Wagyu Fellowship program | Australian Wagyu Association

Established in 2017, the Wagyu Fellowship program allows students to undertake research for the advancement of Wagyu to share with the industry, with multiple options for members of the industry who may find themselves in different research/study circumstances.

Two new opportunities were developed for members of the AWA to undertake net feed intake and genetic diversity research in 2023.

Wagyu Genetic Diversity Fellowship

This grant would provide $10,000 to assist members in nominating two AWA-PTP sires demonstrating high genetic diversity. Using genomic information, the AWA can determine high genetic diversity sires within each birth year and seek to assist members with high diversity sires to participate in the AWA-PTP. The AWA member would be required to nominate two high genetic diversity sires, identified to the member by the AWA and pay the fee of $7,500 per sire. The AWA would then award the member with a Genetic Diversity Grant, providing $10,000 to the AWA member to assist with the costs of semen testing and collection of genetic materials of interest to the AWA for the future benefit of the breed. The AWA may keep the straws of the sire for Auction by tender or for use in future AWA programs.

If the AWA awarded two Wagyu Fellowship Genetic Diversity Grants per year, the AWA would secure 12 high genetic diversity sires within the AWA-PTP within the first three years of the program.

Wagyu Net Feed Intake Fellowship

This grant provides $10,000 towards assisting members who have implemented Net Feed Intake recording infrastructure using Vytelle/GrowSafe feeders. As an example, a Wagyu Fellowship NFI Recording Grant of AUD $10,000 could be provided to an AWA member implementing a 4-node or higher number NFI recording system to complete implementation of the system (not including capital costs), offset management costs and running costs over a 3-year period to incentivise recording of Net Feed Intake on registered animals and provision of data to the AWA to support development and implementation of an NFI EBV.

Through a 4-node system, a member could run three trials per year of 40 animals per trial, totalling 120 animals per year. If AWA awarded two Wagyu Fellowship NFI Grants per year for 3 years, it would enable cumulative testing of up to 1,440 animals over the three years, leaving an ongoing testing capacity of 720 animals per year.

The AWA is already working with AWA-PTP contributor herds to make them aware of NFI testing and promote the benefits of NFI testing to them. The AWA may prioritise access to the grant to AWA-PTP herds or by members who commit to testing AWA-PTP progeny or large numbers of registered progeny and providing this data to the AWA.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE - Terms & Conditions

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.

THIS DISCLAIMER HAS BEEN UPDATED AS OF 03/02/2026, PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE READ IT IN DETAIL