Genetics

Genetics set baseline for improved production

Beef Central 23/10/2024

The Brisbane Valley-based CAP Genomics has built its program with an emphasis on the integration of composite African-derived Bos taurus genetics into northern Brahman herds.

FIVE years into developing an internal genetics program to complement its northern commercial beef production goals, Brisbane Valley-based CAP Genomics has found good genetics to be the baseline for creating a cohesive and efficient supply chain through to market.

“Our program is built on core pillars strategically designed to significantly enhance the productivity of northern Brahman production systems, with a focused emphasis on the integration of composite African-derived Bos taurus genetics,” CAP Genomics managing director Chris Simpson said.

“Currently in the research and development phase, the program is built on benchmarking methodologies and uses a breed-agnostic approach, targeting specific estimated breeding values (EBVs) and genomic breeding values (GBVs) within the Tropical Composite BreedPlan registers.

Chris Simpson

CAP Genomics was a collaborating herd involved in MLA’s Northern Genomics Project, serving an integral role in the trailing and initial development of a genomic tool, known as RePRO BI. The tool is now commercially available to northern beef producers through data management technology provider Black Box Co.

Mr Simpson said leveraging advanced genomic and genetic tools enabled the company to effectively set, target and improve their herd’s Genomic Breeding Values and Estimated Breeding Values to better their overall production.

Putting genetics first

CAP Genomics’ genetic program aims to enhance the productivity of tropical composite breeds, with a specific emphasis on integrating African-derived Bos taurus cattle, he said.

“We currently run about 2000 cattle, but over the years we’ve genetically profiled more than 3000,” Mr Simpson said.

“While our genetic strategy is still in the development stage, we’ve found through our involvement in the Northern Genomics Project that developing a strong genetic base through data collection, integrity and science is fundamental in optimising other facets of the beef production process.”

He said the project enforced the necessity of a strong selective breeding program.

During the formative years of the internal genetics program, CAP applied stringent processes to its production system, such as providing minimal nutritional support and implementing an agnostic natural joining program.

“This approach was designed to ‘stress-test’ our system, allowing us to identify the most resilient and high-performing genetics, as well as poorest-performing genetics under challenging conditions,” Mr Simpson said.

“By enacting these tests early on, we were able to not only see how our benchmarked traits identified through genomic profiling held up in practice, but also how important genetics are to continued herd productivity despite poor seasonal conditions.”

He said that, as a result, it was determined that:

  • Production levels above 75pc were significantly influenced by good nutrition
  • Good genetics were crucial to optmise calf survival and productivity when environmental conditions and nutritional supply were less than ideal.

“We’ve discovered that through improving fertility and adaptability to harsher climates, our herd’s genetics can set a strong foundation for us to establish a robust production system which supports long-term sustainability and profitability,” Mr Simpson said.

Analysing the data

CAP has seen a clear value from integrating advanced genomic tools into its breeding program as a result of their involvement in the Northern Genomics Project.

The RePRO BI tool provided information which can be used to immediately identify sire lines with sub-par performance – critical for an enterprise which breeds its own bulls.

“Sires have the biggest genetic impact on the herd and this early identification of weaknesses enabled us to make informed decisions about which sires to retain or cull, thereby improving the overall quality of the herd,” Mr Simpson said.

In the longer term, the continuous genetic profiling with the genomic tool has enabled CAP to record GBV increases and analyse them alongside sire EBV and dam production data.

“With the tools’ aid, we have been able to identify and report the uplifts we saw on the GBV results of our sires and their respective progeny cohorts,” he said.

“Our success in analysing a sire’s average GBV quotient has been reflected through one of our sire selections, acquired off the Maynard Cattle Co, which has produced an average GBV increase of more than 25pc on 100pc of progeny.

“These GBV increases reflected the benefits of targeted breeding, demonstrating the effectiveness of our strategy to cull underperforming cattle and focus on enhancing key traits such as fertility and growth.”

To better analyse and record herd performance, CAP overlayed EBVs and dam production data with GBV outputs.

“Combining and analysing GBV outputs, EBVs on sires and dam production data helped us clearly identify top contributors for our embryo donor program – which is aimed at expediting genetic gains from the original GBV benchmarks,” Mr Simpson said.

“The outcome of integrating genetic data with a traditional phenotypic analysis is enhanced decision making. Both data sources provide a comprehensive understanding of an animal, to make better informed breeding and culling decisions – ultimately leading to a more productive and more resilient herd.”

Opening the doors to collaboration

As CAP Genomics continues to adapt and develop its internal genetics program, Mr Simpson said the next step will be to open the doors for collaboration and contributions from other producers.

“We are in the process of building an open source platform which outlines our breeding and genetic systems,” he said.

“Through this initiative, we hope to foster connections, innovation and continuous improvement to northern beef herds – as we are all in this together.”

 

Source: MLA

 

 

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