Wagyu Nutrition Appertiser
Sire Breeding Trends
Calf Survivability
Autumn sales - strong market demand
THURSDAY 31 AUGUST, 2023
Selected on data, type and temperament. Pre-screened for export embryo and semen collection. Catalogue due out in August. Please register for a catalogue www.pollwagyu.com
ANY QUESTIONS, GET IN TOUCH WITH
Alex Hammond phone +61 0429 588 655 email alex@hammondfarms.com.au
James Matts (Elders Stud Stock) phone +61 0421 063 501 email James.matts@elders.com.au
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Without any doubt, the Wagyu Industry dinner which marked the end of this year’s conference was one of the greatest events I have ever attended. The energy in the room was palpable, as 600 people enjoyed a stunning entrée from Rangers Valley and then feasted on a magnificent tomahawk from Mayura, before dancing the night away. What a celebration of our industry to share such amazing food in the company of so many good people. It truly was the perfect finish to a fantastic conference. From my perspective this conference was made extra special with the addition of so many overseas members. After a few years of COVID enforced absence, it was a wonderful to see so many in attendance, it certainly adds to the overall experience of the event.
My most sincere thanks to all the speakers who presented at our conference, the diversity of insight shared was exceptional. Our industry is not without our share of challenges, but it is encouraging to see the work that is being done to overcome these challenges and capitalise on opportunities. Thank you also to our sponsors; we are always most grateful for your generous support, and especially appreciative in this tightening economic environment. I must also extend my thanks and congratulations to our CEO and all the AWA staff who delivered yet another outstanding event –and look forward to seeing you outdo it next year!
I was very proud to watch our CEO announce the release of the Wagyu Feeder Check at the Conference. This marked the end of a two-year project with CSIRO and Neogen to deliver a commercialised DNA genomic test for Wagyu cattle to help identify low genetic merit/unprofitable Wagyu F1 and Wagyu content animals early, and then feed them accordingly. It also provides a platform through which all commercial cattle breeders can provide carcase data to support our Wagyu genetic analysis.
Like many members with crossbreed calves, our family business just submitted our first 430 samples into the Wagyu Feeder Check program. Being able to use commercial cattle to accurately progeny test registered sires and then submit this data into BREEDPLAN will exponentially increase the capacity to identify high and low performing sires. With other breeders now doing Wagyu Feeder Check testing, I am optimistic that the number of sires in the next three years with recorded carcase data will be many times greater than it is today. This will include sires that are known to perform well in commercial industry, but have not had the opportunity for have DNA tested progeny data recorded for them previously.
The AWA-PTP has hit another significant milestone with data entering Wagyu BREEDPLAN; results from this cohort of calves are reported in this issue of the magazine. We are also about to commence calving for Cohort 2 of the project, with 42 more sires set to be proven through this process.
For our smaller members who struggle to form contemporary groups and generate data to underpin EBVs for their sires, the PTP is the perfect program to prove up your genetics. If you would like to participate in the next round, please get in touch with the office.
The 2023 AWA-PTP Semen Sale will run in the first week of August and presents members with an opportunity to link their herd to the global reference population. Giving members access to sire genetics that will be proven to high accuracy levels through the AWA-PTP is a core goal of the program.
Wishing the 30-odd members who are embarking on a twoweek tour of USA a wonderful trip and we look forward to an update on your return.
As this financial year comes to an end, I am pleased to report that our company remains in a strong financial state with sound governance practices implemented and used.
Moreover, as we close in on 30,000 Herdbook registrations for the financial year (a 20% increase on last year) it is clear that despite the broader challenges in the beef market, our industry continues to show sustained resilience.
Charlie Perry AWA PresidentEditorial Emily Rabone − emily@wagyu.org.au
Contributors
Charlie Perry, Dr Matt McDonagh, Eleanor McNaught, Katie Dailey and Laura Penrose.
Design/Advertising
Heather Frazier − heather@squishcreative.com
Print Lighthouse Print Group (Printed using soy vegetablebased inks with alcohol free solutions. The magazine is fully recyclable and printed in Australia).
Publisher/Distributor
Australian Wagyu Association communications@wagyu.org.au
Disclaimer
All content subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission. Opinions expressed in The Wagyu Quarterly Update are not necessarily those of the Association. Acceptance of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of any product or service by the magazine or the association, nor support any claims by the advertisers. Every effort is made to ensure information contained in this magazine is correct at the time of publishing.
It was a pleasure to see the positivity and vibrance of the Wagyu Sector on display at our WagyuEdge’23 conference in Sydney in April. The event was our largest ever, with 640 total attendees from around the world listening to a powerful selection of scientific and industry thought leaders, giving insight into how the Wagyu Sector can face future industry challenges.
Thank you to those who took the time to provide feedback via our post-conference survey. This feedback is vital to developing our WagyuEdge conference format and future planning. From the feedback received, over 30% of attendees were at the WagyuEdge conference for the first time, demonstrating high interest in the Wagyu Sector from new Australian and International entrants.
As part of the 2022 AWA review of service providers, the AWA identified Helical Software/Theta Solutions as a leader in databasing and registry data development support for the AWA. Helical Software already assist AWA with management of 300,000 genomic profiles and AWA’s parentage verification processes. AWA has identified the company GHPC Consulting to undertake independent review and evaluation of AWA’s genetic parameters and analysis models. This work will be conducted to provide AWA with expanded information regarding the parameters used within its genetic evaluation and to assess genetic analysis methods available to the AWA.
The AWA Board met on 29 May 2023 to review of the AWA FY 2023 quarter 3 performance against the FY 2023 operational plan, assess statutory items and consider key items as follows:
1. SELECTION $INDEX EVALUATION APPROVED
In 2022, the AWA reviewed and analysed service providers for AWA registration and genetic evaluation services. Through this process, the AWA has identified that Abacus Bio is the best-placed genetic research and delivery organisation to conduct a review and evaluation of AWA’s selection $Indexes. Abacus Bio work with multiple Breed Associations, private and public companies to assist with fine-tuning of selection $Indexes for a range of livestock species. Over the next 6-12 months, Abacus Bio will be reviewing AWA’s selection $Index parameters and $Index performance.
The AWA Board approved release of the Wagyu Feeder Check genomic tool in collaboration with CSIRO and Neogen through a single purpose Board meeting prior to the WagyuEdge’23 conference. The Meeting noted the accuracy of genomic predictions above 60% for most traits and the inclusion of data from 8 supply chain participants in the development of the Wagyu Feeder Check tool. The genomic prediction algorithms developed by CSIRO have been licensed to the AWA for commercialisation through Neogen Australasia under agreement.
The Board reviewed expert advice from Dr Dianne Vankan, one of the founding International Society of Animal Genetics – parentage committee members. Dr Vankan’s advice regarding the voracity of Blood Typing and MiP marker typing during the 1990’s and early 2000’s has been provided to the American Wagyu Association Board to assist with their consideration of appropriate testing levels for parentage exclusion in early generations of the American Herdbook. >>>
5. FY 2024-2028 BUDGET WAS APPROVED
The Board reviewed the EOFY 2023 budget forecast, business strategies and projected operational activities underpinning the FY 2024 – 2028 period in line with the AWA Strategic Plan and 10-year Road Map. The meeting approved the AWA forward budget noting satisfactory maintenance of operating reserve ratio and projected financial metrics to 2028.
6. AWA CORE SERVICES INCREASING BY 5.5% AT 01 JULY 2023
The Board have authorised increased cost in AWA core services by 5.5% at 01 July 2023 in the FY2024 AWA Budget. This increase accounts for annualised CPI changes over the 12 months to 01 July 2023, in line with cost increases incurred by the AWA for services provided.
7. Company operational performance against KPIs to the end of third quarter FY20223 was reviewed, with progress to date satisfactory against all key work areas. Financial performance was reviewed, noting satisfactory operation against budget year to date.
8. 92 new AWA Member applications were approved for the third quarter FY2023. It is a Constitutional requirement that the AWA Board consider applications to AWA members and determine admission or rejection of the applicants. Election of the 92 members takes the total membership to 1,059 full members and 136 associate members.
AWA-Progeny Test Program (AWA-PTP) updates
COHORT 2 - breeding program complete
Over the last 12 months, the AWA team have been working with 7 different participant herds and have used semen from 70 nominated sires across two breeding years. Final pregnancy rates from Cohort 1 single cycle AI programs were 61% averaged across all herds. A total of 1,016 calves have been registered with the AWA so far from Cohort 1, with all breeding data, gestation length and birth weight data for these calves already entered into Wagyu BREEDPLAN.
The AI programs for Cohort 2 calves are now complete. Initial data on the AWA-PTP was presented by the AWAPTP Program Manager Katie Dailey at the WagyuEdge 2023 Conference.
COHORT 3 - sire nominations closed
The Australian Wagyu Association – Progeny Test Program (AWA-PTP) aims to test 250 sires across 2,000 Fullblood females over a seven breeding cycles. The AWA-PTP consultative Committee have approved the Cohort-3 sire intake, with 30 sires to be used across large contemporary groups to maximise the value of genetic information to compare and prove the genetic merit of bulls.
