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AWA DATABASE

Wagyu Fellowship Program

Driving Advancements in Australian Wagyu Industry

Wednesday, 8 November 2023

The Australian Wagyu Association’s Wagyu Fellowship and Scholarship program is making significant strides in advancing the Australian Wagyu industry. This program focuses on genetics, nutrition, production, and meat science and has become extremely helpful in research and training initiatives by providing critical support in addressing industry challenges.

One of the program’s recipients, Lachy Gilmour, who received the Fellowship in 2022, shared his thoughts and experience. He stated, “The AWA Fellowship is a great initiative put in place to assist eager members to pursue a chosen field of research within the Wagyu sector. It was of great assistance to me in the continual research of Wagyu calf survivability and the causes & prevention of early calf deaths. The scope of the scholarship is endless, and I feel with the growth of the Wagyu sector, there’s an abundance of areas in which still need further research.”

The Wagyu Fellowship and Scholarship program is designed to encourage students, industry professionals, and postgraduate researchers to undertake projects that contribute to the growth and development of the Wagyu industry.

Key objectives of the program include:

  • Developing young leaders for the Wagyu industry.
  • Increasing education, experience, and skills within the Wagyu sector.
  • Fostering lasting friendships across the international Wagyu industry.
  • Advancing knowledge and learning within the Wagyu industry.

The program offers multiple fellowships tailored to different study and research circumstances, including the following:

  1. Wagyu Study Fellowship: Aimed at young individuals who wish to undertake on-farm or independent projects to advance the Wagyu sector, regardless of formal studies.
  2. Wagyu Postgraduate Fellowship: Designed to support postgraduate university students looking to conduct research on Wagyu topics.
  3. Simon Coates Scholarship for Veterinary and Reproduction Science: Geared towards students studying veterinary science or researching reproduction and breeding in relation to Wagyu.
  4. Wagyu Genetic Diversity Fellowship: This grant provides financial assistance for members to nominate sires with high genetic diversity for the AWA Performance Testing Program.
  5. Wagyu Net Feed Intake Fellowship: A grant that supports members implementing Net Feed Intake recording infrastructure using Vytelle/GrowSafe feeders.

The Australian Wagyu Association continues to be at the forefront of nurturing research and training initiatives that are vital to the continued success of the Australian Wagyu industry.

For those interested in further details and applications, visit the Wagyu Fellowship webpage.

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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