Summer 2018 SBTS & TBTS Update

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SUMMER 2018 UPDATE

Enhancements to the BreedObject Selection Index Software

W

hat is BreedObject and what are Selection Indexes? Selection Indexes assist beef producers make

“balanced” selection decisions, taking into account the relevant growth, carcase, fertility and efficiency attributes of each animal to identify the animal that are the most profitable for a particular commercial enterprise. Like breeding values (EBVs), Selection Index technology is a well-established, science based methodology that is used in many livestock species around the world. Selection Indexes provide an overall “score” of an animal’s genetic value for profit for a specific production system and are calculated based on weightings placed on individual traits that are deemed to be important for that production system. As such, Selection Indexes reflect both the short term profit generated by a bull through the sale of his progeny, and the longer term profit generated by his daughters if they are retained in the herd. Despite the indexes typically having market - orientated names,

influences profitability and the economic value of improving

they are as much concerned with the costs of production as they

each trait.

are with market returns. Thus they reflect both sides of the profit

3. The BreedObject software then assesses what emphasis needs

equation for a beef production system.

to be applied to each EBV trait to achieve the maximum

The Selection Indexes calculated by BREEDPLAN are generated

profitability in the production system and market end point

using a software package called BreedObject. The BreedObject

for which that index was designed.

technology was developed by the Animal Genetics and Breeding

4. The importance placed on each EBV results in the Index

Unit (AGBU), a joint venture of NSW Department of Primary

value that is calculated for each animal.

Industries and the University of New England, with financial

Recent Developments in the BreedObject Software

assistance from Meat and Livestock Australia. The BreedObject selection index development process involves four major steps.

(warning technical content ahead in this section)

These are:

Like BREEDPLAN, research into improving the BreedObject

1. A detailed description of the input costs and value generation

methodology is ongoing and recently a new version of the

of the commercial herd and target market system.

BreedObject software has been made available by AGBU. New developments in this version of the BreedObject software

2. Once the target production systems have been described, the BreedObject software then evaluates how each trait

include:

SBTS & TBTS provide a national extension network for genetic technologies for the Australian beef seedstock industry 1


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