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

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.