COHORT 4 - sire nominations are open Members can nominate sires now for use in Cohort 4.
The AWA will hold its third annual AWA-PTP semen sale 7th – 14th August 2023, with semen lots from Standard PTP sires to be offered for sale by tender.
The AWA-PTP semen sale provides all members the opportunity to access sire genetics that will be proven to high accuracy levels through the AWA-PTP. Members can use these genetics in their herds to link their herd to the AWA-PTP and improve the accuracy of EBVs in their breeding operations over future years.
AWA-PTP sire EBV and Selection $Index averages significantly out-perform the breed averages for calves born each year (see table over page). This year, limited numbers of semen packages will be available for each AWA-PTP Standard Sire.
Matt McDonagh AWA Chief Executive Officer
Annual Wagyu Semen Sale (7 to 14 August 2023)
Semen packages for sale by tender. Limited number of straws available for each AWA-PTP Standard Sire.
It’s hard to imagine that it’s already been 30 years
It all started in 1993 with the purchase of four “wild” recipients carrying 90 day confirmed pregnancies.
In 1994, the post-secondary education of immersing in all things Wagyu began with a one way trip to Japan on February 14th, witnessing the entry of the second group of animals into quarantine for export to the USA.
The next four years for Wagyu Sekai’s (WSI), Ken Kurosawatsu, was spent being a sidekick, translator, secretary, and coffee maker to the man who exported the first modern day Wagyu out of Japan. Making countless travels together out of Japan on all things Wagyu.
The last year in Japan was spent working on a large Wagyu feeding operation in Hyogo Prefecture, home of Kobe Beef. It was originally supposed to be a six month stay, however some heavy drinking, a rainy day, bald tires, an accident with a garden shed in the middle of nowhere further extended the education for six months.
Upon returning to Canada, the first Fullblood Wagyu (via semen/ embryos) were introduced to Brazil and Argentina, and WSI also started to enter the specialized beef market with the production of F1 (Wagyu x Holstein) which was gradually all replaced with Fullblood Wagyu by 2008.
In 2002, a sizeable group of animals were purchased from World K’s USA which subsequently ended up being some of the last females to come out of that program.
Starting in 2014, WSI embarked on acquiring individual animals in Australia and the USA to not only compliment the main herd but to also preserve these genetics for future use.
>>>
After three decades of dedicated effort, the WSI herd has achieved unparalleled recognition for its extraordinary Fullblood Wagyu genetics, now with about 250 head on farm, including females, bulls, calves and fattening animals. A small recipient program is run off farm, this maintains the clean herd health needed for EU accreditation, with ET calves coming to the farm to be grown out onto a special colostrum formula and then integrated with the herd.
Wagyu Sekai are a Canadian Health Accredited Herd (CHAH), this program was established to certify herds to be free of several diseases, including Bovine Leukosis Virus (BLV). This program also places some limitations on the amount of growth you can have as a herd in terms of cow numbers year on year. The primary focus for Ken and his dedicated team lies not simply in expanding the herd size but rather in preserving the bloodlines they have worked so hard to build for 30 years.
A sizeable bank of embryos from older generation animals are kept in storage, sometimes for up to 20 years. Ken explains that embryos are implanted based on what genetics are working and in demand at the time, all of these embryos being from proven cows in the WSI herd after having gone through a strict performance regime to be proven as a breeder. No young heifers or cows are flushed at WSI, Ken believes this is the best way for them to achieve genetic progress because they aren’t using unproven genetics in their herd.
Maiden heifers all have embryos implanted to produce their first calf, with all embryos being from genetics that have worked well in the past for WSI. Part of this is from an EU accreditation perspective, all the heifers are tested like the rest of the herd, so it means no external recipients have to come on farm and risk the export approval. The other part is that the heifers at this point are still unproven, there is no real
way of knowing what these cows have the potential to do.
The carcases are then analysed and help to determine whether the cows will be collected for embryo production or if the cows will be fed for meat. Usually, this decision is made after the second carcase produced by the cow. Carcase quality is a key estimation of performance for the WSI cows.
Most of the bulls that are used on farm have been bred by Wagyu Sekai, the program has been run quite separated from genetic pools in Australia and the United States. Ken has an idea of what cows have been able to do and that helps to decide what bull will work. “When you use the right bulls on top of the right cow then you should have somewhat predictable performance” says Ken.
Typically, the calving period is end of April to September and the cows are forced to calve in that period, if they don’t then they don’t remain in the program. This must happen so that mortalities and calving issues are reduced during the cold bitter months of winter.
Embryo calf from proven bloodlines
April
Cows
that don't meet carcase quality will be fed for meat Calving
“ When you use the right bulls on top of the right cow then you should have somewhat predictable performance. ”
Wagyu Sekai have had a meat production business for quite some time, using the same processor for about 15 years, a provincial processor about 45 minutes from the farm, halfway from the farm to Niagara Falls. As it did for everyone, COVID-19 forced some out-of-the-box thinking for Ken, leading to an on-farm beef shop opening. Open 30 weeks a year from the end of April to Christmas, 30 animals are sent to the abattoir every year.
The abattoir that processes the WSI products is a provincial abattoir, meaning the meat can only be sold within the Province of Ontario. The processing plant does everything, including further processing like hot dogs, smoked sausages, roast beef hams and bacon. Offering a boutique service takes time and workload, but they are processing about 300 head a day. Part of the abattoir is a grocery store with a large meat counter so everyday consumers can purchase meat and vegetables. Typically, WSI animals are processed at this abattoir on Fridays, packaged the following Friday and then sold on the next two Saturdays. Meaning the sale of meat happens eight days and 15 days after processing.
Ken has the pleasure of taste testing each carcase before its sold-on farm on Saturday, eating it on day seven and then on day 14. Ken makes it known, "If the carcase isn't good eating at day 15, then it's probably not worthwhile." From everyday household consumers seeking quality meat for their families to acclaimed chefs pursuing culinary excellence, the appeal of WSI's beef is clear. Retailers recognize the inherent value and distinction of the WSI brand, making it a preferred choice for discerning customers. Additionally, individuals seeking something for a special occasion find comfort in the unparalleled quality offered by WSI.
Animals will usually spend about 12 to 16 months on a finisher ration on farm before being slaughtered, depending on the exact credentials of the animals and considering that females are also fed through this beef program. They aim for an approximate age at slaughter of 30 months, resulting in average carcase weights of 430 kgs >>>
IAP assists producers to maximise the efficiency & profitability of their feedlot investment. We achieve this by the development and implementation of sound management tools and programs tailored to our clients’ unique operations. These include:
NUTRITIONAL PROGRAMS
From Conception to Carcass
FEED MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
Management of feeding systems, feed manufacture & delivery
PERFORMANCE AUDITS
Assessment of factors impacting animal & carcass performance
TRAINING & EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Maximising staff commitment & compliance within operations
Obtaining European Union (EU) accreditation and sending live animals to the EU is a challenging feat that requires careful planning and adherence to strict testing requirements. It has taken a decade of dedicated effort to reach a point where nine animals can be successfully sent to Portugal. The EU's testing requirements, although not difficult in themselves, are designed to safeguard the Union by regulating imports. Over the years, these requirements have evolved, and while Ken says it is now a lot easier to navigate the process, exporting to the United Kingdom (UK) remains particularly difficult. The testing procedures are extensive and must be conducted regularly, with the Wagyu Sekai herd requiring testing every 12 months. This thoroughness comes at a significant cost to all involved.
What initially began as Wilco selling his farm in British Columbia during the COVID-19 pandemic evolved into a process that hadn't been done before as he purchased a property in Portugal. During this time, Wilco left some of his prime Wagyu’s with Ken at Wagyu Sekai until they could be exported. To achieve EU accreditation, cows from Subtilia Ranch, now the largest Wagyu ranch in Portugal, had to be brought to Wagyu Sekai and undergo an extensive quarantine period. Prior to their arrival, the entire Wagyu Sekai herd had already undergone rigorous testing to ensure compliance with EU standards. The animals from Subtilia Ranch underwent further isolation and testing upon arrival, followed by subsequent retesting after several months. Only then were they able to be integrated into the Wagyu Sekai herd.
To become EU accredited, provides EU producers with the option to purchase from Wagyu Sekai—an opportunity they previously did not have. This accreditation expands the market and opens up new possibilities for both the sellers and buyers within and outside the EU.
Wagyu Sekai recognises the significant role of the Australian Wagyu industry in their own genetic advancements, leading them to purchase animals from Australia for quite some time. Australia's beef industry has impressed Ken, especially during his time working with World K's, as he could see its potential and future growth. Ken has always believed that Australia would emerge as a leading force in the industry, which has been substantiated by the increasing number of international breeders joining the Australian Wagyu Association (AWA). Ken is a firm believer that by gathering more carcase data, the accuracy of the information improves, reducing the need for guesswork and enabling better decision-making.
Membership in the AWA has proven immensely valuable for Wagyu Sekai, as it provides access to resources like magazines that aid business success. Through the organisation of conferences, tours and other events, Ken says that the AWA fosters strong relationships between international breeders and Australian producers. Ken expresses gratitude for the willingness of Australians to share their knowledge and information, which has significantly contributed to the growth of his business.
