crc iii and cashcow outcomes for northern beef...
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Northern Beef RD&E
Wayne Hall
Manager Northern Production Research
CRC III and CASHCOW
OUTCOMES FOR
IMPROVEMENT OF
REPRODUCTION
Geoff Niethe.
BREEDERS USED IN CRCIII
Post-weaning location
Genotype Year SWANS BELMONT TOORAK BRIANP Total
BRAH 2000 72 72
2001 186 110 64 360
2002 215 118 96 429
2003 41 118 159
Total 442 418 160 0 1020
TCOMP 2001 110 157 142 409
2002 137 181 266 584
2003 48 76 124
Total 0 295 338 484 1117
BACKGROUND
The re-breeding rates in first
lactation cows were low,
particularly in Brahmans. The
project has confirmed that
extended lactation anoestrous
intervals were the primary
cause of reduced reproductive
performance.
3 Projects.
• NBP.361 – “Male indicator traits to improve
female reproductive performance.” R. Holroyd
----> B. Burns
• NBP.363 – “Early predictors of lifetime female
reproductive performance.” K. Prayaga ----> D.
Johnston.
• NBP.364 – “Gene Discovery for Post Partum
Reconception and Age of Puberty in the
Australian Beef population.” R. Hawken -- S.
Lehnert
Heritability female traits.
BRAHMANS COMPOSITES
Age at First CL (Puberty)
(NBP.301)
0.57 0.52
Days to Calving – 1st
mating 0.22 0.13
Days to Calving- 2nd
mating 0.20 0.17
Days to Calving – 2nd
mating
(Lactating cows)
0.49 (0.14) 0.35 (0.13)
Lifetime annual calving rate 0.16 0.04
Lifetime annual weaning
rate
0.11 0.07
Heritabilty Male traits
Trait Brahman Composite
Mass 18 0.24 0.13
Mot 18 0.15 0.15
PNS 18 0.25 0.20
Mass 24 0.09 0.05
Mot 24 0.05 0.10
PNS 24 0.15 0.27
Genetic correlations
• Useful indicators of a second trait and
improve accuracy of trait selection.
• If the correlation is between 0.7-1.0, the
correlated trait being measured is a powerful
indicator of the second trait and as a result,
only one traits needs to be measured.
• Highly genetically correlated traits that can be
collected early in life allow for much earlier
selection of replacement animals.
Age at Puberty in heifers
and Scrotal Size in bulls
• At puberty, Brahman heifers were on average
older (751 ± 142 days) than bulls (555 ± 101
days), but AGECL and AGE26 were
moderately genetically correlated (r = 0.48 ±
0.09)- M. Fortes.
• Scrotal Circumference at 12 months in
Brahmans and 6 months in composites is
moderately genetically correlated with
AGECL - -0.41 (Brahmans) and -0.31
(TCOMP) – D Johnston.
Male reproduction traits,
especially measures of semen
quality, have been identified as
genetic indicator traits for
improving female reproduction.
Current progress with genetic
markers.
The top 10 SNP markers were selected to predict AGECL
and PPAI traits in each breed
These markers were able to predict between 23 % and 78
% of the genetic variance for the traits within the same
population that was used to discover them.
Exploring the effects of the top 10 markers shows that the
use of focused SNP panels in this context has promise and
could be made available at lower cost
ANTAGONISMS
Few genetic antagonisms
were identified between
cow and steer traits
Immediate messages for
Seedstock producers
• The initial focus:- record the reproductive performance
(i.e. mating group, mating outcome, lactation status etc)
of maiden heifers and first-calf cows.
• Cull non-pregnant cows in these age groups.
• Use stud sires with above average reproduction EBVs
(polled, if possible).
• Selection based on EBVs for young home-bred bulls and
replacement heifers.
• Brahmans breeders should record Scrotal
Circumferences in bulls at 12 months of age while
Tropical Composite breeders should collect PNS data on
12 month old bulls.
Immediate messages for
commercial producers
• Purchase of replacement bulls with above breed average
(or herd average) EBVs for reproduction and are
accompanied by a Bull Breeding Soundness
Examination certificate.
• Do not retain replacement heifers (or bulls) from cows
that missed calving as a maiden or first-calf cow (or had
bottle teats).
• Overmate replacement heifers and select primarily on
those that conceived earliest in the joining period.
SUMMARY
• While the heritability of reproductive performance is low,
genetic improvement should be focussed on the first 2
lactations (especially in Brahmans) to maximise genetic
gain.
• Bull assessment should commence at 12 months of age.
