Beef producers demand more profitable cattle and, to meet this demand, stud breeder David Greenup, Rosevale Stud, Jandowae, is one of a small number of breeders in the Santa Gertrudis breed who has fully embraced performance recording.
In order to map out a true indication of an animal’s genetic capability all weights, and a number of traits, need to be recorded on all cattle across a herd.
Mr Greenup does his data recording with a yearly plan in mind to ensure that the stud's data is accurate and timely.
In addition, he suggests that it is best for stud breeders to submit their Breedplan data as soon as it is collected throughout the year, as this ensures that updated Breedplan EBVs are available to prospective purchasers.
“Calving in the Rosevale herd starts from September to early December and we start our data recording at weaning to record 200-day weights," Mr Greenup said.
At the 400-day mark, the Greenups measure weights, carcase scans and flight times. With a keen eye on fertility, scrotal circumferences on bulls are also measured at this age in order to identify age of puberty.
Mr Greenup said, “if mobs are to be split for management purposes prior to the 400-day mark, they are kept in their weaning groups.
This ensures there are larger contemporary groups for more comparisons between individuals, which enables Breedplan EBVs to accurately reflect the differences in genetics.
He said he finds that at this age, an average of four to five millimetres of rump fat over the mob is necessary to ensure enough genetic variation is expressed for both external and intra muscular fat. Later weights are taken at 600 days and cows are weighed at weaning.
“Since recording mature cow weights the growth curves of our cattle have been described more accurately,” Mr Greenup said. “The more information we record, the more we can rely on the Breedplan EBVs to tell us the true story.”
At the end of calving, the Greenups finalise all matings and calving results as they describe as ‘the most powerful tool in the breeders kit’, the Days to Calving EBV. All bulls are semen tested in June with crushside and morphology results being assessed.