The reputation of the Australian Wagyu industry speaks for itself, as demonstrated by the attendance of 600 people at the recent WagyuEdge conference. Ken recalls his initial experience attending an AWA Annual General Meeting in Armidale around 1995, where only about 10 people were present. Wagyu was relatively unknown when Wagyu Sekai started selling beef, but thanks to increased promotion, the breed has gained recognition among a wider audience. Although significant funds have been invested in registering animals, the value derived from these efforts has been substantial and worthwhile for Wagyu Sekai's growth and success.
“
If the carcase isn’t good eating at day 15 then it’s probably not worthwhile. ”
Taking effect in Wagyu BREEDPLAN
All AWA-PTP Cohort 1 calves are now born, which are the result of joining’s that commenced in Spring 2021. Calving for Cohort 1 commenced in July 2022, a total of 1,016 calves were born across the eight contributor herds, with accurate birth data collected and submitted to Wagyu BREEDPLAN. This important milestone means that the data has started to take an effect in Wagyu BREEDPLAN. The following report outlines key performance data and EBV information for both registered sires used within Cohort 1 joining’s and their PTP progeny.
Of the 1,016 Cohort 1 progeny born, 479 were heifers (47%) and 537 were steers (53%). The program accounted for a 5% foetal loss between pregnancy scanning and calving and as such, the total number of calves born across all herds exceeded the overall expected number of progeny for Cohort 1. The mean number of progeny born per sire being 27.
Gestation Length was calculated for all calves born in Cohort 1 of the PTP as the number of days from the date of artificial insemination of their dam to the birth date of the calf (AI Date to Calf Birth Date). Gestation length for Cohort 1 Calves ranged from 262 days to 315 days, with both the mean and median gestation length being 287 days. The approximate gestation length for Japanese Black cattle is expected to range from 285 to 290 days, based on peer-reviewed literature published in Japan. A full distribution of the gestation length data can be seen below (Figure 1). Average gestation length for individual Cohort 1 sires ranged from 282 days to 293 days. >>>
AWA-PTP COHORT 1 PROGENY BORN
47% females 53% males
Perhaps the best combination bull in the Wagyu breed today 56 herds 722 progeny analyzed with 88 scans, 6 carcass and 9 daughters
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United ranks as the number 1 sire for Wagyu Breeder Index, Self Replacing Index and number 2 for Full Blood Terminal Index; number 5 sire for FI Terminal Index
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Of the 1,016 Cohort 1 calves born, 1,005 had Birth Weight (BWt) data recorded within 24 hrs of birth.
Of these 1,005 records, Birth Weights ranged from 11 kgs to 54 kgs, with mean and median birth weights of 30 kgs and 29 kgs, respectively for male and female calves. A full distribution of Birth Weight data for Cohort 1 Calves can be seen in Figure 2.
Average Birth Weight for individual AWA-PTP Cohort 1 sires ranged from a minimum of 20 kgs to a maximum average of 39 kgs. Other calving data captured included a calf fate code (CFC) and calving ease score (CES).
Calving Ease Score summary:
1013 unassisted
1 assisted easy pull
2 assisted hard pull
Table 1 and 2 below demonstrate the average EBVs, average accuracies (Table 2) and the average index values (Table 1) for the Cohort 1 AWA-PTP progeny. These tables also indicate the difference between the PTP average and the current breed average for each trait and index value (BREEDPLAN June Run 1).
Significant accuracy increases have been seen for both the Birth Weight (BWt) and Gestation Length (GL) EBVs for Cohort 1 sires. The average accuracy upon sires being accepted to participate in the PTP was 73% for BWt and 64% for GL (BREEDPLAN October 2021).
Average accuracy is now at 91% and 85% for BWt and GL, respectively (BREEDPLAN June Run 1 2023). Changes in average EBV Accuracy of Cohort 1 Sires for BW and GL can be seen in Figures 3 and 4 (page 20).
Registration of majority of the Cohort 1 progeny and submission of BWt and GL data to BREEDPLAN commenced in November 2022 and continued up until the end of February.
The November 2022 to June 2023 (Run 1) data demonstrates the increase in average BWt EBV accuracy as Cohort 1 PTP Progeny were registered from November 2022 and their data submitted to BREEDPLAN.
The November 2022 to June 2023 (Run 1) data demonstrates the increase in average GL EBV accuracy as Cohort 1 PTP Progeny were registered from November 2022 and their data submitted to BREEDPLAN.
It is expected that the accuracies for other traits will follow the same trend as data is submitted for weaning, growth, feedlot and eventually carcase and reproduction traits.
Currently, approximately 50% of the Cohort 1 progeny have had weaning data collected. This means that sire owners can expect to see significant changes in accuracy for for the 200 Day Weight EBV in the coming BREEDPLAN Runs.
AWA-PTP Cohort one calves
Total calves born in AWA-PTP Cohort 1
479 females
537 males
262 days
315 days
287 days
74% with a gestation length that exceeded 283 days
After Cohort 1 calves 85%
Prior to progeny data
Prior to progeny data 64% After Cohort 1 calves 91%
Three highlights from the 3-day WagyuEdge'23
A week of panel sessions, global speakers, semen sales, celebrations, farm tours and award-winning beef sees a cohort of international Wagyu breeders, supply chain representatives, academics and researchers come together from across the globe every year – all in the name of advancing Wagyu production worldwide.
Held in Sydney, WagyuEdge'23 welcomed the global Wagyu industry who flocked from Japan, China, the US, Britain, Indonesia, South America, New Zealand and across Australia to discuss, debate and design the future of the lucrative luxury beef brand.
What was, not so long ago, a cottage industry is now a truly global, highly-coveted, high end protein worth over $2billion in export value per year to Australia, a significant portion of the $14billion Australian beef industry.
But turn the clock back 20 years and just 20 large breeders in Australia had more than 50 full blood Wagyu cattle in their herds. Today, outside of Japan, Australia is home to the largest fullblood Wagyu herd, with 90pc of the beef exported to international high-end markets.
The breed continues to attract new entrants, with some 30 percent of attendees each year newcomers to Wagyu production. Attendance numbers at WagyuEdge23 were a third higher than the AWA’s previous conference in 2022, reflecting the growing interest in the 33-year-old cattle breed association, which notched up 1000 full members in January.
The conference isn’t just a chance to learn more about the developments of the luxurious meat industry while catching up with producers, breeders and friends. It also included the industry’s glittering branded beef competition award dinner (won by Kilcoy’s Jade Wagyu) and a Wagyu genetics auction aboard a boat in Sydney Harbour which delivered eye-watering averages. A black tie industry dinner was also
enjoyed, where award-winning Wagyu tomahawks were evidence of the breed’s special place in the meat market. This was followed by a weekend of farm tours in the NSW Hunter and Cudgegong valleys.
With the agenda addressing major opportunities, threats, trends and misconceptions affecting the industry, the conference tackled red hot challenges facing the red meat industry, launched new tools for genetic diversity and discussed global trends in agriculture and luxury proteins.
Here are three takeaways from the three days. >>>
Solutions to the anti-meat campaigns chorus
The anti-meat narrative is a threat to all cattle producers worldwide, according to Diana Rogers, author of Sacred Cow, and filmmaker and executive director at Global Food Justice Alliance. Anti-meat marketing strikes a poisonous list of often-unfounded questions into the mind of consumers. Does meat cause cancer? Can’t I just eat plants? Don’t cattle consume too much water? And aren’t they inefficient with feed? Aren’t the GHG’s driving climate change?
Diana laid those concerns to rest.
“Meat is sustainable nutrition,” Diana says, “Removing and reducing animal sourced food can result in serious nutrient deficiencies… Women and children, in particular, require the nutrients in meat… There’s zero evidence that reducing meat will increase human health.”
Diana’s work has been featured in The LA Times, The Boston Globe, and on the world famous Joe Rogan podcast where she addresses many of the powerful anti-meat campaign messages being touted by the likes of New York City mayor Eric Adams who supported banning meat in school meals, and the Meatless Monday campaign in the US.
They posit that global livestock production creates more greenhouse gas than the entire transport sector alongside nutrition-based messaging that encourages limiting meat in diets: “decrease your chance of getting diabetes by about 15 per cent. Just skip a serving of meat every day and replace it with a vegetable protein like black beans or tofu.”
Diana contends that much of this messaging is manipulated, out of context and oversimplifies the truth. With meat frequently positioned as “bad”, ultra-processed foods and veganism are becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to consumers and their children – at a cost.
“Some 84% of vegans give up after three months, and the vitamin B12 deficiency in vegetarians is alarming: 62% in pregnant women, 86% in children, 41% in adolescents, 90% in elderly,” she said.
Diana educated the crowd about the protein efficiency of beef over alternative sources and revealed that a 4oz steak will provide more than half the daily recommended intake of zinc and selenium and is a good source of phosphorus.
“Animal sources are the most complete protein sources because they contain all of the amino acids we need for optimal health. To get the same amount of protein in a 4oz steak, which is 181 calories, you’d need to eat 12oz of kidney beans plus a cup of rice, which equals 638 calories and 122 grams of carbs,” she said.