• Some strong genetic correlations have been discovered
between the various male and female traits and these
will improve accuracy of selection.
• The recommendations for Brahmans and Tropical
Composites are not necessarily the same.
CA$HCOW
17
BOX AND WHISKERS
18
Bottom
of
class
Top of
Class
Bottom
25% Top
25%
50%
Outliers!
Cow Mob Performance
Measure Southern
Forest
Central
Forest
Northern
Downs
Northern
Forest
P4M (%) 78 (65-89) 81 (69-88) 76 (69-81) 26 (14-47)
Annual pregnancy rate (%) 85 (76-92) 85 (79-92) 80 (75-90) 66 (55-73)
Foetal/calf loss (%)
Missingness
5 (2-9)
10%
6 (5-9)
9%
8 (5-14)
8%
13 (9-18)
17%
In Calf with 4 mths - Cows
20
0 20 40 60 80 100In-calf by 4-months whilst lactating(%)
Northern Forest
Northern Downs
Central Forest
Southern Forest
21
In Calf with 4 mths – 1st calf cows
0 20 40 60 80 100In-calf by 4-months whilst lactating(%)
Northern Forest
Northern Downs
Central Forest
Southern Forest
CALF LOSS IN COWS.
22
0 20 40 60Calf Loss - Lower estimate(%)
Northern Forest
Northern Downs
Central Forest
Southern Forest
CALF LOSS HEIFERS
23
0 10 20 30 40 50 Foetal/calf loss (%)
Northern Forest
Northern Downs
Central Forest
Southern Forest
MISSINGNESS!
24
25
Country Type n
Predicted incidence of missing animals per 100 animal years
Mean 95% CI
Southern Forest 2468 9.8 (5.2, 14.4)
Central Forest 3,065 9.1 (4.7, 13.6)
Northern Downs 6,549 7.6 (3.4, 11.9)
Northern Forest 2955 16.5 (10.0, 23.1)
Overall 15,676 10.3 (7.8, 12.8)
ANNUAL BEEF PRODUCTION PER COW
26
Phosphorus
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Dec-08 Mar-09 Jun-09 Aug-09 Dec-09 Mar-10 Jun-10 Sep-10 Dec-10 Mar-11 Jun-11 Sep-11
P:M
E r
atio
Southern forest Central forest Northern downs Northern forest
Observed mob BVDV seroprevalence by cow
age class and year within country type.
Country type Year
Cow/mixed Heifer
No. of
Mobs Median IQR*
No. of
Mobs Median IQR*
Southern Forest 2009 18 73 13-100 14 21 0-80
2011 17 80 45-92 6 74 55-80
Central Forest 2009 9 60 53-93 9 40 0-67
2011 11 60 44-87 8 63 0-81
Northern Downs 2009 12 90 87-100 9 93 80-100
2011 10 87 80-100 6 83 53-100
Northern Forest 2009 23 60 13-87 10 67 33-87
2011 22 46 27-80 5 73 60-75
Neosporum
Cow age class/cohort Year No of
samples
Seroprevalence of N.caninum
Mean
95% Confidence interval
Lower Upper
Main Heifers 2009 46 10.9% 4.8 16.9
2011 202 10.4% 6.5 14.3
Pilot Heifers 2009 32 9.4% 0.2 18.6
2011 78 12.8% 4.5 21.1
Cows/mixed 2009 601 11.8% 8.5 15.2
2011 921 12.6% 9.6 15.3
Vibriosis
Country type Year No of Mobs
Mobs prevalence of C.fetus venerealis infection*
Nil Moderate High
Southern
Forest
2009 19 36.8% 63.2% 0.0%
2011 20 45.0% 35.0% 20.0%
Central Forest 2009 9 33.3% 66.7% 0.0%
2011 11 54.5% 45.5% 0.0%
Northern
Downs
2009 12 33.3% 58.3% 8.3%
2011 10 30.0% 50.0% 20.0%
Northern
Forest
2009 23 60.9% 39.1% 0.0%
2011 21 66.7% 28.6% 4.8%
Total 2009 63 44.4% 53.9% 1.6%
2011 62 51.6% 37.1% 11.3%
* Mob prevalence of C.fetus venerealis infection defined as Nil: 0%; Moderate: >0 to <30% and High: ≥30%
P4M
Class of Country
Period of Calving
Diet Quality – Crude Protein/ME
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Percentage pregnant
within four months of calving (%)
1.0-2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0-5.0
Body condition score at pregnancy diagnosis muster
010
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Pe
rcen
tag
e p
reg
nan
t
wit
hin
fo
ur
mo
nth
s o
f ca
lvin
g (
%)
0.125 0.125
Average ratio of crude protein to dry matterdigestibility during the wet season
7.5% difference in
the wet season.
