BREEDPLAN

DRIVING PROFIT & GENETIC PROGRESS

Globally recognised, BREEDPLAN is the genetic evaluation system adopted by Droughtmaster Australia. Developed by the Droughtmaster Stud Breeders’ Society and the National Beef Recording Scheme, BREEDPLAN gives members the information they need to drive genetic progress and profit in their herds. BREEDPLAN uses Best Linear Unbiased Prediction technology to produce Estimated Breeding Values across commercially-important traits.

THE TRAITS CURRENTLY ANALYSED ARE:

Growth
  • Weight
  • Birth weight
  • Milk
  • 200 day growth
  • 400 day weight
  • 600 day weight
  • Mature cow weight
Fertility/Calving
  • Scrotal size
  • Days to calving
  • Gestation length
Carcase
  • Eye muscle area
  • Rib fat
  • Rump Fat
  • Carcase weight
  • Retail beef yield
  • Intramuscular fat
  • Shear force

A Sire Summary, listing EBVs for many of the widely used Droughtmaster sires in Australia, is published yearly. However EBV’s are updated on a monthly basis and are made available via the Society’s Internet Solutions enquiry service accessed from our home page.

Following the running of the monthly Droughtmaster Group Breedplan Analysis, a Group Herd Report is sent to all members of Droughtmaster BREEDPLAN who have submitted weights during the previous month. It includes EBVs for all calves (born in recent years) that have been performance recorded in your herd and their sires and dams.

the Group Herd Report also provides genetic trend tables for the breed and for the individual herd. The trend tables enable breeders to compare the herds current genetic level with the breed average for each trait. A percentile band table is also provided. This report allows the breeder to identify the relative ranking of animals within the breed.

Guide to Interpreting EBVs

Enrolment forms are available via the member portal or the Droughtmaster Australia office.

TROPICAL BEEF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES (TBTS)

An integrated pedigree and performance recording system developed by the Droughtmaster Stud Breeders Society and the National Beef Recording Scheme (NBRS). BREEDPLAN then combines the pedigree and performance information to estimate the breeding potential or genetic merit of each animal in the herd for these performance traits. The breeding potential of each animal is reported as an Estimated Breeding Value (or EBV) for each trait.