The rhetoric used by protein companies to argue that it’s most efficient to feed humans crops that are currently used for livestock feed was also debunked. Diana highlighted that 86 per cent of global livestock feed consists of things humans cannot digest – nearly half coming from grass.
Similarly, the messaging around the water-intensiveness of beef and the environmental benefit to eliminating beef entirely was scrutinised.
“Beef only requires 280 gallons of blue water – meaning from lakes, streams, or underground – per pound, which is less than the amount required to produce a pound of avocados, walnuts or sugar,” Diana said.
“A study found that if the entire US eliminated all animal products, GHG emissions would only be reduced by 2.6per cent, but would result in more overall calories being consumed, increased carbohydrates, and would lead to more nutrient deficiencies including calcium, B12, vitamin A, EPA, DHA and arachidonic acid.”
Wagyu – the Rolls Royce of the nutrition world
Dianas’s sentiments were echoed by The Food Scientist, Dr Anneline Padayachee. With a national profile and a persuasive voice on food and nutrition science, Anneline covers a range of aspects from the farm gate, to gut health, and mental health, giving meaning to nutrition, and identifying high value commercial opportunities for industry.
“The more I delve into this meat (Wagyu), the more I actually want it to be part of my diet,” Anneline said.
“The best analogy is the difference between a Rolls Royce and a stock standard Toyota. Toyota is great, Toyota is affordable, Toyota is easily replaced.
Dr Padayachee remarked that “we are not just talking about beef in general, we are talking about a particular type of beef and its luxurious nature. Wagyu is more like the Rolls Royce of food, and do we really need the Rolls Royce? Of course we do, it’s a tale of quality over quantity. Kind of like Wagyu”.
Read more from Dr Anneline Padayachee on page 31. >>>
Professor Paul Wood AO FTSE shared his concerns about the over-emphasis on alternative proteins like plant-based and cell-based meat alternatives.
“Don’t sell the farm just yet,” Paul told producers of the emergence of plant-based and cell-based meat.
The expenses involved in culture media, supplements and the capital cost of a facility can be hundreds of millions. Add in the strict bio-containment requirements of having a sterile environment, and the need to be renewable to be marketed as sustainable, and there’s no shortage of challenges for the viability of cell-based meat markets.
“In short, the cost of manufacture for cell-based meat has to come down over 1,000 fold,” Paul said.
“Billions of dollars are being poured by investors into an estimated 150 cultivated meat startups around the world, betting they will soon be able to produce lab-grown protein alternatives at a commercially viable scale while also attracting customers in large numbers.”
Paul shared some of the major issues for growth of the
alternative protein market, including their inability to replicate the taste and texture of animal-based products or match the nutritional profiles for meat and milk. Sustainability claims are becoming increasingly challenging for these products to prove and capital markets are nervous. Rightly so – Beyond and Oatly both lost 80% of their share value in the last year, totalling some $20billion in valuation.
Paul predicts that by 2030 all food will be marketed on the basis of nutrition value versus environmental footprint. The inability to scale technologies at a reasonable cost will see cell-based meats and most plant-food products service the niche, high value markets.
Navigating a policy landscape without strong ties to ag Biosecurity, workforce shortages, market access, labelling of alternative proteins, gene editing regulations, live export and safeguard mechanisms – all policy decisions that threaten the red meat sector. Worryingly, fewer and fewer decision makers have a link with agricultural and livestock industries. As Senator Susan McDonald told the wagyu conference, “what producers do is not well understood by the people in parliament.”
Macquarie Asset Management’s Liz O’Leary said that the agricultural industry also needs to unite around net zero. The sector has set a challenging target for sustainability and while great gains are being made, the narrative of farmers as environmental vandals needs to be quashed. Case studies and stories of the steps being taken and the wins being achieved should be celebrated and shared far and wide.
“ We need to be drivers, not recipients of change,” Liz said, citing improvements around fertiliser use, methane and machinery emissions.
“It’s all about step change – don’t let perfect get in the way of good.
“We operate in a very competitive global context. Our on farm strategy has to be connected with the customer and community, and that community and customer is changing. The developing world is our next customer, particularly China’s burgeoning middle class.”
The Australian Wagyu Association has grown to be the world leader in innovation and delivery for the Wagyu Sector.
“Every dollar a member spends with us needs to deliver far more value in return for their investment with the AWA" CEO Dr Matt McDonagh says.
The launch of the world’s first F1 Wagyu genomic product was a highlight of the conference. Created through a science and industry partnership, the commercial DNA genomic test is designed for Wagyu content beef cattle to determine low
genetic merit animals. An Australian Wagyu Association tool developed alongside CSIRO in partnership with Neogen, Wagyu Feeder Check is a tool for saving money, time and resources in feedlots for a more efficient red meat industry.
The new crossbred Wagyu prediction tool will enable first-cross producers and buyers to check their cattle for high - quality production and profitability traits.
“Wagyu Feeder Check is aimed at improving the resilience and sustainability of Australia’s Wagyu industry, It provides producers with the ability to test feeders at feedlot entry to estimate low genetic merit carcase performance animals,” Matt said.
Matt says that over five years, the innovation will provide sector wide savings of up to $58million by removing low performing progeny in year one and low performing sires who would contribute five per cent of progeny from years two to five inclusive.
“By identifying the bottom ten percent of underperforming feeders and removing these to short-fed programs, the industry will be saving up to $22million in feed costs and resources annually,” Matt explained.
“By identifying and removing five percent of underperforming sires, the industry will save $36million over the following four years.”
Other innovations like the genomic relationship matrix produced by MateSel were showcased. The matrix gives producers the ability to determine the relatedness of sires, helping them to manage diversity with incoming sire nominations, according to Australian Wagyu Association’s Katie Dailey who also discussed EBV accuracy improvements. >>>
The vibrant next generation of Wagyu producers shone on stage, revealing Wagyu’s future is in excellent hands. Meet five inspiring producers dedicated to perfecting the luxury beef brand:
In the far north of Japan, where temperatures hit -20 degrees each winter, Ando San runs his family property established in 1986. Today, he has 500 black Wagyu for breeding and fattening and 500 black Wagyu F1, turning over some $6.5m per year with ten workers. Kosmos Farms is located on the west side of the vast Tokachi Plain, at the foot of the Hidaka Mountains, in Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture. Ahead of the game with technological advancements, including collars on cows to track oestrous cycle, the team at Kosmos farm use AI, web cameras and cloud data to manage disease, treatment, fertility, rumination periods, and determine best timings for inseminations.
Lucy Thomson from the Central Highlands of Queensland shared the story of pioneer Wagyu producers, the McCosker family who operate Marathon Wagyu, which sits on 10,000 acres across three properties. The McCosker family has been producing food and fibre in central Queensland for five generations. The stud, owned by Lucy’s parents Mike and Sue McCosker, plans to naturally and artificially join more than 1000 registered fullblood breeders in 2023. Lucy and her husband Laine manage operations at the family’s ‘Codenwarra’ property in Emerald, Queensland.
Josh is the owner of Ranger Cattle, founded in 2011. He began this successful business during his first year at the University of Texas after finishing serving the US military as an Army Ranger for hundreds of special operation missions involving high-value targets throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. Among other honours, he earned a Purple Heart for injuries sustained during combat. Josh has since embarked on a journey to follow his passion for the beef industry and now aims to produce high-quality, pasture raised Fullblood Wagyu beef. His herd is free to graze over 300 acres and is free from harmful additives and hormones.
Lachy Gilmour, Irongate Wagyu, Albany, Western Australia. The Irongate Wagyu herd was established from first generation daughters of Itoshigenami, Michifuku and Terutani 40/1. Back-to-back ET programs achieved a strong base herd of bulls and females. Today, the progressive family operation sees parents, siblings, partners and a tribe of tiny third-generation participants work functionally by ensuring each family member has a specific job role. Fortnightly team meetings are essential and work is outsourced to contractors. They’re highly active on social media in order to engage with community and industry, covering the good and the bad, and sharing their passion – genetics.
Read more from Lachy Gilmour on page 46.
The highly anticipated WagyuEdge '24 conference will be held in Cairns, Queensland 10 to 15 April 2024Lachy Gilmour, Irongate Wagyu, Albany. Lucy Thomson, Marathon Wagyu, Emerald. Tomotaka Ando, Kosmos Farm, Japan.
O u r g o a l i s t o e l e v a t e t h e b e e f i n d u s t r y b y p r o v i d i n g a q u a l i t y p r o d u c t w i t h u n w a v e r i n g i n t e g r i t y a n d f o s t e r i n g e n d u r i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p s , a l l w h i l e p r e s e r v i n g t h e s p i r i t o f f e l l o w s h i p w i t h i n t h e W a g y u b r e e d .
Q U E H O R N E R Y
The “leaness” of meat has been a key foundational principle in Dr Anneline Padayachee’s career as a nutritionist and food scientist: the ethos has been - if you’re going to eat red meat, choose lean cuts with the visible chunks of white fat removed. Hence her reasoning behind having eaten Wagyu for the first time just a few weeks as part of her research before presenting to over 600 Wagyu industry delegates at WagyuEdge’23 in Sydney in April.
