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.