GENETICS Five tipsto help you Can you pick take offDr Rob Banks, Directorthe performer? of the Animal Genetics Just as you can’t judge a book by its cover, neither can you judge a bull or and Breeding Unit at the University of New ram by looks alone. England, shares his When two sires look similar (they’re both from the same breed, both have the same advice to getting started weight and both are structurally sound), how do you tell which one will produce the most with breeding values: fertile daughters or progeny with the best marbling? 1.Write down a clear breeding objective The truth is you can’t tell by looks alone. but ensure a balanced But that’s why producers have access to breeding values. They allow producers to see approach – a focus ‘under the hood’ and know, with a high degree of confidence, a sire’s genetics. It takes on one trait will the guesswork out of picking a high‑performing sire. have implications for other traits. MLA has produced four short ‘pick the performer’ videos to demonstrate that looks on their own don’t tell the full story. Rather, a fuller and clearer picture can be built by 2. Your breeding incorporating breeding values into ram and bull buying. ■ objective should focus on where you want to be in five years so you genetics.mla.com.au can pick the genetics today that will help Can you pick the performer? you get there. Tropical cattle Prime lamb 3. Choose an index that suits your production Both structurally sound Same breed system to help narrow down a large number of animals into a smaller group of potential sires. 4. Spend time on your research before a sale. Remember the sire Temperate cattle Merino will impact your flock or herd for the next 10–20 years. Same live weight Same price 5. Select structurally sound, fertile sires with above‑average index and breeding values for traits that meet your breeding objective. 4