TE MANIA Angus will be the first stud to offer estimated breeding value figures for structure in its bull sale catalogue.
The Mortlake-based stud, which has assessed and recorded the structure of 7000 individual animals, believes this is in keeping with its long-term approach to provide clients with more information.
Te Mania co-principal Tom Gubbins said it was all about "giving clients a better snapshot of an animal's genotype".
"Structure EBVs are for those clients who want to concentrate on the structure in their herd; the genotype information is always better than the phenotype information," Mr Gubbins said.
The latest EBVs have been developed by Angus Australia with the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit.
Te Mania has embraced structural scores in its catalogues for the past 10 years, but this year's catalogue will also include the animal's structural EBV and the likelihood of it passing on the trait.
"We wouldn't normally put phenotype data next to genotype data, but it will be interesting to see how the two vary," Mr Gubbins said. "We're not looking for the bull with bad feet, but might have calves with good feet. We'll be looking for the bull with good feet and determining the likelihood of it passing on that trait."
Mr Gubbins said industry costs had driven the implementation of the new EBVs.
"We want our bulls to last as long as possible in our clients' herds and to ensure cast-for-age cows are going on to breeding and not off for meat ... which can return up to $100 more."
Te Mania will this year run its auction with the use of a video screen. The bulls will remain penned outside to eliminate the inherent risks associated with operating an auction ring, Mr Gubbins said.
The March 19 sale of 170 bulls includes 123 by homebred sires, including Berkley B1, which has the highest dollar indices for the long-fed CAAB, heavy-grass and short-fed domestic market indicators of any Australian sire.
