterprises explaining the history, philosophy, costings and legality of the scheme. A number of invited speakers, both in favour of and against the scheme presented their views and further views were sought from the membership present in an open forum.

Opinion was varied. Some had concerns about desirability of a scheme in the first place. General consensus was the there was enough of value to merit further development. For this reason it was decided not to undertake a vote but to represent a refined proposal in due course, perhaps in six months time.

The highlight of the conference was a detailed presentation by invited Japanese meat scientist, Prof Keigo Kuchida from the Obihiro Universithy, Hokkaido, Japan, who is an expert in the field of digital imaging. He has twenty years experience in developing advanced objective carcass assessment systems using digital image analysis. A summary of his sessions appears elsewhere in the magazine.

Dr Emily Piper from the Animal Genetics Unit, University of Queensland explained the basics of the DNA parent verification process and Graeme Nowland, Senior Agribusiness Manager from the Commonwealth Bank’s Regional and Agribusiness Banking team offered an appraisal of the economic conditions n which we are all operating.

The conference again included ample social opportunity for members to mingle with others involved in the Wagyu supply

chain. A meet and greet cocktail party kicked off proceedings on the Friday evening. This was followed by a gala dinner on Saturday evening which included an after dinner speech by Tony Fountain – a repeat offender at Wagyu conferences, and the now traditional charity auction. $14,045 was raised and has been forwarded to the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Childrens Cancer Research. Tony acted as the celebrity auctioneer. A relaxed lunch on Sunday allowed further opportunity for social discourse before the conference concluded.

Again, the conference was generously supported by a variety of industry sponsors and much of the credit for the success of the weekend must go to them. We would like to thank our sponsors.

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Platinum sponsorship Australian Agricultural Company, Stanbroke Beef, University of Queensland

>

Gold sponsorship Elders International, Commonwealth Bank

>

Silver sponsorship Ancare Australia, Macquarie Wagyu, Moyhu Wagyu, Oasis Collection Centre

>

Bronze sponsorship Australian Wagyu Genetics, Castlegate VGS, Global Reproduction Solutions, Kurokin Wagyu, Longford Station

>

from left to right 1.

Kai Steinbeck, Greg Gibbons and Damian Kennedy.

2. Frank

Correnti, Brisbane restauranter and Troy Setter.

3.

Dawne Hunter and retiring AWA President, Rick Hunter.

4.

Ron Southgate (AQIS) with Russell and Heather Crichton.

5.

Troy Setter and Alan Schmidt.

6.

Scott de Bruin, Keith and John Hammond.

7.

Dr. Leone Basher (AQIS) and Andrew Forbes.

6.

Pete Cabassi, Bob Officer and Wayne Grimshaw.

4

Conference wrap-up

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australian wagyu Update I December 2010

performance data defined

incorporating DNA information with performance data Australia’s own unique beef genetic evaluation scheme, BREEDPLAN is set to become even more important in future, as it is used as a vehicle to deliver DNA information to the Australian beef industry.

For the past 30 years, Australian beef producers have used BREEDPLAN Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) to accelerate genetic progress, tighten up breeding operations, improve productivity and increase prices for cattle sold for breeding and slaughter. With the inclusion of DNA information in BREEDPLAN, the system will provide producers with even more information by which to select sires says Beef CRC Chief Scientist Professor Mike Goddard.

“There was a time when we thought that producers would simply DNA test their cattle and then use that information to determine the best way to manage their stock, but now that we’re looking for hundreds, if not thousands, of markers for each trait, that scenario is looking less realistic.”

Professor Goddard says rather than ‘a’ gene test, what producers will see is a calculation based on the extensive genetic information from DNA markers that provides an accurate prediction of breeding value for important traits.

“Producers won’t be seeing ‘a’ marker for female fertility for example. They’ll probably see a prediction of breeding value based on a large panel of markers,” he said.

Beef CRC Chief Scientist Professor Mike Goddard

Above

www.wagyu.org.au

While EBVs are already used to record information on an animal’s performance for traits such as marbling, net feed intake (NFI)

and fertility, the new-style genetic markers will incorporate this information with genome-wide genetic predictions and phenotype information collected by producers. This will give cattle breeders the most accurate genetic evaluations of their cattle possible.

