CRC III and CASHCOW OUTCOMES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF REPRODUCTION. Northern Beef RD&E. Geoff Niethe. Wayne Hall Manager Northern Production Research

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1 CRC III and CASHCOW OUTCOMES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF REPRODUCTION Northern Beef RD&E Geoff Niethe. Wayne Hall Manager Northern Production Research

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4 BREEDERS USED IN CRCIII Post-weaning location Genotype Year SWANS BELMONT TOORAK BRIANP Total BRAH Total TCOMP Total

5 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.

6 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

7 Heritability female traits. BRAHMANS COMPOSITES Age at First CL (Puberty) (NBP.301) Days to Calving 1 st mating Days to Calving- 2 nd mating Days to Calving 2 nd mating (Lactating cows) 0.49 (0.14) 0.35 (0.13) Lifetime annual calving rate Lifetime annual weaning rate

8 Heritabilty Male traits Trait Brahman Composite Mass Mot PNS Mass Mot PNS

9 Genetic correlations Useful indicators of a second trait and improve accuracy of trait selection. If the correlation is between , 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.

10 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 (Brahmans) and (TCOMP) D Johnston.

11 Male reproduction traits, especially measures of semen quality, have been identified as genetic indicator traits for improving female reproduction.

12 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

13 ANTAGONISMS Few genetic antagonisms were identified between cow and steer traits

14 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.

15 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.

16 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.

17 17 CA$HCOW

18 BOX AND WHISKERS Outliers! Bottom of class Bottom 25% 50% Top 25% Top of Class 18

19 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 (%) 5 (2-9) 6 (5-9) 8 (5-14) 13 (9-18) Missingness 10% 9% 8% 17%

20 In Calf with 4 mths - Cows Southern Forest Central Forest Northern Downs Northern Forest In-calf by 4-months whilst lactating(%) 20

21 In Calf with 4 mths 1 st calf cows Southern Forest Central Forest Northern Downs Northern Forest In-calf by 4-months whilst lactating(%)

22 CALF LOSS IN COWS. Southern Forest Central Forest Northern Downs Northern Forest Calf Loss - Lower estimate(%) 22

23 CALF LOSS HEIFERS Southern Forest Central Forest Northern Downs Northern Forest Foetal/calf loss (%)

24 24 MISSINGNESS!

25 Country Type n Predicted incidence of missing animals per 100 animal years Mean 95% CI Southern Forest (5.2, 14.4) Central Forest 3, (4.7, 13.6) Northern Downs 6, (3.4, 11.9) Northern Forest (10.0, 23.1) Overall 15, (7.8, 12.8) 25

26 26 ANNUAL BEEF PRODUCTION PER COW

27 P:ME ratio Phosphorus Southern forest Central forest Northern downs Northern forest Dec-08 Mar-09 Jun-09 Aug-09 Dec-09 Mar-10 Jun-10 Sep-10 Dec-10 Mar-11 Jun-11 Sep-11

28 Observed mob BVDV seroprevalence by cow age class and year within country type. Cow/mixed Heifer Country type Year No. of Mobs Median IQR* No. of Mobs Median IQR* Southern Forest Central Forest Northern Downs Northern Forest

29 Neosporum Cow age class/cohort Year No of samples Seroprevalence of N.caninum 95% Confidence interval Mean Lower Upper Main Heifers % % Pilot Heifers % % Cows/mixed % %

30 Vibriosis Country type Year No of Mobs Mobs prevalence of C.fetus venerealis infection* Nil Moderate High Southern % 63.2% 0.0% Forest % 35.0% 20.0% Central Forest % 66.7% 0.0% % 45.5% 0.0% Northern % 58.3% 8.3% Downs % 50.0% 20.0% Northern % 39.1% 0.0% Forest % 28.6% 4.8% Total % 53.9% 1.6% % 37.1% 11.3% * Mob prevalence of C.fetus venerealis infection defined as Nil: 0%; Moderate: >0 to <30% and High: 30%

31 P4M

32 Class of Country

33 Period of Calving

34 0 Diet Quality Crude Protein/ME % difference in the wet season Average ratio of crude protein to dry matter digestibility during the wet season

35 Body Condition Score

36 Genotype Genotype Mean percentage P4M* (%) 95% Confidence interval Lower Upper <50% B. indicus % B. indicus >75% B. indicus

37 Pesti Virus Table 1: Predicted percentage P4M by BVDV seroprevalence category (p=0.03). Mean percentage 95% Confidence interval BVDV seroprevalence* P4M (%) Lower Upper Low Moderate High *Seroprevalence category defined as Low: <20%; Moderate: 20-80%; High: >80% seropositive

38 CALF LOSS

39 Cull cows that missed rearing a calf??

40 Hip Height

41 Wet Season P:ME ratio.

42 Mustering Efficiency >90% <=90% Mustering Efficiency

43 Mustering around time of calving

44 Thermal Humidity Index Environmental comfort index calculated from ambient temperature (T) and relative humidity (H) THI = 0.8T + H * (T )

45 Thermal Heat Index and calf loss.

46 Wild dogs and calf loss

47 Pesti virus and calf loss 95% Confidence Prevalence* of interval recent BVDV Mean loss (%) Lower Upper Low Moderate High

48 Vibriosis and Calf Loss Prevalence* of C.fetus sp.veneralis Mean loss (%) 95% Confidence interval Lower Lower Low to moderate High

49 Neospora and Wild dogs N.caninum seroprevalence* category Mean loss (%) 95% Confidence interval Lower Upper Nil Low Mod-High

50 Annual Beef Production/Cow retained Southern Forest Central Forest Northern Downs Northern Forest Annual beef production per cow retained

51 Weaner Production X Country Type

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53 CA$HCOW The pathway to improved reproductive efficiency

54 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?

