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AWA DATABASE
Thursday, 20 February 2020

The new Australian Wagyu Association Board assumed oversight of AWA business and breed strategy last November. The Board has initiated an extensive review of AWA business services, and accelerated existing proposals for the review of key breeding tools, including BREEDPLAN Carcase EBVs and BreedObject $Indexes.

Early review outcomes were accepted by the AWA Board on February 10, 2020. Preliminary results are outstanding.   Member participation is sought as we share updated details at a special members-only ‘Association Matters’ session immediately preceding the WagyuEdge 2020 Annual Conference opening on 29 April 2020. There is no additional charge.

Details are Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast,
29 April, 2020, 10am – 12pm

Key components of the session will include

  • Progress report on the review of EBVs/Indexes. It is essential to note ‘review’ does not necessarily mean change, but that ongoing review is basic good management. The AWA Carcase EBVs launched in 2014 are under cyclical review. The Indexes are informed solely by the EBVs. The goal is to enhance these metrics.
  • Competitive benchmarking of Wagyu breed progress in the Australian registered beef herd environment.  How fast have we grown? Where do we rank?
  • Competitive benchmarking of AWA performance among Australian beef breed societies. Is your Association performing at par, above, or below?   Are we expensive, or budget-priced?
  • Measuring and managing the challenged genetic diversity in our key breed. These are initiatives being undertaken for the first time in AWA history and will soon include web publication of prefectural (or subpopulation) analysis for all AWA-registered Japanese Black animals.
  • Review of AWA management efficiencies. How good are your member services? Are you getting the best bang for your buck in AWA transaction management?

If you have any investment in Wagyu, there will be substantial value in this session, but please note it is for members only, and some content here will not be repeated in main conference sessions.

I look forward to meeting you there.
Kind regards,

Mike Buchanan
AWA Board Chair and President

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.

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