Give the girls some credit
Give the girls some credit - Beef CRC - Beef Genetic Technologies
| 21 October 2008 |
 Does selecting cattle for improved feed efficiency negatively impact the capability of the breeding female and its economic profitability?That’s the question the Beef CRC’s Maternal Productivity research project is trying to answer. Ben Hebart, Beef officer, Primary Industries and Resources, SA said there has been a strong emphasis on selecting for carcass traits and feed efficiency in a bid to secure financial returns through the sale of progeny from the beef enterprise. “But the effect this selection has on the maternal traits of the breeding female herd is still largely unknown,” said Mr Hebart. Until producers have a better understanding of how selection for carcass traits and feed efficiency may affect their enterprise, adoption of genetic technologies will be limited, according to Mr Hebart. “Consequently the full potential genetic selection can bring to the beef industry won’t be acheived,” he said. The Maternal Productivity project is being run on two research stations. Struan research station in South Australia and Vasse research station in Western Australia. Struan is running 300 Angus heifers and cows, plus their calves, which have been selected for high and low rib fat and Net Feed Efficiency and fed on different planes of nutrition. If demand for beef continues to grow at its current rate, there will be a greater need to intensify current growing and finishing systems. Mr Hebart said as a result the beef industry will require more resilient maternal genotypes (cows) and production systems that can efficiently utilise variable feed resources. “Females will need to efficiently store and mobilise body tissue while also having the potential to produce progeny that meet high quality market targets,” he said. “The industry currently lacks the knowledge to effectively balance these potentially conflicting requirements. This research aims to bridge that knowledge gap.” |
 |
| For further information, contact Alison Buchanan, Communications Manager, (02) 6773 3795 or 0439 405 077 |
