New Wagyu Board Embraces Diversity in Global Membership

The Australian Wagyu Association is pleased to announce that the new Board for 2020-2021 was sworn in at the Annual General Meeting held 4 November, 2020.

In a year where industry has risen to the challenges of the pandemic, the AGM for the first time was held principally online, with voting conducted virtually.

Following strong support for Board renewal form the AWA membership, newly appointed Board Directors are Scott de Bruin and Laird Morgan; while Charlie Perry and Selwyn Maller have been re-elected. Consistent with the member support, the Executive Committee has been empowered through selection of office bearers for the 2020-21 period as follows:

President: Charles Perry
Senior Vice President: Selwyn Maller
Junior Vice President: Laird Morgan
Treasurer: Scott de Bruin.

Scott is the principal of Mayura Station and has served as President and Board member previously for the Association, in the era of the introduction of the Collaborative Genetic Research Project. Mayura Station is a vertically integrated business based in South Australia, and has been a successful entry in the Wagyu Branded Beef Competition each year since its inception.

Laird is the owner/operator of Lillyvale Feedlot and Arubial Wagyu. A fourth-generation beef farmer, he is a graduate of Marcus Oldham and will bring to the Board an understanding of Wagyu strengths in comparison to the beef industry.

Association chief executive, Dr Matt McDonagh would like to extend on behalf of the organisation his thanks to outgoing President and Board Members, Mike Buchanan and Lorna Tomkinson for their contributions to the AWA through their service on the Board.

President Charlie Perry said that: “There is no doubt that 2020 has been a difficult year for the industry with environmental conditions and COVID-19. I am looking forward to working with the Australian Wagyu Association Board in 2021, with a renewed energy and focus on inclusivity and embracing the diversity within our global membership.”

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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.
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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.