In doing her research in the lead up to the conference, when it comes to Wagyu, ”we are not just talking about beef in general, we are talking about a particular type of beef and its luxurious nature. Wagyu is more like the Rolls Royce of food, and do we really need the Rolls Royce?”Dr Padayachee considered.
Until 2008, the developed world held the majority of purchasing power parity contributing to the world GDP. However 2008 was a turning point where the developed world and emerging markets hit 50/50 contribution to the global purchasing power parity rates. Since then, the emerging markets have continued to contribute more to the global GDP based on purchasing power parity due to higher population numbers (as opposed to individual wealth).
Similarly while poverty is still widespread, we are seeing steady (albeit small) increases moving from less than USD2 per day to USD5 per day indicating a marginal improvement in financial status.
“What we know is that when anyone in the emerging world gets a little bit more money, the first thing that they spend it on is food. They know that food is life, if they can buy better food for themselves and their family then they have a better chance at living just a little bit longer.
The foods that they go for are those that they see in the western world, they want that diet because those people generally live longer and healthier lives. Meat is a giant sized component of that aspiration” said Dr Padayachee.
Consequently, protein consumption (particularly animalderived protein sources) has changed in emerging economies like China, Brazil, and India. In 1961, animal derived proteins in India was only 5g, in 2017 it was 15g – seems insignificant compared to Australia’s 71g, but a three-fold increase across 1.3 billion people is massive.
The increase is more marked in China, Nigera, Brazil and even Israel where consumers are moving towards incorporating more animal derived proteins (including dairy, red meat, fish and poultry) in their diets.
Australia doesn’t have a huge population, but it does have a huge land mass. Due to the arid nature of the Australian outback, it is not prime land for horticulture or developing cities in the outback. In these regions you literally can only raise cattle – they’re physiologically suited to consume nutritionally deplete grazeland, meaning beef producers including those who specialise in Wagyu, have a really important role to play.
Plant exclusivity - There’s so many vegans in Australia, they make so much noise, what do we do?
A misconception in society today is that Australians are eating too much meat but when we look at the research nothing has changed. In 1961, Australians were eating about 71g of animal derived proteins and in 2017, we were still at 71g. However, what has changed is dietary quality. Meat and 3 veg were a staple in many households across Australia in the 1960s. However the latest census data shows that while “protein” intake has not changed, Australians on the whole are eating less vegetables, fruit, cuts of meat/fish and dairy, and more processed foods including pizza, pies, pastries, etc. While it is possible to have these “occasional” foods as part of a healthy diet, they are not meant for the everyday or even weekly intake. The overall quality of the Australian diet has changed due to include a greater intake of fast and convenient foods rather than nutritionally dense wholefoods like vegetables, whole grains, and high quality animal proteins.
In Australia, plant exclusivity (those that only eat plant foods) is only 2%, it’s the same in the Ireland, UK and Canada, they are all under the 10% mark. We also know the below facts;
30% of Australians will have a nut-based milk 1/week, usually in a smoothie.
For those who undertake a plant-exclusive diet for health reasons, 84% will revert to an omnivore diet after 5 years because its very hard eat a nutritionally complete dietary intake without animal protein in your diet
In Canada, 60% of plant exclusive consumers said they would return to an omnivore diet if they knew they animals were treated humanely.
Motivations for becoming plant exclusive:
Health: 70%
Environment: 41%
Curiosity: 45%
Ethical: 32%
Food is our source of nutrients, and hence our source of nutrition. It is important to realise that nutrition is the sum total of everything that we eat and drink over time, as opposed to the consumption of one particular food or supplement. A serve of birthday cake will not degrade the dietary quality, but cake every day is a totally different situation. Hence nutrition is a very new science around 220 years, and we are continuously working towards the next stage, what we don’t fully understand now and is the frontier of nutrition research is the mechanisms of actions, what and how much is being absorbed by the body. >>>
Nutrient quantity is one thing, but now we are also understanding that other factors also affect quality. For example, when focusing on protein, proteins are not all the same and the quality of them is affected by four factors Quantity, Type, Digestibility and Absorption and Network.
Different foods provide you with different amounts of protein compared to the different amount of that particular food you eat. When standardised for total energy content (i.e. all serves provide 200kcal), 83 g of steak contains 20.9 g of protein, compared to Tofu where you would need to eat 241 g in order to get 24.1 g of protein. You literally need to eat 3 times the amount of tofu to consume similar amount of protein contained in steak.
Grams
Digestibility focuses on how well our digestive system is able to breakdown, metabolise, and absorb nutrients from different foods. In 2013 the Food and Agriculture Organisation proposed the Digestible Indispensible Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) as a method to assess protein quality. This methodology takes into consideration the amino acid content in the food prior to digestion, and how much is available for absorption after digestion.
It’s not enough to just know how much protein is in a particular food, we need to know how much is digestible. Without digestibility, there is no absorption. When it comes to protein, dairy protein is considered the gold standard due to it’s high digestibility. Any food that has a score over 100 is considered a high quality protein food. With a score of 111, beef is considered a high quality protein food.
NOTE: DIASS >100 is high-quality protein; DIAAS >75 is a good quality protein; and DIAAS <75 is a low-quality protein.
Source: (Marinangeli & House, 2017)
Just because Wagyu moos like a cow, looks like a cow, and is part of the bovine family, Wagyu cattle produce a very unique beef that is not quite like other types of beef in terms of eating experience but also nutritional impact.
The uniqueness of Wagyu lies in it’s nutritional composition (which includes it’s protein content, but also a unique fat profile and a range of micronutrients), the satiety (i.e. feeling of fullness) properties of Wagyu, and the sensory experience that differentiates Wagyu beef from all other beef types.
You are:
1. A geneticist
2. An environmental scientist
3. A vet and animal behaviourist
4. An animal nutritionist
5. A fertility specialist
You provide:
1. A naturally nutritious food
2. A nutritionally dense food
3. Nutritionally superior complete protein rich food that contains OTHER micronutrients too
4. An exceptional eating experience.
Your impact is:
1. A full belly
2. A sustainable food supply.
3. A healthy lifespan
4. Public health importance
Wagyu producers need to realise that they are not just a “farmer” or a “grazier”.
They produce a highly nutritious, incredibly delicious product that is literally fool-proof for anyone from the budding home cook to Michelin-star chefs.
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Sire selection impacts on genetic progress within a herd through the retention of his genetics within breeders retained in the herd and the use of male progeny as future sires.
In the Wagyu Quarterly Vol 83, page 45 - 46 we covered the breeding trends seen in the Australian Wagyu Association Herdbook from 1994 through to 2022. ( �� issuu.com /australianwagyuassociation)
This article demonstrated high use of the original imported Foundation Sires through to the 2010 – 2015 period, with second and newer generation sires starting to be used significantly from around that time through to 2022. For the purpose of this article, the term Foundation Sires will be used again. The data reported in this article as Foundation Sire progeny, also includes the progeny of early imported sires that may themselves be progeny of Foundation sires (eg. Terutani 40/1 IMUFR3258, who is the son of Terutani TF 40 IMUFJTF40).
Figure 1 below shows the cumulative progeny numbers of the top 28 highuse imported (Foundation) sires between 1994 and 2022. Looking at total progeny numbers by year within the AWA Herdbook, the early growth in Wagyu registrations from 1994 to the 2010 period (red dashed vertical line) are primarily driven by the use of Foundation Sires. >>>
Cumulative progeny numbers for most Foundation sires start to plateau after 2010. Only nine Foundation sires show high continued use through to 2015, with a few Foundation sires showing high use thereafter.
Foundation sire use as a proportion of total progeny numbers over time
As shown in Figure 2, during the early years of Wagyu breeding, only the progeny of the Foundation Sires ( black line) were registered with the AWA. A small number of progeny were recorded against the first Australian born sires (oran g e line) in 1997-1999. In 1999, progeny from Foundation Sires still accounted for 99% of all progeny born that year ( blue lin e).
The number of recorded progeny of Australian-born sires began to increase as a proportion of total progeny born in 2000. Foundation sires were still used heavily through to 2008, with their progeny still accounting for 60% of all progeny born at that time.
Starting in 2009, the relative proportion of total progeny born annually from Foundation Sires began to reduce significantly. As shown in Figure 1, by 2010 (red vertical line), the progeny of Foundation Sires had plateaued for many of the original imported sires.
Conversely, the use of second and third generation
Australian and International born sires increased significantly in 2010, with progeny of non-Foundation Sires accounting for 75% of total progeny recorded annually by 2011 (orange line Figure 2).
Although the use of Foundation Sires remained relatively stable until 2020 (approximately 2,000 progeny per year), the number of progeny born from non-Foundation Sires continued to increase dramatically each year from 2010. This trend is particularly rapid from 2015 onwards, in line with herd expansion and the release of Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) for carcase traits in the 2014/15 period.
By 2021, 28,000 progeny were registered from nonFoundation Australian/International born sires, with 29,784 progeny registered in total. Progeny of the original Foundation Sires accounted for 6% of total registered progeny.
