IDEAL weather conditions set the atmosphere for the first of four workshops being held this week to expand growers understanding of Breedplan technology and ultimately assist their future sire selection.
With a strong south westerly cooling the 30 participants, concentration was at a maximum for theoretical and practical information being disseminated by Southern Beef Technology Services technical officers Christian Duff and Andrew Byrne.
The whole workshop was devoted to interpreting estimated breeding values (EBVs), the measurements recorded and collated for breeds within the cattle specific Breedplan program.
The main points discussed were:
Only compare EBVs within breeds Compare EBVs with breed average and percentile tables Consider accuracy values provided Half EBV difference between two sires equals average difference in their progeny performance Index used needs to be relevant to your operation such as supermarket, vealer or northern steer.The timing of the workshops was pertinent considering the WA bull selling season has just gotten underway and many stud and commercial breeders were looking to purchase their sires for 2012.
Mr Duff asked attendees if they did their homework when they bought a bull.
He explained that visual evaluations alone did not take into account the highly heritable traits with information available through Breedplan website and provided by vendors at sales.
Both Mr Duff and Mr Byrne highlighted that EBVs should be interpreted as differences and not absolutes and when evaluated across the spectrum for an animal could successfully aid in the right choice for your own genetic aims within your herd.
"Whether you want bigger animals, smaller animals, higher milk producers, animals with greater eye muscle measurements, whatever you are aiming for in your breeding, EBVs can help you make an informed decision when purchasing sires," Mr Duff said.
"But you need to know what the numbers recorded in each criteria mean, to be able to correctly do this."
He said it was great to see the genuine high level of enthusiasm shown by all participants not only with their questions during the presentations but in the practical sessions as well.
The mock Helmsman auction meant the 10 groups, of three people each, had the opportunity to put the knowledge and skills gained from the day to good use in the purchasing of sires for a universal scenario provided by organisers.
Normally Helmsman auctions are protracted and quiet affairs, but this one saw competition reach fever pitch with groups vying for poll position.
This Farm Weekly journalist would like to take all the credit for her group's success in being placed in the top position for their purchase of a bull which theoretically ranked number one in the profit tables calculated using EBVs for the Red Angus breed.
But it was definitely the experience of Wannamal producer Errol Howard and fellow group member and Milne Feeds business development manager Mary Chirgwin, with some small contribution on my part, as well as some luck in losing earlier bids that led to our group pipping the close second of the Westcoast Livestock team's purchase.
The workshop was held on Ross and Tracy Collard's, Tronar Red Angus stud property at Gingin and a selection of the Collard's bulls were used for the practical sessions where participants were asked to select the sires they would purchase using the provided EBVs as well as visual evaluations.
"The presentations were excellent and really got people interacting and thinking about the usefulness of the information available to them in the form of EBVs," Mr Collard said.
There was glowing feedback from many participants who said the day had been enlightening and useful in expanding their knowledge of EBVs.
Angus producer Bruce Kielman, Badgingarra, attended the workshop with his son Luke, 12, and said the day had been really interesting and helpful.
"It refreshed information we already knew," he said.
"It was great to see indexing for supermarkets was available as well as other indexes."
Mr Kielman also acknowledged the pioneering efforts of Angus breeders like fellow attendee Murray Nixon in helping to collect and utilise EBV measurements for the Angus breed.
The relevance of subjective objective measurements provided as EBVs has proven invaluable and it is encouraging to find further expansion of the level and depth of information provided is on the horizon.
"The next step is Breedplan incorporating DNA technology," Mr Duff said.
"DNA technology information has already been collected for the Angus breed and this will feed into Breedplan."
He said the Beef CRC was releasing the information in April, but was unsure when it would be ready for use in the program.
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