Body Condition Score
Genotype
Genotype
Mean percentage P4M* (%)
95% Confidence interval
Lower Upper
<50% B. indicus 68.3 56.2 80.3
50-75% B. indicus 52.9 42.7 63.0
>75% B. indicus 51.1 33.9 68.4
Pesti Virus
Table 1: Predicted percentage P4M by BVDV seroprevalence category (p=0.03).
BVDV seroprevalence* Mean percentage
P4M (%)
95% Confidence interval
Lower Upper
Low 57.3 43.8 70.9
Moderate 43.2 26.2 60.1
High 34.3 17.0 51.6
*Seroprevalence category defined as Low: <20%; Moderate: 20-80%; High: >80% seropositive
CALF
LOSS
Cull cows that missed
rearing a calf??
Hip Height
Wet Season P:ME ratio.
Mustering Efficiency
2.5
7.5
12
.51
7.5
22
.52
7.5
05
10
15
20
25
30
Pe
rcen
tage
Ca
lf L
oss
>90% <=90%Mustering Efficiency
Mustering around time of
calving
Thermal Humidity Index
Environmental comfort index calculated from
ambient temperature (T) and relative
humidity (H)
THI = 0.8T + H * (T - 14.4) + 46.4.
Thermal Heat Index
and calf loss.
Wild dogs and calf loss
Pesti virus and calf loss
Prevalence* of recent BVDV Mean loss (%)
95% Confidence interval
Lower Upper
Low 11.45 6.51 16.39
Moderate 12.08 7.00 17.16
High 20.84 12.49 29.19
Vibriosis and Calf Loss
Prevalence* of C.fetus sp.veneralis
Mean loss (%)
95% Confidence interval
Lower Lower
Low to moderate 12.92 8.41 17.44
High 19.91 10.79 29.02
Neospora and Wild dogs
N.caninum seroprevalence* category
Mean loss (%)
95% Confidence interval
Lower Upper
Nil 12.55 3.43 21.17
Low 12.03 5.94 18.12
Mod-High 15.94 6.96 24.91
Annual Beef Production/Cow
retained
50 150 250 3500 100 200 300 400
Annual beef production per cow retained
Northern Forest
Northern Downs
Central Forest
Southern Forest
Weaner Production X Country Type
CA$HCOW
The pathway to improved
reproductive efficiency
Defining Reproductive
Efficiency
Which Benchmark to use?
• Annual conception rate?
• Pregnant with in 4 months?
• Losses between pregnancy testing and branding?
• Loss of the cow as well as the calf?
HOLY GRAIL
Live Weight
Production Ratio.
A BENCHMARK THAT
ENCOMPASSES IT ALL!
KILOGRAMS OF WEANER
PRODUCED PER COW RETAINED.
STEP 1
KILOGRAMS OF WEANER
PRODUCED PER COW RETAINED.
No. Weaners Av. Weaner wt.
Cows retained
XYZ Kgs/Cow
Weaner Production (kg/cow)
Cashcow Data
STEP 2
WHERE AM I?
Country
Type
Lower
25%
Median Upper
25%
Southern
Forest 129 148 193
Central
Forest 139 162 198
Northern
Downs 116 136 171
Northern
Forest 100 113 131
USE STEER GROWTH RATE PER ANNUM TO
GAUGE FIT TO REGION AND/ OR IF YOU
DON’T FIT WITHIN A REGION.
Performance of property
within a region
• “within” region variability
• assess initially if the property is
representative of that region eg
a property in central forest may
be more akin to one in northern
forest than one in the Brigalow
Belah belt of central forest.
STEP 3
IS MY BENCHMARK OF XTZ
Kgs/Cow BELOW WHERE I
NEED/COULD BE?
STEP 4
• ARE THERE FEWER WEANERS
THAN EXPECTED?
• IS THE AVERAGE WEIGHT OF
WEANERS LOW?
• ARE THERE BREEDERS MISSING?
FEWER WEANERS
THAN EXPECTED?
YES NO
ABORTION OR
CALF LOSS
CONCEPTION FAILURE,
EARLY EMBRYONIC LOSS,
ABORTION OR CALF LOSS
PREGNANCY TEST DATA?
FEWER WEANERS
THAN EXPECTED?
YES NO
ABORTION OR
CALF LOSS
CONCEPTION FAILURE,
EARLY EMBRYONIC LOSS,
ABORTION OR CALF LOSS
PREGNANCY TEST DATA?
