Following on from last week’s communication regarding AWA’s transition to Wagyu Breeding Values (WBVs), we are continuing to share further information to support members during this important change. As a reminder, February 2026 marked the switchover of AWA’s genetic evaluation service to WBVs, delivered through AWA’s independent genetic evaluation pipeline.
The timing of the WBV launch was intentional, aligning with communication activities in the lead‑up to AWA’s major member engagement events, WagyuEdge’26 and Big Texas’26 and ensuring ample time to provide the necessary technical explanations and education ahead of these key gatherings.
This update includes a new set of frequently asked questions addressing your enquiries. As previously states we will continue to share additional information as more questions arise and as new data insights become available.
If you missed last weeks’ FAQs you can READ THEM HERE
Why have we seen changes in the carcase breeding values for some animals in the transition to WBVs?
On a population level, the EBV to WBV correlations for carcase traits such as Eye Muscle Area, Marbling Score, Rump Fat and Carcase Weight remain high. Yet within a dataset of more than 500,000 animals, it is expected and now clearly visible that some individuals, including several high‑accuracy sires, have shifted more noticeably in their WBV rankings. Much of this change stems from the updated genetic evaluation model used to generate the new carcase WBVs, which no longer requires carcase traits to be pre‑adjusted to a standardised carcase weight end point. As a result, the WBVs are now able to more accurately reflect the way Wagyu truly perform under commercial long‑fed systems, leading to more meaningful differences emerging between animals.
How is cross-bred data now being used to generate WBVs?
The new WBV evaluation system represents a major step forward in how Wagyu genetics are analysed, because it is now able to use all available data from crossbred Wagyu, including their genotypes. This broader inclusion significantly boosts the accuracy of breeding values across the entire population. For example, in F1, F2 and F3 Wagyu alone, there are around 14,000 animals with both genotype information and carcase performance records for traits such as marbling score, eye muscle area, rump fat and carcase weight. Under the WBV system, this valuable dataset is now fully incorporated into the Wagyu genotype and phenotype reference population, which sits alongside Fullblood and Purebred records as the foundation of the single‑step evaluation. By integrating this previously under utilised crossbred information, the WBV system delivers a more powerful, more precise assessment of genetic merit for the whole breed.
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We thank the AWA membership for their patience as we’ve worked through preliminary investigations based on your initial feedback. If you have further questions or would like clarification on any aspect of the WBVs, please don’t hesitate to, contact the AWA office Ph: 02 8880 7700 E: [email protected]