THE variety of breeds that make up the Australian beef cattle inhabitants is appreciable.
There generally is a tendency to make some broad assumptions on the nation’s cattle inhabitants, primarily based largely on indicators reminiscent of breed registrations and bull sale outcomes.
Whereas the Angus and Brahman breeds keep the highest two positions for breed registrations* (36.65 p.c and 13.19pc respectively), the make-up of the highest ten breeds by registration numbers could shock many producers.
Registrations for 2022 launched by the Australian Registered Cattle Breeders Affiliation has seen Wagyu registrations proceed to surge, because the third most registered breed with 9.56pc of nationwide registrations. The Wagyu breed overtook Herefords in 2021 and whereas complete registrations for 2022 had been barely decrease than the earlier 12 months, the expansion of the breed inside the seedstock portion of nationwide herd is critical.
Since 2016 it’s attention-grabbing to notice that a number of breeds reminiscent of Droughtmaster, Charolais and Santa Gertrudis have largely had comparable numbers registered from 12 months to 12 months. Whereas rankings inside the prime ten breeds transfer barely between these breeds every year, they’ve persistently maintained registrations and important numbers nationally.
Apart from progress in Wagyu registrations, the variety of Speckle Park registrations can also be notable. Shifting from registering 0.5pc of the nationwide seedstock herd (and sixteenth place) in 2016, the Speckle Park breed now accounts for two.58pc of registrations and is positioned tenth within the record of 37 breeds printed by ARCBA.
Set out under in bar-chart type is registration numbers for the ten largest breeds, since 2016:
Click on on picture for a bigger view
These registration figures provide a helpful perception into the expansion of breeds and their relevance to producers who’re in search of the genetic traits and phenotypes provided by numerous breeds.
Nonetheless seedstock registrations could not all the time mirror the usage of these breeds or breed varieties throughout the broader trade. It’s price noting within the ARCBA information, complete registrations for the 12 months 2022 was 257,471 head.
Extra broadly an image of breed make-up throughout the trade may be taken from the outcomes of the Beef Producers Intentions Survey (ABIS) printed by MLA. The ABIS information printed an estimate of 26.13 million grassfed grownup animals.
Supply: ABIS April 2022 – MLA
The ABIS thought of the southern and northern industries and offered a breakdown of each breed make-up inside these sectors and the share of producers with these varieties of cattle.
Throughout southern Australia, Angus cattle accounted for each the most important proportion of the inhabitants and still have the best proportion of producers with these animals. The second most dominant breed in southern manufacturing in numbers and producers are Herefords with European (Simmental & Limousin) within the third rating.
The northern trade developments are additionally fairly attention-grabbing to contemplate. Whereas Brahman stay because the breed with the most important share of the general inhabitants, 41pc of producers had Droughtmaster cattle, in comparison with 28pc with Brahman animals.
Reflecting the pattern of elevated Wagyu registrations within the seedstock sector, on farm grownup grassfed numbers for Wagyu account for 6pc of the northern inhabitants. On the similar time the share of producers in northern Australia with Wagyu got here to 3pc. This displays the significance of Wagyu genetics in a lot of the bigger company herds in comparison with individually owned companies.
* Editor’s remark: It ought to be famous that the Beef Producer Intentions Survey performed in November lined breeding cattle (breeding cows, heifers and bulls) solely. F1 progeny, reminiscent of F1 Wagyu destined as terminal crosses, weren’t included. Moreover, warning ought to be famous when evaluating breed recognition just by seedstock registration numbers. Tropical breeds like Brahman and Droughtmaster embody massive numbers of home-bred or paddock-bought unregistered herd bulls, not included in breed registration information.
Alastair Rayner is the Common Supervisor of Extension & Operations with Cibo Labs and Principal of RaynerAg. Alastair has over 28 years’ expertise advising beef producers & graziers throughout Australia. He may be contacted right here or by way of his web site www.raynerag.com.au
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