Professor Goddard said the Beef CRC proposes that predictions of breeding value from genetic markers, once extensively evaluated in cattle populations, will be fed directly into BREEDPLAN to generate an EBV that seamlessly incorporates DNA information with performance data.

He said it has already been tested with the development of trial shear force EBVs known as marker-assisted EBVs (EBVm) for tenderness which were launched for the Brahman breed in 2008.

“Research tells us that meat tenderness is the most prized attribute among consumers.

But previously we haven’t had a combined measure of whether an animal will produce tough or tender meat,” said Professor Goddard.

“The EBVm for tenderness combines pedigree, measured performance of meat tenderness and correlated traits such as flight time with GeneSTAR™ DNA marker information to create the BREEDPLAN EBVm for tenderness, which can then help produce genetically superior animals for tenderness.”

Professor Goddard said incorporating DNA markers into BREEDPLAN EBVs will take some of the confusion out of which animals to select.

“Producers won’t have to worry about DNA markers at all. They’ll just select animals with the EBVs they think are most appropriate to their own breeding objectives,” he said. n

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from the lab

industry sires genotyping project The Beef CRC and Meat and Livestock Australia are undertaking a project to collect DNA genotypes on approximately 1700 sires that have been widely used within the beef industry.

How to find out more?

For further information regarding the process members need to follow to donate semen to the Industry Sires Genotyping Project, contact the Australian Wagyu Association www.wagyu.org.au

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The Beef CRC are asking seedstock members to donate one or two straws of semen from sires with reasonable accuracies (above 60%) for their BREEDPLAN carcase EBVs such as EMA, P8 fat or IMF, or if no semen is available and the sire is still alive, a large sample of tail hairs (at least 50 hairs with roots attached).

(CSIRO or DPI Victoria) where a 50k SNP chip will be used to genotype the animal.

Once the samples have been received, high quality DNA will be extracted by the University of Queensland and one sample prepared for long term storage for future research. The other sample will be sent to a Beef CRC collaborating genomic laboratory

Amongst other uses, the first function of the genotype data will be to enable the independent validation of Beef CRC developed prediction equations for genomic breeding values for a number of traits in each of the major beef breeds within Australia. n

The genotypes will then be stored on a National Beef Genomics database where they will serve as a valuable resource for the development of DNA based technologies.

australian wagyu Update I December 2010

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The new name on Wagyu consumers’ lips...

Stanbroke’s presence in the Global Wagyu industry continues to grow with its latest addition Diamantina “Black Diamond” Wagyu beef brand.

Highly sought after in restaurants and retail, particularily in Japan, Diamantina “Black Diamond” pays tribute to Stanbroke’s own highly specific breeding program and that of its contracted partners, grain fed on our own award winning feedlot and producing Wagyu beef that is rapidly becoming the most sought after in the world.

Diamantina “Black Diamond” is the newest Wagyu brand to be launched from Australia and complements the further developments of Stanbroke’s already popular Diamantina and Circle 8 brand range.

The Diamantina and Circle 8 product range offers the highest levels of tenderness, juiciness and flavour complemented by the highest in food safety standards assurring our customers experience Australia’s Finest Beef, everytime.

www.stanbroke.com

For Wagyu Livestock enquiries: Richard Sheriff richards@stanbroke.com 0428 557 258 Jason Carswell jasonc@stanbroke.com 0418 120 605

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australian wagyu Update I December 2010

a changing industry

changes for traditional japanese beef production The evolution of Japanese beef production is slowly moving away from a traditional family based activity to a larger corporate process.

rare. Grazing areas are only available on mountainsides and in other remote areas where rice and other crops cannot be grown. As each Wagyu is extremely valuable and the herds so small owners do not wish to risk the physical dangers associated with grazing.

As the building and construction industry slows down many large cashed up corporations are moving into the production and raising of Wagyu cattle as a way of diversifying their activities. As a result the number of Wagyu operations is declining yet the numbers of cattle being fed are stable or even increasing. The nature of the Wagyu industry is changing as science and technology and capital infusion promote change.

