• • • EBVs are critical in selection process
The benefit of using estimated breeding values (EBVs) as part of the beef cattle selection process was highlighted to producers at a beef cattle field day run by WA Santa Gertrudis breeders at Cundarra, Gingin, recently.
Tropical Beef Technology Services technical officer Paul Williams, Rockhampton, Queensland, said an animal’s phenotype was a mix of genetics and environment. Given genes were difficult to see, EBVs were used to estimate its breeding value, based on measured traits providing insight to the genetics independent of the environment.
Mr Williams said there were 18 different EBVs available including for birth, growth, fertility and carcase traits and things such as net feed intake, shear force which related to eating quality, structural soundness and flight times (related to temperament and ultimately potentially eating quality).
