AWA announces Spring Elite Wagyu Sale | Australian Wagyu Association

With genetic progress comes opportunity in Wagyu

Important Update: New Date 4 November 2020, 1pm AEDT

The Australian Wagyu Association’s Elite Wagyu Sale has become the international Wagyu industry’s leading seedstock sale, attracting high interest from international vendors and buyers in the last three annual events. In recognition of the strong global demand, the Australian Wagyu Association has today expanded the elite sale program to a southern hemisphere Spring and Autumn format, giving two sales per year.

The Australian Wagyu Association CEO Dr. Matt McDonagh says “The demand levels we are now seeing are clearly underwritten by the unique strength of AWA genomic analysis.

“AWA released genomic analysis for the global wagyu industry in 2018. In the past three years, our members have conducted more than 70,000 genomics tests and more than 80% of animals registered in the last year used 50K genomics.

“This provides unparalleled genomic coverage within our Single-Step Wagyu BREEDPLAN analysis. The Australian Wagyu Association is also unique amongst its seedstock sector peers in that it operates an international genetic evaluation service.”

AWA has members from 20 countries that are international cattle breeders that register Fullblood Wagyu with the AWA. The AWA enables its members to demonstrate integrity in their claims relating to Fullblood Wagyu through its pedigree database, which is the largest outside of Japan.

Dr McDonagh says the level of global interest in AWA Single-Step Wagyu BREEDPLAN EBVs and the Elite Wagyu Sale has been clearly evident in the results from the last three annual Elite Wagyu Sales. The decision to hold a Spring Sale in addition to the Autumn event will provide the global Wagyu sector with improved access to the elite Wagyu gene pool. The Elite Wagyu Sale – Spring 2020, will be held on 29 October 2020.

New Sale Parameters

In previous Sales, interest from Vendors has been well above the cap of 100 Lots; moving forward, the Sale will be capped at 70 Lots, enabling 140 Lots annually to be presented to potential buyers from around the world across the two sales.

Live animals and genetics will represent the top 5% of the Wagyu breed, as listed in Wagyu BREEDPLAN, and with that in mind the Elite Wagyu Sale – Spring 2020 will introduce updated entry regulations to improve the quality and diversity provided within the sale catalogue.

Buyers can expect to see:

An increase in minimum EBV accuracy and number of EBVs in the top 5% of the breed;
Genomics testing and genetic condition status for parents of semen and embryo;
Greater diversity in sale catalogue lots including rare genetics; and
Total sale lots have been reduced to 70 for each Sale.

The Elite Wagyu Sale – Spring 2020 will also be the first time that Vendors and Buyers can utilise the recently introduced Wagyu Breeder $Index and the soon to be released, Japanese Fullblood Black Prefectural Analysis in their selling and buying decisions.

New Breeder Index

The Wagyu Breeder $Index (WBI) is the second self-replacing profitability Index to be introduced by the AWA. It enables improved selection of animals for growth and maternal productivity in low-input pastoral conditions that are typical across much of the Australian production environment. The WBI was introduced to the Wagyu industry via the AWA Wagyu Webinar series on 18 June 2020. Watch the webinar now.

The Wagyu Breeder $Index complements the existing Self-replacing $Index that is suited to more temperate and higher-input production systems, that place more emphasis on supplementation and high marbling outcomes.

The Elite Wagyu Sale- Spring 2020 will also be the first to list the unique Japanese Prefectural Content Values of each individual animal within the catalogue for Fullblood Japanese Black Wagyu. Available from the 2^nd of July, 2020, the Prefectural Values show the linkages between the AWA’s Japanese Black Wagyu herd and their Japanese origins. The Prefectural origins of Japanese Black cattle provide insight into genetic diversity and distinctive animal types within the breed. The AWA will introduce its work on the publication of Prefectural Values within is 2 July 2020. Watch the webinar now.

Entries for the Elite Wagyu Sale – Spring 2020 are now open, closing 24 August 2020.

For more information, go to www.wagyu.org.au/ews, or call +61 2 8880 7700

Important Notice and Disclaimer

It is very important that you appreciate when viewing the AWA database that the information contained on the AWA database, including but not limited to pedigree, DNA information, Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) and Index values, is based on data supplied by members and/or third parties.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information reported through AWA, AWA officers and employees assume no responsibility for its content, use or interpretation. AWA disclaims all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs you may incur as a result of the use by you of the data on this AWA database and the information supplied by ABRI and AGBU being inaccurate or incomplete in any way for any reason.

Regarding EBVs and Index values, it is very important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:

EBVs are derived using Wagyu Single Step BREEDPLAN technology developed independently by the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (AGBU), using the information contained within the AWA database.
AGBU is a joint venture of NSW Department of Primary Industries and the University of New England, which receives funding for this purpose from Meat and Livestock Australia Limited.
AWA relies solely on advice provided by AGBU and ABRI in accepting Wagyu Single Step BREEDPLAN software.
EBVs published in Wagyu Single Step BREEDPLAN are estimates of genetic potential of individual animals and may not reflect the raw animal phenotype.
EBVs can only be directly compared to other EBVs calculated in the same monthly Wagyu Group BREEDPLAN analysis.

Regarding pedigree and DNA testing results submitted to the AWA, it is very important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:

Pedigree and DNA data submitted and supplied to AWA may have errors in it which cannot be detected without further DNA testing.
Technology may have advanced since a particular test was undertaken so that previous inaccuracies which were not detectable are now able to be detected by current testing technology.
AWA estimates that less than 1% of the pedigree entries, ownership or breeding details in the AWA Herdbook may have errors or which may be misleading. For this reason, users ought to consider if they need to obtain independent testing of the relevant animal (if possible) to ensure that the data is accurate.

Regarding prefectural content, it is very important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:

Prefectural content is based on the estimation of prefectural origin from Japanese breeding records of 201 foundation sires and 168 foundation dams. As genotype-based parent verification is not used in Japan, and full Japanese registration certificates are not available for all foundation animals, exact prefectural composition for these sires and dams cannot be validated.
The calculation of prefectural content for Australian Herdbook animals relies on the accuracy of pedigree records and DNA samples provided by AWA members.
The reporting of prefectural content for animals within the AWA Herdbook relies on the calculation provided by ABRI.

If you consider that you do not understand or appreciate the nature and extent of the data provided on this website or the EBVs of a particular animal, then AWA strongly recommends that you seek independent expert advice.