Fullblood Wagyu Testing & Analysis
Fullblood Carcass Data
As noted, most major Australian feedlots provide carcass data feedback ONLY to individual feeder suppliers, and there is no national or breed society database. ‘Own-herd’ data nonetheless represents the most valuable single evaluation tool for an Australian Fullblood producer targeting profitable Fullblood Wagyu production. Trait consistency reinforcement is a foundation of Japanese Black breeding, and most progeny results are highly repeatable. Identifying and repeating proven combinations, then selecting new generations of breeders based on superior carcass data, is a replication of traditional Japanese practice.
Fullblood Progeny Tests
In the Australian herd book, only one AI sire, Westholme’s Hirashigetayasu, has a ‘known/completed’ Japanese progeny performance test record. No comparable Australian fullblood progeny test programs have been publicized, and no local progeny test ‘stars’ announced, but discussion of formal progeny testing at the local level has emphasised a strict need for specifically managed cohorts of progeny of the test sire(s) – meaning progeny can be included only on the basis of identical lifetimes – from birth, through weaning and background to eventual slaughter. This is an expensive, time-consuming process.
A much less costly – although certainly less precise – progeny test alternative for individual seedstock/feeder producers is selection through the use of ‘own herd’’ commercial feedlot data mentioned above. Outcomes here represent the real world of commercial feeding, with profitability identifiable at the twin key stages of feeder shipment (sale) weights and carcass evaluation. The process is generally reliable, and adds no cost in the supply chain – but it will still take over three years to gain definitive insight into the true progeny carcass value of a herd bull joining.
Fullblood Pedigree Analysis (Japanese 16/16)
On the basis of ease of application and low cost, this Japanese model for pedigree analysis is currently the most accessible method for basic and rapid grouping of Australian FB Wagyu breeding stock by prefectural origin, suitable to assist in the prediction of breeding outcomes for operations of all sizes. With an identical focus on the prefectural bloodline foundation, similar evaluation has been the basis of F1 Wagyu sire specification at Australian feedlots for many years.
Many Australian fullblood breeders were introduced to Japanese pedigree analysis methodology by Japanese master breeder Mr Shogo Takeda, who has extended the analysis to create a ‘Rotation’ methodology for the multi-generation production of balanced commercial fullbloods (Download: Takeda Rotation PDF: here) Mr Takeda uses pedigree analysis to assess the ‘mix’ outcome probability of heritable influences from the Japanese sub-genomes or prefectural strains, which must be first identified within each individual. From analysis of variables, assessment can deliver a prediction of the potential outcome of any joining in key traits including marbling, growth and milk production.
The method addresses the traditions of Japanese Black Wagyu breeding as described by Mr. Kenichi Ono, author of the authoritative ‘Japanese Top 100 Wagyu’ who suggests that successful breeding of Wagyu is to:
- Understand the characteristics of each strain
- Plan combinations to cover weak points of individual strains
- Not over-emphasise one strain
Japanese pedigree analysis of all registered fullblood animals in the Australian Japanese Black Wagyu herd is available through Consultancy here. A 16/16 listing of leading local sires is available from this site here. (Click the 16/16 sublink). Identical analysis of current Japanese market sires is available on this site here.
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