FEWER WEANERS
THAN EXPECTED?
YES NO
ABORTION OR
CALF LOSS
CONCEPTION FAILURE,
EARLY EMBRYONIC LOSS,
ABORTION OR CALF LOSS
PREGNANCY TEST DATA?
LOW WEANER WEIGHTS ?
SEASON
LOW WEANER WEIGHTS ?
SEASON
DROUGHT!
LOW WEANER WEIGHTS ?
SEASON
DROUGHT! PREGNANT WITHIN 4
MTHS?
(FOETAL AGEING!)
BREEDERS MISSING?
MUSTERING EFFICIENCY &
PADDOCK SECURITY?
PADDOCK CHECK
OR BANG TAIL
MUSTER
MISSINGNESS or BREEDER
COW MORTALITY?
THE BENCHMARKS
BM
ANNUAL PREGNANCY
RATE
• Body Condition Score
• Pasture Utilisation/ Stocking rates,
NIRS.
• Bull Soundness
• Disease – Pesti virus, Vibriosis, 3 Day
Sickness, Trichomoniasis.
• Phosphorus status
• Supplementation
• Genotype
• Heifers – age at puberty and mating
weight
BM
1
CALF LOSS
Abortion
• Disease – Leptospirosis, Vibriosis,
Pest Virus, Neopsora, Akabane.
Calf Loss
• Mustering strategies
• Disease
• Thermal Humidity Index
• Hip Height
• Wild Dog Control
• P Supplementation
• Calf rearing history
BM
2
PREGNANT IN 4 MTHS
• Body Condition Score
• Wet Season P
• Pasture utilisation / stocking rate.
• Genotype
• Time of calving
• Bull Power
• Diseases – Pesti Virus, Vibriosis,
• Trace element deficiencies
BM
3
% BREEDERS
MISSING
• Condition Score and pregnancy
status
• Country Type
• Time of calving
• P supplementation
• Age of breeder.
• Dry season biomass
• Disease – botulism, tick fever.
• Days to follow up rain
BM
4
Southern
Forest
Central
Forest
Northern
Downs
Northern
Forest Overall
Current number of breeding females
No.
responses
18 13 13 23 67
Mean 972 1,192 8,737 4,614 3,772
Median 573 1,200 2,400 3,700 1,200
Range 280-8,056 350-3,000 550-44,000 220-15,097 220-44,000
Summary of breeding herd
management by country type.
<800hd
800hd to
1,600hd
1,600hd to
5,400hd 5,400hd +
Average Performance
Profit per AE ($122.11) ($4.24) $39.28 $35.92
Asset Value/AE $5,888 $4,018 $3,137 $1,977
Operating Return (2.5%) (0.1%) 1.4% 2.0%
Price Received ($/ kg LW) $1.76 $1.78 $1.77 $1.76
Cost of Production ($/kg LW) $2.89 $1.82 $1.41 $1.31
Operating Margin ($/kg LW) ($1.13) ($0.04) $0.36 $0.46
Top 25% Performance
Profit per AE ($13.71) $50.74 $91.46 $75.43
Asset Value /AE $5,669 $3,910 $2,599 $1,441
Operating Return (0.3%) 1.6% 3.9% 5.5%
Price Received ($/kg LW) $1.78 $1.83 $1.78 $1.82
Cost of Production ($/kg LW) $1.88 $1.45 $1.06 $0.97
Operating Margin ($/kg LW) ($0.10) $0.38 $0.72 $0.85
Long Term Performance (Av. over
2001-12) by Herd Size
WILL IT BE COST
EFFECTIVE?
BRICK
(Beef - Rough Indication Calculator of KPIs)
BCOWPLUS/DYNAMA
CURRENT FULL
ECONMIC
ASSESSMENT
SENSITIVITY ANALSYIS OF
OPTIONS & LONGTERM
CASHFLOWS
single sire joining situation)
Number
of
weaners
Average
weaner
weight
Number of cows
retained at the
end of last season
Weaner
production per
cow retained
AT OR ABOVE
ACHIEVABLE LEVEL
Property not in a
Cashcow region
but does sit within
steer growth rate
data
Country-type
Weaner Production (kg/cow)
25 percentile
Median Achievable level
Southern Forest 164.0 191.0 240.0
Central Forest 160.7 194.6 220.1
Northern Downs 134.9 163.0 182.6
Northern Forest 74.0 93.3 112.4
Total 99.8 150.0 188.5
Does property align with one
of the 4 Cashcow regions?
