SA Stud Book is proud to announce that breeding goals for both stud and commercial beef herds are being placed on a new level with the integration of all information that makes a noticeable difference to the profitability of beef production.

It is well known that SA Stud Book is the only Registering Authority (in terms of the Animal Improvement Act) that complies with all the international standards as contained in the guidelines of the International Committee for Animal Improvement (ICAR). For beef cattle, these include: animal identification, recording and services for stud animals, recording of production characteristics, recording of other characteristics (such as linear measurements and evaluations), genetic evaluations, data processing and technical service delivery.

It is not surprising, then, that 75% of the recognised beef cattle breeds (77.5% of all cattle breeds) rely on breeders and Societies for Stud Book to manage their stud animals’ recordings and genetic improvement. One of the challenges that is constantly being addressed remains to make data recording as easy and effective as possible for breeders and beef producers and to be able to make the right decisions equally easily to select replacement heifers that will be more profitable than the current cows.

Stud Book will soon introduce a customization application that practically puts the entire Logix system in the hands of every beef cattle breeder. Logix IQ for beef cattle is a new revolutionary development that is already in testing phase. Keep an eye on the Stud Book news! SA Stud Book’s genomic programme, based on the latest methodology, namely the single-step gBLUP is already being successfully applied for eight Beef Cattle breeds. This allows breeders of these breeds to select animals with complete confidence and make them available to the commercial market, because the accuracy in predicting the genetic merits of bulls is above suspicion and all the animals have also been tested for the prevalence of genetic markers for desired and unwanted single-gene traits. The animal scientists of Stud Book also assist the other Breeders’ Societies with programs to effectively expand genomic selection.

The inclusion of genomic information in efficient selection programs is no longer new to Stud Book, it is now the norm that sets the pace to be met by others.
Assistance in correct decision-making for the selection and purchase of bulls, which will make a difference in the profitability of any beef cattle enterprise, remains one of the highest priorities of Stud Book. Stud Book’s participants use the brand-new catalogue format that is easy to read and also offers the choice to include a photo of the sale animal. Breeders upload their animals’ photos to Logix themselves and the photo then appears on all reports where applicable, on the relevant animal’s www.SABeefBulls.com page and on the sales catalogue.

In addition to the easy and understandable sales catalogue, all stud breeders and fellow beef cattle producers can also set own goals and minimum search criteria for bulls that will have
the best impact on their cow herds’ profitability. www.SABeefBulls.com give this direct access. The QR code on the Stud Book Beef Cattle Catalogue also provides this particular function. Stud breeders can also use www.SABeefBulls.com to do selection of their cow herds, select replacement heifers and perform optimal matings using the advanced mating function.

Stud Book’s Cow Value selection values, which are available to each breeder and developed, and maintained on scientific grounds, in consultation with the Breeders’ Societies, provide the opportunity for beef producers and especially for stud breeders to select bulls as herd sires who will breed profitable daughters. An analysis of the value of the Cow value in selection programs shows clear differences in profitability of cows that differ genetically in cow value. The table below shows the actual performance of top, average and bottom cows based on genetic cow values and their progeny.

By making the genetic building blocks of Cow Value (Cow and Fertility, herd life, maternal ability [milk], pre-weaning calf growth, calving ease and cow maintenance) available to beef cattle farmers and stud breeders, effective choices of herd sires can also be made to address the strengths and weaknesses in cow herds to ensure sustainable profit.

 

Source: SA Stud Book