Summary
The outcomes of the Southern Multi Breed (SMB) project will deliver significant enhancements to the current within-breed genetic evaluations conducted by BREEDPLAN, as well as allowing Australian beef producers for the first time to directly compare animals for all BREEDPLAN traits and assess their genetic merit irrespective of breed.
High-quality records on hard to measure traits that have important impacts on commercial beef herd profitability will be recorded as part of this project, including female fertility, feed efficiency and carcass traits. As a result of this intensive, precise recording of new, existing and hard-to-measure traits, seedstock and commercial bull buyers will have access to EBVs (Estimated Breeding Values) with more accuracy for describing the genetic merit of individual animals.
The data collected during the SMB project will also provide a platform that contributes to developments within BREEDPLAN that will allow for the estimation of multi-breed EBVs. Multi-breed EBVs will enable producers the opportunity to directly compare animals for BREEDPLAN traits across the six key Australian beef breeds involved in the project.
Value: $9.5m
Duration: 5 years
Participating Partners: NSW DPI, UNE and MLA
More about this project
