It's time commercial beef producers caught up with their dairy and sheep industry counterparts when it came to developing and achieving breeding objectives.
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Whereas dairy farmers, in particular, have been using objective breeding techniques for decades and basing those decisions on what is good for their farms and their markets sadly beef producers are lagging far behind in this area.
“Many commercial producers would take no more than two hours to select a bull for their herd – but that bull’s influence can last for 20 years in the herd,” said Jason Trompf, a private consultant and member of Latrode University’s – Animal Production Systems, who was one of the guest speakers at the Bred well Fed well field day held at the Richards family’s Pentire Angus stud, Goorangoola near Singleton.
Mr Trompf was critical of the lack of interest by many commercial producers in the gains that can be made by using the best genetics to improve their herds and thereby make their farms more sustainable and profitable.
This was even more important now as producers face greater uncertainty and variability in climate and political decisions that affect their farms.
“Use objective measurements and visual information when it comes to sire selection but first you need clear written breeding objectives,” Mr Trompf said.
The Bred well Fed well field days have been held throughout the Hunter Valley and Manning districts in recent weeks with more than 200 farmers in attendance.
They were organised by Hunter Local Land Services with funding coming from Meat Livestock Australia (MLA) and the National Landcare Program.
To highlight his concerns when it came to commercial producers sourcing the best genetics for their herds Mr Trompf quoted a survey involving 2000 farmers that found 82 per cent of them were not aware they could search online for a bull.
He said its about time commercial beef producers started using this readily available tool.
Mr Trompf said high genetic merit bulls can deliver significant improvements to commercial herds.
In the notes provided at the field day producers were warned that what a bull looked like isn’t always what is passed onto his calves.
About 70 per cent of what a bull looks like is what goes down his throat therefore breeding values known as EBVs are an important tool to help work out which bull has the best genes to pass onto their progeny.
The EBVs separate environmental and genetic influences.
“What you are really buying with a bull is what’s swimming between his legs,” said Mr Trompf.
“That’s his transportable genes and that’s what’s really important when you make the selection. Plus ensuring he is structurally sound.”
“When comparing bulls also check out their date of birth because they might be described as being from the one drop however there can be say 60-90 days age difference between the bulls on sale day. And that makes a big difference in their performance.”
He also said older breeders give their off-spring an extra kick due to better milk production so once again check out all this information on the sire you thinking about buying.
Unlike the sheep industry beef producers are not able to compare EBVs between breeds something Mr Trompf said was a hindrance to commercial breeders especially those using sires from different breeds.
He does not expect this issue to be solved anytime soon but its something the beef industry should seriously tackle.
“Sheep have combined analysis either for wool, sheepmeat or maternal breeds and that a really important tool for them in their genetic selection,” he said.
One thing all industries have in common is the pressure from climate change and political activism.
“I would suggest de-horning cattle will be banned within five years,” he said.
“That means producers need to start that process now with their herds so they will no longer have that as part of their animal husbandry.”
Mr Trompf said the industry needed to look at the practice of castration because it to may eventually be targeted.
As to the issue of climate change he suggested the years of chasing high growth cattle may be about to change.
“As our climate changes so our breeding objectives will need to change – perhaps we to run less cattle or simply cattle that require less grass or grain to perform at the highest level. We will need to breed cattle that can handle harsher environments,” he said.
“Big growth rates or extreme types of cattle may not be our future given climate change – its one of the many challenges for producers to ponder when establishing their breeding objectives.
“They need to balance out to suit markets and the environment.”