55 HOLY GRAIL Live Weight Production Ratio.

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57 A BENCHMARK THAT ENCOMPASSES IT ALL! KILOGRAMS OF WEANER PRODUCED PER COW RETAINED.

58 STEP 1 KILOGRAMS OF WEANER PRODUCED PER COW RETAINED. No. Weaners Cows retained Av. Weaner wt. XYZ Kgs/Cow

59 Weaner Production (kg/cow) Cashcow Data

60 STEP 2 WHERE AM I? Country Type Lower 25% Median Upper 25% Southern Forest Central Forest Northern Downs Northern Forest USE STEER GROWTH RATE PER ANNUM TO GAUGE FIT TO REGION AND/ OR IF YOU DON T FIT WITHIN A REGION.

61 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.

62 STEP 3 IS MY BENCHMARK OF XTZ Kgs/Cow BELOW WHERE I NEED/COULD BE?

63 STEP 4 ARE THERE FEWER WEANERS THAN EXPECTED? IS THE AVERAGE WEIGHT OF WEANERS LOW? ARE THERE BREEDERS MISSING?

64 FEWER WEANERS THAN EXPECTED? PREGNANCY TEST DATA? YES NO ABORTION OR CALF LOSS CONCEPTION FAILURE, EARLY EMBRYONIC LOSS, ABORTION OR CALF LOSS

65 FEWER WEANERS THAN EXPECTED? PREGNANCY TEST DATA? YES NO ABORTION OR CALF LOSS CONCEPTION FAILURE, EARLY EMBRYONIC LOSS, ABORTION OR CALF LOSS

66 FEWER WEANERS THAN EXPECTED? PREGNANCY TEST DATA? YES NO ABORTION OR CALF LOSS CONCEPTION FAILURE, EARLY EMBRYONIC LOSS, ABORTION OR CALF LOSS

67 LOW WEANER WEIGHTS? SEASON

68 LOW WEANER WEIGHTS? SEASON DROUGHT!

69 LOW WEANER WEIGHTS? SEASON DROUGHT! PREGNANT WITHIN 4 MTHS? (FOETAL AGEING!)

70 BREEDERS MISSING? MUSTERING EFFICIENCY & PADDOCK SECURITY? PADDOCK CHECK OR BANG TAIL MUSTER MISSINGNESS or BREEDER COW MORTALITY?

71 THE BENCHMARKS BM

72 BM 1 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

73 BM 2 Abortion CALF LOSS 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

74 BM 3 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

75 BM 4 % 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

76 Summary of breeding herd management by country type. Southern Forest Central Forest Northern Downs Northern Forest Overall Current number of breeding females No. responses Mean 972 1,192 8,737 4,614 3,772 Median 573 1,200 2,400 3,700 1,200 Range 280-8, , , , ,000

77 Long Term Performance (Av. over ) by Herd Size Average Performance <800hd 800hd to 1,600hd 1,600hd to 5,400hd 5,400hd + 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

78 WILL IT BE COST EFFECTIVE? BRICK (Beef - Rough Indication Calculator of KPIs) CURRENT FULL ECONMIC ASSESSMENT BCOWPLUS/DYNAMA SENSITIVITY ANALSYIS OF OPTIONS & LONGTERM CASHFLOWS

79 BELOW DESIRABLE single sire joining situation) BENCHMARK Country-type 25 percentile Weaner Production (kg/cow) Median Achievable level Southern Forest Central Forest Northern Downs Northern Forest AT OR ABOVE ACHIEVABLE LEVEL Well Done Monitor Total Property not in a Cashcow region but does sit within steer growth rate data Weaner production per cow retained Does property align with one of the 4 Cashcow regions? Number of weaners Average weaner weight Number of cows retained at the end of last season Check secondary benchmark. Annual Pregnancy Rate Calf Loss Pregnant in 4 Months % Breeders Missing (Mortality Factors:- Factors:- Factors:- Factor:- * 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 Abortion * Disease Leptospirosis, Vibriosis, Pest Virus, Neopsora, Akabane. Calf Loss *Mustering strategies * Disease * P Supplementation * Body Condition Score * Wet Season P * Pasture utilisation / stocking rate. * Genotype * Time of calving * Bull Power *Condition Score and pregnancy status * Country Type * Time of calving * P supplementation * Age of breeder. * Dry season biomass * Diseases pesti virus, * Disease botulism, tick *Thermal Humidity Index Vibriosis, fever. * Hip Height *Trace element * Days to follow up rain. AM I ON THE RIGHT * Wild Dog Control deficiencies ROAD? * Calf rearing history

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81 Green Date The green date is defined as the number of days after the 1 st 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

82 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

83 Proportion of breeders in each cohort 20.00% 18.00% 16.00% 43% 14.00% 12.00% 10.00% 8.00% 6.00% 4.00% 2.00% 0.00%

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85 HEIFER MANAGEMENT HEIFERS NEED TO BE MANAGED TO HAVE A CALF ON THE GROUND IN NOVEMBER. HEIFERS SHOULD NOT BE CALVING AFTER CHRISTMAS! 85

86 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

87 Estimated weights for heifers of different genotypes reaching puberty. BREED 50% in Oestrus 70%in Oestrus 90% in Oestrus Angus Brahman Brangus Charolais Hereford Santa Gertrudis Jersey x British Limousin Simmental 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.

88 Genetics Heifer Options:- Target? >345Kgs & 5 mm of Fat by mid January. End March ie end first wet. 300Kgs. Bulls in end of dry! Wean May/July Kgs Born Mid October to November

89 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.

90 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.