World Leading Breed Registry Services R ABRI & BREEDPLAN bring the livestock breeding industries of Southern Africa an unparalleled opportunity to use world-leading breed registry and genetic evaluation services Agricultural Business Research Institute
T he Agricultural Business Research Institute now provides its International Livestock Register services to nearly 150 breed Associations world wide. Our service is supported by a team of over 200 people including scientists, agribusiness experts, marketing specialists, software developers and field staff. Nearly 40% of all the South African beef breeders are using ABRI systems. The SA Holstein represents 45% of all registered dairy animals. The Namibian Stud Breeders Association (NSBA) represents nearly 90% of all Namibian Stud Breeders from 30 breed Societies and the Zimbabwean Herd Book (ZHB) represents all breed societies and members in that country. Over the last few years nearly half of the membership of Breed Societies in Southern Africa have chosen to use their own registration ILR users always own and control their data and animal recording systems using ABRI systems. 2
ILR is the acronym for International Livestock Register. This describes a family of advanced breed registry software systems that are used (in 2011) by 143 breed societies across 15 countries. The software has been developed by the Agricultural Business Research Institute (ABRI), Australia s leading agribusiness information systems company. The flexible design of ILR allows it to be used across many species and this facility has been taken up for: 3 The ILR system runs on low-cost servers that are installed in the offices of the users. That means the users always own and control their data. 3 ILR is robust software that registers around 700,000 new animals each year. 3 The databases committed to ILR technology exceed 50 million pedigreed animals! > Alpacas > Angora Goats > Beef Cattle > Boer Goats > Buffalo > Dairy Cattle > Elk > Horses > Ostriches United Kingdom > Sheep Hungary Thailand Malaysia Philippines Namibia Zimbabwe Australia New Zealand Chile Uruguay Argentina Countries using the ILR System 3 ILR systems receive prompt and comprehensive support by ABRI s 22 - person software team. 100 100% 97.5% 3 ILR systems dominate the beef breed registry 80 80% market in a number of major beef breeding 65% 65% countries. 60 Percentage of Beef Cattle 40 34% 25% Registrations on ABRI 20 Software in a number of Key Countries in 2010 0 Australia New Zealand Namibia Canada UK South USA Africa 3
Internet Solutions is a companion product to ILR systems. It allows on-line enquiries and data entry such as: 3 Animal/Member Enquiry Service - Animal lists (with sort criteria) - Pedigree display with photos/images - Performance information - Progeny lists - Graphs of performance - Membership details - Animal points, competition results - $ Indexes 3 Benchmarking 3 Internet Registrations/Inventory updates 3 Entry of performance data 3 Mating prediction service 3 Download files/reports from Associations 3 Sale catalogues The growth in use of this service has been astronomic as the graph below shows: 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 INTERNET DATABASE HITS (PER MONTH) 2,690,835 3,130,422 2,000,000 1,690,473 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 599,113 787,916 1,058,908 0 45,588 August 2000 August 2002 August 2003 August 2004 August 2005 Sept 2008 Sept 2010 4
Beef cattle societies are able to use the BREEDPLAN genetic evaluation system which is fully integrated with ILR. BREEDPLAN is the world s leading genetic evaluation system for beef cattle. It employs a powerful multi-trait model which, subject to data availability, produces EBVs/EPDs for a balanced range of traits. BREEDPLAN TRAITS GrowTH fertility carcase Other Birth weight Scrotal size Carcase weight Net feed intake Growth - Weaning Days to calving Fat depth - Rump Docility Growth - Yearling Gestation length Fat depth - Rib Flight time Growth - Final Calving ease - direct Retail Beef Yield Shear force Maternal (Milk) Calving ease - daughter Intramuscular Fat Conformation Mature cow weight BREEDPLAN permits the blending of molecular breeding values (from DNA tests) with phenotypic data to produce marker-assisted EBV/EPDs. BREEDPLAN is used by 45 breeds across 15 countries. Genetic parameters are estimated for each breed in each country so that the EBVs/ EPDs generated are an accurate reflection of the biology of each cattle population and the environment in which they are run. The graphs below show how both Simmentaler and Brahman in South Africa have been able to achieve steady progress with yearling weight while containing birth weights of calves. Brahman Because of its wide geographic spread, many of the breeds using BREEDPLAN participate in international genetic evaluations. This allows breeders to introduce elite genetics from other country with greater confidence on how it will improve the local herd - and it helps elite breeders to export their genetics. Simmentaler This all adds up to faster genetic progress in the beef industry internationally making beef production a more competitive industry. Users of BREEDPLAN are able to progress to a number of exciting applications aimed at helping breeders maximise the profit of their enterprises. These applications are described on Page 6. 5