BELOW
DESIRABLE
BENCHMARK
Check
secondary
benchmark
s.
Well Done
Monitor
% Breeders
Missing
(Mortality
%)
Pregnant in 4 Months
Calf
Loss
Annual
Pregnancy
Rate
Factors:-
Abortion
* Disease –
Leptospirosis, Vibriosis,
Pest Virus, Neopsora,
Akabane.
Calf Loss
*Mustering strategies
* Disease
*Thermal Humidity Index
* Hip Height
* Wild Dog Control
* P Supplementation
* Calf rearing history
Factors:-
* Body Condition Score
* Wet Season P
* Pasture utilisation /
stocking rate.
* Genotype
* Time of calving
* Bull Power
* Diseases – pesti virus,
Vibriosis,
*Trace element
deficiencies
Factor:-
*Condition Score and
pregnancy status
* Country Type
* Time of calving
* P supplementation
* Age of breeder.
* Dry season biomass
* Disease – botulism, tick
fever.
* Days to follow up rain.
Factors:-
* Body Condition Score
*Pasture Utilisation/ Stocking rates, NIRS.
* Bull Soundness
* Disease – Pesti virus, Vibriosis, 3 Day Sickness, Trichomoniasis.
* P status
* Supplementation
* Genotype
* Heifers – age at puberty
and mating weight
AM I ON THE RIGHT ROAD?
80
Green Date
• The ‘green date’ is defined as the number of days
after the 1st October to achieve a 70% chance of
receiving 50 mms of rain over a 3 day period. There
are other variations to the theme.
• For this region the green date is around mid
December.
• Calving should commence about 6-8 weeks
prior to the green date – mid October.
81
Aim:
• To ensure replacement
heifers calve at the correct
time, wean a calf and get
back in calf while lactating.
• Management – growth rates and disease
• Genetic improvement
82
Proportion of breeders in each cohort
0.00%
2.00%
4.00%
6.00%
8.00%
10.00%
12.00%
14.00%
16.00%
18.00%
20.00%
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
43%
84
HEIFER MANAGEMENT
• HEIFERS NEED TO BE
MANAGED TO HAVE A CALF
ON THE GROUND IN
NOVEMBER.
• HEIFERS SHOULD NOT BE
CALVING AFTER CHRISTMAS!
85
CRITICAL MATING WEIGHT
• The weight at which 84% of heifers will
conceive in 6 week (2 cycles joining period.
(60% in the first cycle and 60% of the
remaining 40% (24%) in the second cycle).
• It varies between breeds and within breeds
and is higher than the average age at
puberty as most heifers don’t conceive on
their first heat.
86
• Estimated weights for heifers of different
• genotypes reaching puberty.
• BREED 50% in Oestrus 70%in Oestrus 90% in
Oestrus • Angus 250 273 295
• Brahman 307 330 341
• Brangus 273 295 318
• Charolais 318 341 352
• Hereford 273 295 318
• Santa Gertrudis 307 330 341
• Jersey x British 227 250 273
• Limousin 295 318 341
• Simmental 284 307 341
The actual CMW of Brahman heifers has not actually been
determined for northern Australia. The average weight at puberty
(NBP.301) was calculated to be 334kgs (range 196 to 485 kgs).
The CMW of Brahmans is most likely expected to be around 345
kgs.
Born Mid
October to
November
Wean
May/July 180
180 - 200Kgs
End March ie
end first wet.
300Kgs.
Target ?
>345Kgs & 5
mm of Fat by
mid January.
Heifer Options:-
Bulls in end
of dry!
Genetics
HEIFER MANAGEMENT
• A heifer that calves late initially will always calve “late” or will miss out on
getting back in calf.
• At or above the critical mating weight.
• Mated for only 6 weeks – 2 cycles.
• + GOOD PASTURES.
• + TESTED BULLS
• + OVER MATE
• + SPIKE FEED
• • Preg test 12 weeks after the start of mating.
• Vaccinated and supplemented after calving.
In Conclusion:-
• If I am not pregnancy testing with foetal aging, how can I know where my reproductive losses are occurring?
• If I don’t know where my problems are occurring, then how can I address them?
• Understand the principles of getting a cow in calf when YOU want to & MONITOR TARGETS - condition of cow “at calving”.
• Develop a sound Heifer management plan with targets – weights, condition, and timing.
• Develop a good cull female strategy and make it work
• If you are spending thousands of dollars on sires – use the Breedplan data wisely.
• If you are breeding bulls, you can select for fertility – Don’t keep non productive breeders in your stud.
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