BREEDPLAN and Murray Grey Cattle Australia
Genetic evaluation for beef cattle Australia and worldwide
Murray Grey BREEDPLAN is the genetic evaluation system used by the Murray Grey Beef Cattle Society.
BREEDPLAN is the world’s most widely used genetic evaluation system for beef cattle. BREEDPLAN EBVs take the guesswork out of selection decisions by providing beef producers with an objective assessment of an animal’s genetic potential. It offers the potential to accelerate genetic progress, tighten up breeding operations, improve productivity and increase prices for cattle sold for breeding and slaughter.
BREEDPLAN has been available since 1984 and over 60 separate BREEDPLAN evaluations have been developed, representing over 14 million animals, almost 40 beef cattle breeds and at least 100 breed associations distributed across 14 countries. A BREEDPLAN genetic evaluation is currently performed for the Murray Grey breed and includes animals from Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Within the Murray Grey evaluation, EBVs are published on individual Murray Grey animals for 17 different traits. These traits include:
- Calving Ease Direct (%)
- Calving Ease Daughters (%)
- Gestation Length (days)
- Birth Weight (kg)
- 200 Day Weight (kg)
- 400 Day Weight (kg)
- 600 Day Weight (kg)
- Mature Cow Weight (kg)
- Milk (kg)
- Scrotal Size (cm)
- Days to Calving (days)
- Carcase Weight (kg)
- Eye Muscle Area (sq cm)
- Rib Fat (mm)
- Rump Fat (mm)
- Retail Beef Yield (%)
- Intra Muscular Fat (%)
More information about BREEDPLAN
Selection indices
Murray Grey selection indices are calculated for five production systems and markets, namely, Supermarket, Heavy Grass Fed, Breeder Replacement, Vealer Terminal and Northern Terminal. These indices relate to typical commercial herds that utilise Murray Grey genetics in Australia and reflect the genetic differences between animals in net profitability per cow joined for a typical commercial herd using Murray Grey bulls. Murray Grey breeders should use the selection index that best matches their, or their bull buying clients, production systems.
Custom selection indexes for individual herds are also able to be created via https://breedobject.com
More information on the use and development of the Australian Murray Grey Selection Indexes.
At The Murray Grey Society we also promote crossbreeding and the benefits of the Greyman bulls Australia.