genetic technologies BreedObject is a tool for formalising breeding objectives that can help you breed more profitable animals. It index, the Simbra Self replacing (i.e. heifers retained) feedlot Index (i.e. optimal animals for the feedlot). The other Indexes include a Grassfed Index and a Weaner Index. uses BREEDPLAN EBVs. It helps producers target the type of commercial herd performance they need from animals for a given market production system, and it helps identify Seedstock that will be best suited to this. BreedObject Indexes are expressed in Rand or Namibian dollars and are intended for use by both stud and commercial producers. The concept that one index fits all breeds or that one index fits all breeders within a breed is nonsense. For example, the South African Simbra breed in South Africa has developed and published three indexes that can be further customised to the users requirements using the breedobject.com website. Below is an example of the emphasis placed on the EBV s for one such Calving Ease - Dir. 14% Calving Ease - Mat. 13% Birth Weight - Dir. 0% 200 Day Milk 2% 200 Day Growth -1% 400 Day Weight 18% 600 Day Weight 1% Carcase IMF% 1% Days to Calving -23% Scrotal Size 3% Car. Fat Depth 5% Car. Eye Muscle Area 2% Car. Retail Beef Yld% 10% Mature Cow Weight -7% -30-20 -10 0 10 20 African Simbra Self Replacing Feedlot Indexing The % emphases on EBVs that is best for your targeted trait importance TakeStock is a powerful benchmarking tool for the beef seedstock industry. TakeStock collates all available BREEDPLAN and Selection Index information to provide beef cattle breeders with a tool that enables them to assess and improve the rate of genetic progress in their herds. TakeStock enhances the ability of breeders to manage genetic change. It enables seedstock breeders to focus on the key variables affecting the rate of genetic gain being made for the particular breeding objective of their commercial clients. TakeStock uses the pedigree and performance information that has been recorded with each Breed Society to: > Provide a range of statistics relating to the genetic structure of > Assess the genetic progress that a herd has made for each Selection Index and benchmarks the individual herd s progress with the genetic progress that has been made by the breed as a whole. > Determine the key factors that explain significant differences in the rate of genetic progress between herds within a breed across a given period of years. These factors are known as Key Performance Indicators (KPI). The KPIs help breeders identify the type of factors that had the greatest impact on the rate of genetic progress made by herds within their breed. Herds are rated for their performance against each KPI to benchmark the performance of their breeding program. the breed and individual herds. GeneProb GenePROB is analytical software which calculates the probability of each animal in a recorded population carrying a particular gene (such as a lethal recessive gene). Its use has been pioneered by Australian Angus to minimise the incidence of genetic defects in its seedstock herd as shown here. MateSel Matesel is advanced software for mate selection to maximise genetic progress for a particular market object. It is fully integrated with BREEDPLAN and BreedObject and is due for international release in May, 2012. 6
Dairy Express is a dairy herd recording system that has been installed for SA Holstein and the Zimbabwe Herd Book. It uses an advanced web system to assist in collection of data and present results promptly to users. The MISDI online management information system provides internet based: 3 Data Entry 3 Animal Listings 3 Extensive graphs 3 Lactation reports 3 Custom reporting 3 Benchmarking 3 Pedigree & production details 3 Electronic downloads of management reports MISDI benchmarking is a powerful information tool allowing a producer to graph the performance of his herd against the district average for a range of production measures. Scatter graphs are produced for a range of production measures and for the Acidosis and Ketosis alert system. This allows the user to click on any animal and go immediately to the full animal details on screen to assist in management/culling decisions. Dairy Express also sends a personal SMS service directly to user s mobile as laboratory results are processed. This will show the highest actual cell counts as well as the highest weighted average cell count cows. Dairy Express has been customised for use by dairy goats. Importantly Dairy Express allows breed societies operating under the LRF banner to take control over the herd recording for their breed. 01/06/2009 03:08PM JOHN High SCC Cows 164 2675 3098 2098 999 1245 678 789 4599 705 7
services to smallstock societies: goat Societies The American Boer Goat Association is one of the largest users of ILR technology, based in San Angelo, Texas. - Annual registrations have increased by 37% in the last decade to around 46,000 pa. - Membership is around 5,000. 3 American Boer Goat Association (ABGA) 3 Boer Goat Breeders Association of Australia 3 Namibian Boer Goats 3 Namibian Indigenous Goats - ABGA is in the top ten (of 143) societies in terms of usage of Internet Solutions producing around 1.4 million page hits of information per year. - The ILR system services the goat shows which are very important part of the activity of ABGA members. The ILR breed registry service has transformed the ability of the AGBA to service its members in a modern and efficient way. ABRI has performed a preliminary genetics evaluation for Boer Goats in Namibia. Sheep Societies The ILR system has a powerful implementation for sheep breed societies. This is used by Dorper, Damara, Van Rooy and Karakul in Namibia and by Dorper and SAMM sheep in Australia. The Dorper Society in Australia has enjoyed exponential growth since it commenced using the ILR system in 2005. In the USA, the Dorper Association uses Internet Solutions. The smallstock version of HerdMASTER allows breeders to capture breeding and performance data on-farm and submit it electronically to the central ILR 8 database.