The slight dip in total progeny numbers for 2022-registered animals is the result of not all 2022born progeny having been registered with the AWA at the time of the data extract. Although the number of progeny reported in Figure 2 is currently lower in 2022 compared to 2021, we expect 2022-born progeny to significantly exceed 30,000 registered animals.
Figure 3 shows the progeny numbers for the 30 non-foundation sires (second, third and fourth generation sires: next generation sires) whose total progeny numbers rank them as the next generation sires with the highest number of cumulative progeny registered with the AWA from 2005 onwards. The ranking of sires from 1 to 30 is based on their cumulative progeny numbers up to 2022.
Starting in 2005, two sires in the top 30 next generation sires had progeny recorded against them. These sires were WESTHOLME HIRASHIGETAYASU Z278 ( 8 WESFZ0278 : 1,051 total progeny) and BLACKMORE KINUYASUDOI Y350 ( 20 BYWFY0350: 655 total progeny).
Prominent next generation sires with progeny first recorded against them in 2006 include BLACKMORE AIZATZURUDOI Y398 ( 9 BWYFY038: 988 progeny), LONGFORD 004 ( 14 LFDFY0004: 750 progeny) and MAYRUA ZULU ( 30 ADBFZ0025: 425 progeny). Of interest, the top seven next generation sires by total progeny numbers in Figure 3, started having progeny recorded against them in 2008 or later. MAYURA
ITOSHIGENAMI JNR ( 1 ADBFA0139: 2,749 progeny) had progeny first recorded in 2008, with SUMO CATTLE CO MICHIFUKU F126 ( 2 SMOFF0126: 2,340 progeny) having progeny first recorded in 2012.
The third highest ranking next generation sire is MACQUARIE PRELUDE M0495 ( 3 BDWFM0495: 1,759 progeny). This sire was not born until 2016, with his first progeny recorded in 2018. By 2020, he had become the third highest ranking next generation sire by total progeny numbers recorded with the AWA. The two youngest sires within the top 30 next generation sires list are ARUBIAL UNITED P0342 ( 7 MYMFP0342: 1,054 progeny) born in 2018, and ARUBIAL BOND Q007 ( 13 MYMFQ007: 890 progeny) born in 2019. Both of these sires are third generation sires. >>>
for next generation sires 2005 - 2022
A key component of making genetic progress in a breeding herd is to identify sires with superior genetic merit for traits of value in your herd and use these in well managed breeding programs to build the genetic resources within your herd.
Although the AWA had been providing EBV data for some growth and calving traits for many years, it wasn’t until 2014 that EBVs for carcase traits were available for members to use in assisting their selection decisions for future breeding stock.
As shown in Figure 2, the total progeny numbers for the early used Foundation sires reduce as a proportion of total progeny numbers between 2010 – 2015. During this period, the total progeny numbers for several newer sires begins to increase dramatically (shown previously in Figure 3).
Compared to the original 28 Foundation Sires shown in Figure 1, there are now over 500 sires with more than 100 progeny, 2,500 sires with more than 20 progeny and over 4,000 sires with 5 or more progeny recorded in the AWA Herdbook.
Figure 4 shows the number of sires born in each year from 1994 through to 2020, where these sires have 5 or more progeny recorded with the AWA.
On average, 49 new sires were born each year from 1994 – 2000 inclusive. A consistent increase in the number of sires born in each year starts to occur from 2005 onwards, with 165 new sires born each year on average between 2006 – 2010. From 2010 (176 sires born that year), the number of new sires increased to 368 born in 2015, remaining at around 400 for the 2016 – 2018 period. These next generation sires would go on to have the predominant influence on the AWA Herdbook as shown in Figures 2 and 3 previously.
Although the number of sires born in 2019 and 2020 appears to reduce in Figure 4, the majority of sires born in 2019 and 2020 have not had the chance to have 5 or more progeny recorded against them yet, so they are not included in Figure 4. At the time of data extract for this study, there were no 2021 born sires with progeny recorded against them.
Of note, in the AWA Herdbook, there are currently 28,000 calves registered with 2021 birth dates. These calves are parent verified to more than 1,700 different males, indicating that the growth in newer generation sire numbers will continue to increase further over coming years.
>>>
Figure 5 (A - C) shows the genetic trends for three core growth traits from 2010 – 2022. This data reports the average EBV’s for calves born in each year from 2010 (6,951 calves registered) through to 2022 (27,949 calves registered to date).
As shown earlier in Figure 2, 2010 was the first breeding year where calves born from next generation sires exceeded those born from Foundation Sires, whereas in 2022, only 5% of calves born were to Foundation sires.
One of the key observations from Figure 5a (Birth Weight), 5b (400-Day Weight) and 5c (Mature Cow Weight), is that although there is a general positive trend for genetic gain in all three growth traits, the rate of increase in genetic gain for these traits is moderate, with gain in 400-Day Weight and Mature Cow Weight more noticeable in the last three years (2020-2022). This suggests a lower emphasis has been placed on selection pressure for these traits in choice of next generation sires until recently. >>>
Significantly more genetic gain has been made over the period 2010 to 2022 for these carcase traits compared to the growth traits reported in Figures 5a to 5c, suggesting that a higher emphasis has been placed on selection pressure for carcase traits in selection of next generation sires.
Figure 6 shows the genetic trends for three core carcase traits from 2010 - 2022. Two key observations can be made from these graphs. The first is that significantly more genetic gain has been made over the period 2010 to 2022 for these carcase traits compared to the growth traits reported in Figures 5a to 5c, suggesting that a higher emphasis has been placed on selection pressure for carcase traits in selection of next generation sires.
The second observation is that a marked increase in Eye Muscle Area (6a) and Marble Score (6c) has occurred since 2016, noting that the 2014/15 period was the first time that breeders could select for sires with improved EBVs for these traits.
Progeny of sires selected for improved Eye Muscle Area and Marble Score EBVs would be expected to be born in 2016 or later years. Since 2015/16, significant selection pressure has been maintained on these carcase traits.
Another contributor to genetic gain is accuracy of selection. As carcase EBVs on sires were first published in 2015, the accuracy of selection for these traits would have also improved to support the genetic trends.
The general trend for increasing carcase weight from 2010 onwards reflects the relationship between carcase weight (Figure 6b) and the growth traits shown in Figures 5a to 5c.
As breeders were already making some genetic progress for growth traits, genetic merit for carcase weight was also increasing from 2010 to 2015. The noticeable increase in carcase weight EBV in calves born in the 2020 – 2022 period indicates that breeders are now placing significantly more selection pressure on improving carcase weight through their choice in selection of new sires based on the CWt EBV.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the predominant influence on the total AWA registry through to 2010 was the sustained breeding from Foundation sires. Compared to the original 28 Foundation sires analyzed in this study, there are still relatively few next generation sires that have total progeny numbers equivalent to the highest use Foundation Sires.
To make genetic progress, a fundamental requirement is that new sires are identified that have higher genetic merit for traits compared to sires used previously. The rapid expansion of new sires born, provides a broad base to test next generation sires for improved genetic merit to drive future increases in genetic gain across all traits.
Significant gain in genetic merit has been seen in carcase traits and to a lesser extent in growth traits over recent years (since 2010). We anticipate that gain in all traits will continue with improved identification of high-performance sires with balanced trait attributes. Correlated increases in Birth Weight and Mature Cow Weight will need to be monitored over time to avoid unwanted change in those traits if not desired by breeders.
It will be important to continue the search for genetically diverse sires with superior performance. This can only be achieved by producing progeny and having some of those progeny harvested as part of a structured progeny test which provides good linkage between new generation and foundation genetics.
It will be important to continue the search for genetically diverse sires with superior performance.
The Australian Wagyu Association's Wagyu Fellowship and Scholarship program has been instrumental in fostering research and training initiatives that contribute to the growth and development of the Australian Wagyu industry. With a focus on genetics, nutrition, production, and meat science, this program aims to address critical challenges faced by breeders. One such challenge is the issue of calf survivability, which can significantly impact the bottom line of breeders. In 2022, Lachy Gilmour was selected as the Wagyu Fellowship recipient and has since embarked on research in Albany, Western Australia, investigating Wagyu calf survivability. His findings were recently presented at the WagyuEdge'23 Conference in April, shedding light on farm-based practices that can mitigate early calf deaths.
Survivability in Wagyu calves has long been a pressing concern for the industry, with some breeders experiencing losses of up to 35% among Fullblood calves. Lachy Gilmour's research has focused on identifying best practices, sound weaning protocols, and treatment strategies. By leveraging data from his family farm, Irongate Wagyu, in Western Australia, and collaborating closely with local veterinarians, Lachy has made significant progress in this field.
Pre-calving management plays a vital role in ensuring the health and survival of calves. Lachy emphasized the importance of providing cows with a rising plane of nutrition. Additionally, he highlighted the need for implementing effective vaccination protocols within the herd to enhance the survivability of calves at birth. Vaccinating cows with a "scour shield" was also found to reduce both the number and severity of scour outbreaks. Furthermore, Lachy recommended drafting cows into groups based on their pregtest status, as it significantly decreased the risk of scours in calves. During the calving stage , close monitoring becomes crucial. Lachy emphasized the need for frequent checks, especially for heifers, with up to 2-3 checks per day recommended.