To understand this change it is important to understand the culture of the traditional production methods that have brought the Wagyu industry to this stage and provided the platform from which change can proceed. There are still farmers in Japan who breed and raise cattle in the traditional way. In many respects the raising of Wagyu cattle is one of the few remaining traditional activities in modern Japan. Most traditional farmers, it should be said, also have another non traditional occupation to supplement their farming income.

In Japan, grazing of cattle is relatively

Most Japanese cattle live their entire lives in barns. Their environment is stable, they are protected from the weather and as food is brought to them their diet is totally controlled. Exercise, which burns up fat to produce energy, is minimised.

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On breeding farms calves are raised with their mothers and both are confined to small pens at all times. The cows and calves are hand fed on a wide variety of roughage and fodders including freshly cut grass, siliage, hay and rice straw together with supplementary grains.

A roughage based diet is considered best for conception and fertility.

Almost all Wagyu calves are creep fed with specially formulated rations from 2 to 3 months of age. Tajima calves are often weaned and bottle fed at 4 days of age if their mothers are considered to milk poorly.

In mountain country small calves are often dressed in cloth coats and are offered supplementary warmed water to help protect from the cold.

Calves are sold between 8 and 10 months of age at auction to fattening

farmers or as replacement heifers to breeding farmers. Small scale family fattening enterprises remain a significant part of the Wagyu industry. Traditional fattening farmers usually fatten 5 or fewer animals at a time. Tajima heifers are preferred and these animals are fed a special ration with the energy levels gradually being raised as the animal is finished for slaughter. The average age of Japanese Black Wagyu slaughtered in Japan has reduced to approximately 28 months from approximately 36 months in decades past.

Most Japanese cattle live their entire lives in barns, Their environment is stable and protected from the weather Management practises vary between farms although the basic principles are practised in common. These have been worked out by trial and error over many years. Whilst it is true that there is a certain amount of hocus pocus involved, modern science is gradually revealing the evidence that supports these traditional techniques.

Continued page 21

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australian wagyu Update I December 2010

a changing industry

from page 19 - Changes for traditional Japan

Traditional practices include regular massage with oils or Sake to improve distribution and softness of the subcutaneous fat and also (probably) to relax the animals. Beer and special foods are provided, on occasions, to stimulate the appetite - bottled beer for the cows, canned beer (cheaper) for the farmer. Beer is given often in September/October when the animals suffer from the heat in the confines of their boxes and lose their appetite. Feed rations are unique to each farm but involve variations on a formula of ad lib rice straw, clean water and a ration of maize and rolled barley or oats for marbling (“no oats no marbling�) wheat bran, for meat texture, soy meal after the oils have been extracted for muscle fibre development, salt and minerals.

Pens are usually some 8 to 12 feet in dimension and are constructed of small vertical round poles to allow adequate ventilation. The animal’s pedigree is often tacked to the frame above the pen. Rice

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husk is used for bedding. Two bags are added per pen per day in a pile and the animals spread it around themselves.

Manure is removed every day and mostly used to fertilize the adjacent rice paddys. Cleanliness is universal.

Tools of the trade are usually scattered around ready for use - a wooden plough left from the days when Wagyu were used to prepare the rice paddy, toe nail clippers, lead ropes, curry combs made of woven straw, woven straw walking boots, handmade brooms constructed of bound twigs and a wooden shovel.

Traditional farmers consider their animals to be part of the family and they are often referred to as daughters, they are not referred to as cows or heifers or by any given name. The animals cannot talk so the farmers learn to watch their eyes and learn from them how the animal feels.

It is considered very important to be respectful to the cattle. The cattle need and obtain a happy environment. n

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A whole herd of beef financial experts.

Our Agribusiness specialists understand the practical and seasonal requirements of the beef industry, and can equip you with tailor made financial solutions to help you manage your business.

Call one of our local financial specialists today or AgriLine on 1300 245 463.

Graeme Nowland Senior Agribusiness Manager 0427 755 023

Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124. CBABM0935_A4_Beef

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