New industry partnership with Nbryo | Australian Wagyu Association

The Australian Wagyu Association(AWA), the voice of the Wagyu beef sector, today announced agricultural technology business, Nbryo as a diamond corporate business partner. The partnership represents a promising collaboration between AWA and one of Australia’s up and coming leading agtech companies, demonstrating both organisations shared commitments to advancing the Australian livestock industry.

Nbryo Chief Marketing Officer, Dr Sophia Edwards said Nbryo was pleased to be a diamond partner for the AWA conference 2024 and beyond.

“Nbryo’s commitment to bringing some of the greatest advancements to embryo technology, making them cost effective and accessible is a gamechanger for the industry and will assist AWA members in improving the breed, minimising costs, increasing profits, and speeding up the selection program.

“The Wagyu breed has the highest rate of embryo transfer of any breed and has demonstrated the benefits of genomic technologies in providing carcase and production outcomes.

“The Nbryo platform will further these productivity outcomes by providing a vehicle for genetic technologies to be rapidly disseminated across the beef industry” said Dr Edwards.

“With a single 7-day in vitro embryo production cycle allowing increased selection intensity and reduced genetic lag, development of the Nbryo platform will deliver 7 years’ worth of genetic gain in just 7 days”.

“We are hopeful that this partnership will support innovation and collaboration and grow a profitable and sustainable Wagyu sector, now and into the future” said Dr Edwards.

AWA CEO Dr Matt McDonagh said that the partnership between AWA and Nbryo was a perfect alignment of technology platforms to further accelerate the Wagyu Sector.

“The high uptake of accurate genomic technologies is fuelling the rate of genetic gain in Wagyu, which provides a perfect scenario for obtaining maximum benefit from emerging technologies in making, handling and transferring high genetic value embryos”.

“Due to the high value of Wagyu cattle, artificial breeding technologies already deliver more than 50% of Wagyu calves born each year. This includes use of embryo technology for amplification of slaughter cattle, to deliver maximum production output from proven joinings, where commercial carcases can be worth over $10,000 on the hooks.

“Delivering innovation to the Wagyu Sector is AWA’s bread and butter. Partnering with Nbryo will provide natural and rapid expansion of embryo technology application to the industry.”

About Nbryo

Nbryo was founded in 2020 by pharmaceutical entrepreneur Euan Murdoch, and Nick Cameron, who led and managed livestock breeding company Nindooinbah, that contributed 15 years of research and an AUD $20M investment into cattle embryo technology research. Nbryo since has raised investor and grant funding with major grant funders including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Meat and Livestock Australia. www.nbryo.com

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It is a condition of use of this database that you accept these terms and conditions.

It is important that you appreciate when accessing the Australian Wagyu Association Limited (AWA) database (which may be hosted on an external website) that the information contained on the AWA database, including but not limited to pedigree, DNA information, Wagyu Breeding Values (WBVs) and Index values (together called Database Information), is based on data supplied by AWA members and/or third parties. 

Whilst sincere effort is made to ensure the Database Information is accurate and complete, to the extent permitted by law, AWA, its officers and employees, shall not be responsible for its use or interpretation, and you use the Database Information at your own risk. Please be aware of the following limitations of the Database Information.

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

WBVs are derived using genetic evaluation technology developed for the AWA, using the information contained within the AWA database. 
WBVs are estimates of genetic potential of individual animals and may not reflect the raw animal phenotype. 
WBVs can only be directly compared to other WBVs calculated in the same AWA genetic analysis.

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

Animals whose registration identifiers start with PED are Pedigree Recorded Animals. What this means is that the details which AWA used to register the animal were obtained from a Recognised Wagyu Registry Organisation – in other words a Wagyu breed association based outside of Australia. AWA has not independently verified the information with respect to the animal or the details recorded about the animal. You should read AWA’s by-laws which set out details regarding the definition of a Pedigree Recorded Animal. 
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 genetic issues or inaccuracies which were previously not detectable are now able to be detected by current testing technology (i.e. if the animal was tested again with current 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 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.

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

As genetic testing results are provided by independent DNA testing laboratories at the request of AWA members, AWA relies solely on the accuracy of the reporting of genetic testing as completed by the laboratories. 
AWA uses GeneProb software to calculate the likelihood of pedigree animals being a carrier of genetic conditions. This likelihood is an estimate based on the available genetic testing results.

If you consider that you do not understand or appreciate the nature and/or implications of the data provided on this website or the WBVs of a particular animal, then AWA strongly recommends that you seek expert advice.  Note there is substantial technical information and articles on the Wagyu website to assist our members.

AWA’s liability for any loss or damage, consequential or otherwise, suffered or incurred by you or your related business, arising directly or indirectly from your use of Database Information, to the extent permitted by law, is limited to AWA providing you with a refund for the fees paid for the service (if any), or AWA re-performing the service, where possible, at the election of AWA.

AWA administers this database in good faith to support AWA members and the industry. AWA does not represent or warrant that the animals recorded in this database, or animals breed from them, will achieve any particular genetic or phenotype performance.

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