>>>
By leveraging data from his family farm, Irongate Wagyu, in Western Australia, and collaborating closely with local veterinarians, Lachy has made significant progress in this field.
It is also important to have calving paddocks located near a set of yards for efficient management in case of any complications. Optimal visibility within calving paddocks is essential to ensure that all stock are easily observable. Lachy stressed the importance of calf body temperature at birth, which can be easily checked and monitored. Irongate Wagyu uses blankets and heaters to maintain stable body temperatures for reared calves. Blood glucose levels were also shown to be a key factor in determining calf survivability, underscoring the importance of adequate food and sugar intake during this period.
Efficient calf catching practices contribute to effective management and accurate data collection. At Irongate Wagyu, the use of Allflex NLIS and visual tags in the calves' ears, ensures proper identification and a TSU sample is also taken at this time for genetic testing. Additionally, important details such as birth date, weight, and sex of the calf are recorded. Birth weight has been found to correlate strongly with calf strength and survivability. The disbudding process is also conducted using lignocaine and metacam as pain relief for the calves. All the collected data is then recorded using an internal app, facilitating streamlined data management.
Successful weaning practices play a vital role in reducing stress and illness while promoting weight gain in calves. At Irongate, creep feeding is employed to provide additional nutrition to calves while they are still suckling the cow. Lachy incorporated "Nose Flaps" into the Irongate program, these are lightweight plastic, non-invasive devices that prevent nursing but allow grazing and full social and physical contact with the mother. This practice is implemented two weeks before yard weaning, typically at 3–4 months of age. Vaccinations are also very important as they significantly reduce the risk of disease during this high stress time
7in1, pestiguard, MH1 and rhinoguard are administered by
scours and improving overall calf survivability. While currently suited to the unique environment of the South Coast of Western Australia and Irongate facilities, further research and collaboration will enable its adaptation to various locations and climates. This robust program will arm breeders across the globe with effective strategies to mitigate calf scours and improve calf survivability. Lachy, fuelled by his passion for the Wagyu Industry, plans to embark on a series of visits to various Wagyu breeders, both large and small scale, to gain valuable insights into their programs. By studying different management practices and approaches, Lachy aims to identify effective strategies that can minimize early calf deaths across the industry. Additionally, he will explore dairy operations to broaden his understanding of successful calf management techniques. The ongoing collaboration with Irongate herds will continue to serve as a testing ground for best practices.
With the use of comprehensive data sets, Lachy aims to develop an app that revolutionizes calving management. This will be designed to facilitate in-paddock data entry, enabling breeders to seamlessly upload crucial information to the cloud for real-time analysis. The app will harness the power of live mid-parent predictions, allowing breeders to make informed decisions about breeding strategies. Additionally, the app will feature the ability to create and access detailed notes on specific animals, providing a comprehensive overview of each calf's health and development.
The Wagyu Fellowship program is a testament to the Australian Wagyu Association's commitment to nurturing the talents of young individuals like Lachy Gilmour, the recipient of the 2022 Fellowship. This program offers exceptional opportunities for these bright minds to delve into topics they are experienced in and passionate about, enabling them to make significant contributions to the advancement of the Wagyu sector. By providing funding and support, the Fellowship empowers researchers to explore innovative solutions and drive positive change within the industry.
Through the collaborative efforts of researchers, breeders, and industry experts, the Wagyu Fellowship and Scholarship program continues to pave the way for advancements in genetics, nutrition, production, and meat science. Lachy Gilmour's research on Wagyu calf survivability is just one example of the impactful projects that have emerged from this program. As the Fellowship progresses, it is expected that more breakthroughs will be achieved, contributing to the overall growth and success of the Australian Wagyu industry.
“ Successful weaning practices play a vital role in reducing stress and illness while promoting weight gain in calves.”Images courtesy of Irongate Wagyu
Questions to consider:
Are all devices created equal?
Is there a 'right dose' of progesterone?
When do you use a low dose device?
How do retention rates differ?
Can you re-use a device?
Which device is the most environmentally friendly?
Producers who consistently achieve good results from their assisted breeding programs tend to have two key things in common. They firstly follow best practice management (eg planning, attention to detail, herd nutrition, herd health); and secondly they invest in quality resources (whether it be staff and veterinarians/technicians through to their environment and products used).
One thing that may not be on your radar is using the right progesterone (P4) device for your AI or ET program. Most producers simply use the device they are provided with, without realising there is a range available and there may be an alternate device that better suits their needs and requirements. Some questions you may not have asked or considered include:
Q Are all devices created equal?
Q Is there a “right dose” when it comes to progesterone?
Q When do you use a “low dose” device?
Q How do retention rates differ?
Q Can you re-use a device? and
Q Which device is the most environmentally friendly?
If we take a step back, let’s look firstly at what a progesterone device is and the role it plays in a synchronisation program.
A progesterone device is an intravaginal device to elevate blood progesterone levels to mimic the normal rise in progesterone during the oestrous cycle of a cow. A drop in progesterone (device removal), coupled with a rise in other hormones triggers ovulation.
So, by artificially increasing the level of progesterone with a device, we can start to synchronise a mob of cows regardless of where they are in their normal cycle or we can induce a cow to cycle if she is currently not cycling at all. A progesterone device can be used on its own or in combination with other hormone injections to control either oestrus or ovulation.
There are currently three different progesterone devices on
the market with varying features and progesterone levels. So do they all work in the same way? Mostly yes; they all deliver progesterone through extraction via mucous flow around and through the device. This progesterone is then absorbed through the mucosal lining of the vaginal walls into the blood stream.
The first step in choosing the right device starts with considering the females in your selected group and how much progesterone they are likely to need to maintain sufficient levels of progesterone for the full synchronisation program.
Progesterone levels in devices range from 0.5 g in a DIB-H to 1.9 g in a CIDR i.e. almost 4x the amount as shown below:
1. Cue-Mate® RTU = 1.56 g (or 0.78 g/pod if using one reload pod with a blank pod in heifers)
2. CIDR® = 1.9 g
3. DIB-V = 1.0 g and DIB-H = 0.5 g
If you are looking to maximise the results from your program or improve your previous result by a few percent, then it may not be a one size fits all approach. There can be just as large an impact on results by having too little progesterone as too much, so it’s important to get this right.
There is little scientific data is available on the retention rates of different devices. This can however significantly influence pregnancy rates given an animal that loses her device will effectively be set back to the next cycle. Cue-Mate® devices have been trialled with an unrivalled retention rate of 98%+ .
Ask any woman which device she would choose if she was making the purchasing decision and you’ll struggle to find many who wouldn’t opt for Cue-Mate®. A NZ cow comfort study showed more than 90%+ of farmers rated Cue-Mate®, with its soft silicon pods, as excellent and good which was significantly higher than other registered devices tested.
Cue-Mate® is the only device with a registered re-use claim. Wishbones can be used for many years provided they are washed and stored correctly (i.e. clean, dry and out of direct sunlight).
Using low dose devices (i.e. Cue-Mate with one P4 pod and one blank pod) is recommended for heifers only. Cows given a low dose can run out of progesterone a day or two before the device is scheduled to be removed. It is therefore important to keep an eye out for any early signs of oestrus (or use an Estrotect® patch) and advise your veterinarian or technician immediately
if there are. This can be a costly mistake as you may not only incur the AI and semen costs but also skip a whole cycle, meaning their progeny will be born later and will be lighter as yearlings or replacement heifers.
On the flip side, heifers may benefit from a lower dose. If there is too much progesterone in the blood stream, there may not be a sufficient drop in progesterone levels to enable the rise of other key hormones necessary to initiate ovulation. If this is the case, heifers could ovulate well after the insemination date or fail to respond completely, thereby producing poor and costly results.
It is therefore worthwhile ensuring you use the optimal dose for the animals you are synchronising.
This is one of the most commonly asked questions around devices and the easy answer is that the Cue-Mate® is the only device with an on-label registered re-use claim (this applies to the wishbone).
There are a number of risks and disadvantages when reusing a device. The biggest one is that there is no way of knowing how much progesterone is left in a device after it has been used. If you do reuse a devise (offlabel or against the manufacture’s recommendation); you run the same risk as using a device with insufficient progesterone.
Cue-Mate® devices have a reusable wishbone requiring only the pods to be replaced. This may be with either two active reload pods (for cows) or an active pod and a blank for heifers. The other key factors are the risks of disease and infection e.g. if the device hasn’t been adequately cleaned (and stored) prior to re-use. If you are simply provided with devices from a vet or technician, it is worth ensuring they haven’t already been used (possibly in someone else’s herd). Whilst most operators wouldn’t do this, it is worth being aware of the potential risk of disease and infection as well as insufficient progesterone should this occur.
Not all devices are created equal and if optimal results is what you are striving for, then fine-turning your AI programs to increase your pregnancy rate by a few extra percentage points can reap handsome dividends. Cutting corners can be very costly as while it might seem cheaper to wash and reuse a device off-label, or choose the cheapest product available, the perceived cost saving is soon lost if you get even one less pregnancy.
