Angus Genetic Trend Comparison: B3 Index Trends
35
30
25
USA
Aust
20
NZ
15
CAN
10
UK
5
0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
This chart shows trends in different countries for the B3 Index – which expresses
overall genetic merit for cows and their progeny in herds where the steer progeny are
taken on the B3 market, and heifer progeny retained.
As an example, the Australian value of $26 for 2006 tells us that the total earnings
from mating an average 2006 drop Australian Angus bull are $26 per cow joined
higher than joined to an average 1996 drop Australian Angus bull.
The chart overpage shows a simple estimate of the trend in on-farm income due to
genetic change in beef cattle through BREEDPLAN. The story is pretty much the
same as for sheep – although the traits being improved are a different set. Also note
that because the period is shorter (1996-2009), the annual increment has not grown as
far as it has for sheep. This is also because it is in fact harder to make genetic
improvement as fast in beef cattle as in meat sheep, primarily because beef cattle have
a longer generation interval.
Nevertheless:
-
-
the trend in beef cattle is accelerating – partly because has MLA has
stimulated people to think about genetic improvement much more clearly
the total value-added due to beef genetic improvement over the period 19962009 is c. $385m, way more than 10 years of R&D funding, and probably
about 5 years total industry investment in R&D and marketing.
I am quite confident that the annual increment is going to rise quite sharply
over the next few years, and will get up to $15-20m per year, so that within a
few years (maybe about 5), genetic improvement will be more than paying for
MLA’s beef activities.
Aggregate On-Farm Value of Genetic Improvement
180
160
Aggregate On-Farm Value ($m)
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Year of Drop
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009