services to horse societies: ILR and/or its Internet Solutions information system have been very popular in the Australian Equine industry where they are used by Quarter Horse, Stock Horse, Welsh Mountain Ponies and Riding Ponies. The equine system is customised to keep track of competition points. Equine clients make prolific use of Internet Solutions with Quarter Horse recording 2.8 million page hits of information per year and StockHorse 2.3 million page hits placing them 2nd and 3rd of ABRI s 143 breed society clients. In Namibia, the ILR equine system is used by Arab, Warmblood and Miniature horses. 9
stockmans school The Aldam Stockman School, run as a partnership between BREEDPLAN South Africa and the LRF, is considered to be one of the best beef Industry education events in the world. Leading national and international speakers discuss the very latest production techniques, market trends, management systems and the latest research to produce better and more efficient cattle. Carefully selected slaughter oxen are assessed to give a thorough grounding in how to assess their suitability and potential for markets. These oxen are slaughtered and the carcasses evaluated. The school also has a thorough session on breeding and selection of bulls. The school will follows a similar format to other Stockman s schools successfully run in five other countries in the world. The Stockman School provides strategies to produce more efficient cattle. Interactive sessions are held www.stockmanschool.co.za throughout the day and long into the evenings. testimonial: I just want to thank you again for the excellent Stockman s School Presentation. It is important to me that the cattleman gets better training to ensure the industry remains profitable. The topics were excellent. I personally and my people liked the practical part which followed the theory. Joel Herholdt (National Sales Manager Molatek) Abel Naphtaly, Stockmans Emerging producer of the year 10
HerdMASTER Introducing HerdMASTER 4 HerdMASTER 4 is an advanced PCbased herd management system for herdmaster 4 commercial cattle producers, registered cattle breeders and sheep/small stock breeders. It allows 2-way file transfer with ILR systems. There are already over 1,000 HerdMASTER 3 systems in use in Southern Africa. The all new HerdMASTER 4 is the culmination of 25 years of research and development and working closely with livestock producers across many countries. Its aim is to minimise the time spent recording information and maximise the value of recorded information. Version 4 places HerdMASTER at the cutting edge of technology in livestock recording and reporting. Features: 3 View entire animal history on one screen. 3 Ability to open multiple animal details windows simultaneously. 3 Ability to traverse Pedigrees. 3 Open additional animal/record information from everywhere in the program. 3 Many Auto Calculations such as Price per KG. 3 Better QA systems integration and user awareness. 3 A mapping module. 3 Can perform the on-farm functions of a traceability system. HerdMASTER 4 is modular and thus can be configured to the requirements of virtually any users: 3 Commercial module 3 Stud module 3 Small Stock 3 Visual farm 3 Custom reporter 3 Central Sync The Central Sync module meets the needs of large agricultural corporations that may have several farms but wish to have all important information in a central repository. Developed for conditions in Southern Africa, HerdMASTER 4 is the perfect on-farm companion product for ILR systems and there is a responsive support desk based in Irene, South Africa, NSBA in Namibia and ZHB in Namibia. 11
Further enquiries Increased uptake of the above products is transforming the decision making within Southern Africa s livestock industries. All of these products are available from and supported by Agricultural Business South Africa. For further details please contact: SOUTH AFRICA Dr Michael Bradfield Agricultural Business South Africa, 54A Main Road, Irene, 0062, South Africa Phone: +27 82 857 0961 Fax: +27 12 667 5259 Email: info@agribsa.co.za Web: www.agribsa.co.za www.stockmanschool.co.za ZIMBABWE Dr Mario Beffa NAMIBIA Zimbabwean Herd Book (ZHB) Mr Jacques Els Exhibition Park, Namibian Stud Breeders Samora Machel Ave, Association (NSBA) Harare, Zimbabwe 1st Floor, Auas Valley, Phone: +263 (4) 756600 Bessemer St, Windhoek, Email: MarioB@lit.co.zw Namibia Phone: +264 61 235168 BOTSWANA Email: nsba@iway.na Mr Leonard Morakaladi Web: www.nsba@iway.na International Commerce Park Plot 178/Unit 3 Gaberone, Botswana Phone: + 267 3919365 Email: letsomo@gmail.com 12