GM’s View

...cont from page 16

During the Board meeting held prior to the Annual General Meeting, discussion was held on the genetic condition Bovine Progressive Ataxia. All species carry genetic conditions and their effects depends on the actual condition. It should be noted from initial testing here, that the frequency of this gene in the Australian population is low. Another popular breed in Australia tests for eight genetic conditions and as with most genetic conditions, where testing is available they can be managed exceptionally well. The Board has decided to recognise this condition and in conjunction with Neogen Australasia put steps in place for breeders to be able to test for the gene in their herd.

Progressive Ataxia is an incoordination observed, starting in the rear legs, of young adult cattle. The disease progresses over a period of weeks to months until cattle are unable to stand up without assistance. The incidence of this disease and mutation in the Charolais breed has been traced back to an influential sire born in 1964. Palmer et. al., described this disorder in the United Kingdom in 1975. The pattern Palmer described was consistent with a recessive trait.

Charolais cattle can carry the gene associated with this condition, but the condition has not been identified in other breeds. For an animal to be affected by the condition it must inherit a gene from both parents. This means that Charolais sires being used in crossbreeding programs (non Charolais, Charbray herds) can carry the gene, but should not produce affected calves. Breeders with queries are welcome to contact the Society with any questions.

Also, at this Board meeting it was approved to commence utilising genomic profiles in a Single Step BREEDPLAN analysis. The first run to incorporate genomic data will take place in January 2024. This data will enhance trait data in our analysis. On page 66 of this edition there are some explanations on the benefits of the Single Step process.

In other exciting news the Feedlot and Carcase Trial hosted by the Queensland Region has commenced its third competition. This year numbers are well up with over 300 head currently on feed. All the cattle with at least 50% Charolais content are evaluated on feed for 100 days and then assessed for carcase merit on MSA Grading. Not only do entrants receive great feedback on their animals’ performance, the society is generating a great database of actual performance data.

Globally the Charolais Charbray International Virtual show is on again this year. Members can enter a video between now and the end of November to be assessed by an international panel of judges. Each entry receives an advert in the online show booklet that is produced and the animal’s video is available for viewing through Youtube. This is a great way to promote your breeding program to the world. Entry is easy and this year, unled animals can be videoed and entered.

Beef Australia 2024 also presents a tremendous opportunity to showcase your herd. There are a variety of competitions available including the National Carcase Competition that you can benchmark against the industry in. The Society will have a site at this event and we would love to see Charolais cattle and their progeny in all the Beef events.

To wrap up this report from a Society perspective our Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are tracking exceptionally well. The statistics on the 2022 bull selling results give great confidence in sales for this year. Autumn bull sales have topped at $30,000 to date and clearance and averages are encouraging. The majority of Charolais bulls sold at auction are in spring and these sales are just around the corner. Membership of the society has been maintained and calf registrations are well up in the 2022 processing year. This all augers well for the future and the positioning of the Charolais breed in the Australian beef industry.

Colin Rex, General Manager