Allflex® Tissue Sampling Units provide a simple but effective means for DNA testing livestock. Collect a clean, uncontaminated sample in seconds with a single squeeze motion, TSU's are easy to use and yield excellent lab results.
TSU's can be paired with a matching NLIS and visual management tag, creating a simple link between the genetics of an animal and it's Identification.
Questions?
1300 138 247 allflexcs@msd.com
For more information, visit allflex.com.au
The recent Wagyu sales in Australia have demonstrated the robustness of the market and the unwavering interest in this premium breed. The Elite Wagyu Sale, Bar H Grazing Sale, Mayura, Robbins Island and Tumbledown showcased exceptional genetics and drew buyers from around the world, resulting in remarkable sales figures.
The 2023 Elite Wagyu Sale, held in partnership with Ray White Rural Dalby, took place during the WagyuEdge'23 conference, an extravagant event that took patrons and guests of the Australian Wagyu Association on a scenic cruise around Sydney Harbour aboard the 'Starship Sydney.' The event, attended by 600 participants as well as online buyers, proved to be a resounding success, grossing a total of $2.6 million . This impressive result is a testament to the continued confidence in the entire Wagyu sector.
Dr. Matt McDonagh, CEO of the Australian Wagyu Association, expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing that it validates the hard work of top Wagyu breeders who consistently utilize powerful genetic improvement tools to produce the leading Wagyu seedstock in the world. With 48 vendors offering 70 remarkable lots, the Elite Wagyu Sale garnered interest from buyers worldwide. The unique setting of the sale, in the middle of Sydney Harbour, created an electrifying atmosphere that will be remembered by all in attendance.
The focus of the 2023 Elite Wagyu Sale was on rare Wagyu genetics, presenting animals that represent the pinnacle of Wagyu genetics in categories such as carcass quality, growth, and maternal traits. The AWA plays a crucial role in delivering leading Wagyu genetic information to over 1,000 breeders globally, contributing to a truly global gene pool.
Females:
19 out of 22 lots sold, achieving an impressive 86% clearance.
The average sale price for females was $56,789, with the top-selling lot (Lot 15) fetching an astonishing $250,000.
Semen:
All 15 lots of semen were sold, achieving a 100% clearance rate.
The average price per straw was $4,770, with the top-selling straw (Lot 29) reaching $13,000.
Bulls:
17 out of 18 lots of bulls were sold, resulting in a 94% clearance rate.
The average sale price for bulls was $46,588, and the highest bid went to Lot 43, which sold for $160,000.
Embryos:
10 out of 11 embryo lots were sold, achieving a strong clearance rate of 91%.
The average price per embryo was $6,890, with Lot 62A commanding the highest price of $20,000 per embryo.
The Bar H Grazing Annual Wagyu Sale was held on the 19th of May 2023. Bar H Grazing, renowned pioneers, and influencers of the Wagyu breed in Australia for over three decades, showcased their superior genetics and commitment to excellence in this remarkable event.
The Bar H Grazing Sale was a resounding success , witnessing a complete clearance of 173 Wagyu females and progeny. Vendors Percy, Sandra, and Que Hornery, along with the Bar H Grazing team, demonstrated their dedication to data recording and genetic focus, resulting in the exceptional quality of the animals presented.
This outstanding sale generated a gross of $774,750, with an impressive average price of $4,667 per lot, reflecting the high demand and value placed on Bar H Grazing's genetics.
The highlight of the sale was the top-selling lot, a PTIC cow (BARFN2270) and calf (BAR22T5534), which sold for a remarkable price of $37,000. BARFN2270 boasts impressive EBV's, ranking in the top 25% for 200-day weight and 400 - day weight, as well as the top 20% for 600-day weight.
Warren Hunter of Epson, Queensland, secured this elite lot with the winning bid. We extend our congratulations to the Bar H Grazing team and the successful buyers for their commitment to advancing the Wagyu breed and recognizing the exceptional genetics presented at the Bar H Grazing Annual Wagyu Sale. >>>
Notable highlights from the Bar H Grazing Sale include: Nine Wagyu PTIC cows sold to a top price of $25,000 for N2201, purchased by the Cant Family Trust, with an average price of $11,889.
Five fullblood Wagyu PTIC cow and calf lots reached a top price of $37,000 and averaged an impressive $27,600. 17 fullblood Wagyu Fullblood open heifers achieved a top price of $11,000 for 22T4123, acquired by Sean Dillon of Surbiton Station, Alpha. The average price for these lots was $5,941.
45 purebred Wagyu PB open heifers averaged $3,833 and peaked at $4,500 per head for a pen of five open heifers, purchased by the Tim Kirkwood Family Trust. 65 Wagyu F3 open heifers averaged $3,038, with a top price of $3,500 per head for a pen of five open heifers, secured by the Zahl family of Springsure. 25 Wagyu F2 open heifers averaged $2,350, with a top price of $3,000 per head for a pen of five open heifers, sold to Twin Hills Cattle Company.
The highly anticipated Mayura Station High Performance Production Sale was held on the 13th of April 2023. This year marked the 4th Annual Sale by the de Bruin family and their talented team at Mayura, and it showcased a remarkable line‑up of elite Wagyu genetics
The Mayura Station High Performance Production Sale presented a diverse offering, featuring 9 exceptional bulls and 26 impressive heifers. The selection process for these animals was meticulous, considering three crucial factors: phenotype, proven carcass performance, and genomic analysis. Mayura's key replacement breeding cattle are directly chosen from progeny testing and carcass data, ensuring the highest quality of genetics for Mayura's international beef clients. Mayura's breeding herd is renowned for its large frame, early maturity, fertility, growth, and efficiency traits.
The highlight of the sale was the top-selling lot, ADBFS0115 MAYURA S0115 (Mayura Rampage), a PTIC female that fetched an impressive price of $86,000. The female sexed foetus is sired by WSIFM0256, imported from Wagyu Sekai Canada and the earliest expected birth is the 28th of August 2023. This exceptional female represents the pinnacle of Mayura's breeding program.
The average price for females in the sale was a remarkable $27,346, reflecting the desirability and value of the offerings.
The top-selling bull was ADBFS2581 MAYURA STALLONE S2581, which brought a noteworthy price of $74,000. Mayura STALLONE combines some of the most powerful genetics in the Wagyu industry and is poised to become a superstar.
The average bull price achieved an impressive $48,556, indicative of the exceptional quality and demand for Mayura's superior genetics.
Overall, the Mayura Station High Performance Production
Sale was a great success, with a total sale earnings of $1,148,000. This achievement is a testament to the dedication, expertise, and commitment of the de Bruin family and the entire Mayura team.
The Robbins Island Wagyu Genetic Auction, held on the 5th of April online at Auctions Plus. The Hammond family, consisting of fourth-generation cattle farmers John, Keith, Alex, and Chauncey Hammond, have dedicated themselves to breeding Wagyu at Robbins Island since the early 1990s. Renowned for their high-quality cattle, the Robbins Island Wagyu are raised naturally and sustainably on lush pastures, without the use of supplements or hormones.
The auction proved to be a success, with a total of $427,725 earned from the sale of semen straws and embryos . The highlight of the auction was Lot 1, featuring semen from WORLD K'S SHIGESHIGETANI 1593, which fetched an impressive price of $5,100 per straw. This prized sire is known for producing tall, long, and thick cattle with excellent temperaments. Semen from Shigeshigetani is hard to come by.
Similarly, the embryos from Lot 53 and 54, comprising of eight USAFB19369 x JKCFK0852 embryos, sold for a top price of $6,750 per embryo. These embryos represent a triple cross of Yasufuku J930 with Kitaguni 7/8 infusion, showcasing the potential for exceptional marbling, growth, and large ribeyes, particularly with the highly regarded sire Yasukane 5, who recently achieved an MIJ marble score exceeding 19.
The Tumbledown Stud Bull Sale, held in Glen Innes on May 3rd, recorded impressive sales totalling $496,300
The auction showcased some of the finest performing Wagyu genetics in Australia, reflecting the dedication and expertise of the Tumbledown family over the past 25+ years. Their unwavering commitment to refining balanced traits such as high marbling and carcass weight has yielded exceptional results. Their efforts have consistently produced animals ranking in the top 5% of Estimated Breeding Values within the Australian Wagyu Herd.
Among the notable highlights of the sale was the top-selling bull, MPLFS7560 TUMBLEDOWN S7560, which sold for $28,000. This bull exemplifies the superior quality and genetic potential that Tumbledown Stud offers. The average bull price achieved at the sale stood at $12,606, resulting in a total bull sales revenue of $416,000.
Thirty Heifers and ten semen straws were also featured in the sale, contributing to a total of $80,300 in sales.
The Tumbledown Stud Bull Sale served as a testament to the family's dedication to breeding excellence and their ability to produce highly sought-after Wagyu genetics in Australia's market.
Our yearling bulls have been bred, sourcing the world’s best genetics whilst proving these genetics in numerous progeny test programs worldwide. PETE
DirectorAt Bishop Wagyu, we produce quality F1 and F2 feeder cattle for the feedlot sector using our own Fullblood genetics.
