All BREEDPLAN information displayed in sale catalogues and other documentation (e.g. shed cards) should be presented in a clear and consistent manner. In doing so, this will assist commercial bull buyers with their familiarity and comprehension of BREEDPLAN information.

The following provides BREEDPLAN users with a guide to the display of BREEDPLAN information.

Presentation of BREEDPLAN Information

BREEDPLAN information should be presented in such a manner that:

• The information is clearly identified as BREEDPLAN Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs).
• The name and date of the BREEDPLAN analysis in which the EBVs were calculated (e.g. November 2021 Hereford BREEDPLAN analysis) is clearly identified. This is particularly important at multi-vendor or multi-breed events.
• All available EBVs for a particular animal are displayed, not just a selection of EBVs.
• The accuracy value (%) for each EBV is displayed either next to or below the EBV.
• All EBVs are shown with a clear positive (+) or negative (-) sign at the beginning of the number to clearly differentiate the two.
• When presenting Selection Indexes, the name of the Selection Index should be clearly identified. Furthermore, the Selection Index should be reported for all animals that have that Selection Index available.
• If other information (e.g. raw performance data, structural assessments, DNA test results) is also displayed in the sale catalogue, it should be clearly differentiated and made apparent that it is not BREEDPLAN information.

The table below provides an example format for the presentation of BREEDPLAN information.

Additional Information in Sale Catalogues

In addition to the correct presentation of BREEDPLAN information, it is imperative that a number of other pieces of information are also included in sale catalogues. These include:

• The current breed average EBVs. These can be found in your own herd’s latest BREEDPLAN report, online via the relevant web search system or by contacting staff at your BREEDPLAN processing centre. Ideally, to assist prospective buyers, these would be displayed on each catalogue page.
• The current Percentile Band Table. Providing this table will allow prospective buyers to identify where each sale animal ranks within the breed for each EBV and Selection Index. The units of measurement (e.g. kg, cm, $) for each EBV and Selection Index should remain as part of this table. The percentile table can also be accessed via your own herd’s latest BREEDPLAN report, online via the relevant web search system or by contacting staff at your BREEDPLAN processing centre.
• Appropriate explanatory notes to clearly explain the BREEDPLAN information (including each individual EBV, associated EBV accuracy and each Selection Index) presented in the sale catalogue. Descriptions of EBVs and Selection Indexes can be found online via the relevant web search system or by contacting staff at your BREEDPLAN processing centre.
• A disclaimer incorporated as part of the explanatory notes. The disclaimer may read something similar to: The BREEDPLAN Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) contained within this sale catalogue were compiled by the Agricultural Business Research Institute (ABRI) from the data supplied by breeders. Neither the <insert breed society name> nor ABRI oversee or audit the collection of this data.

Optional Information in Sale Catalogues

To further assist prospective buyers make an informed decision before and/or on sale day, beef producers may wish to include a range of additional information in their sale catalogues. This includes:

• The ‘Traits Analysed’ for each animal, indicated the performance information that has been analysed by BREEDPLAN for that animal. For those with Single-Step BREEDPLAN analyses, a ‘Genomics’ flag will also appear when an animal’s DNA information has been included in the analysis.  
• The ‘EBV Percentile Graph’ for each animal (see below). This graph provides prospective buyers with a visual representation of how the EBVs of an individual animal rank in comparison to the rest of the breed. EBV Percentile Graphs for each animal can be accessed online via the relevant web search system. Please contact staff at your BREEDPLAN processing centre if you require further assistance in locating these graphs.

• The BREEDPLAN logo may be used where results from a BREEDPLAN analysis are displayed. This can be downloaded from the BREEDPLAN website.
• A ‘Completeness of Performance’ (CoP) star rating logo to demonstrate how much performance data you have submitted to BREEDPLAN. Your herd’s current CoP star rating can be found in your CoP report, and logos can be downloaded from the BREEDPLAN website.
• Graphs of your herd’s genetic progress compared with the genetic progress being made in the breed (see below). This provides prospective buyers with insight into how your herd is performing relative to others in the same BREEDPLAN analysis.

• QR codes. Used in sale catalogues and/or shed cards, these can be used to link through to the individual animal’s page on the relevant web search system. This provides prospective buyers to easily access the most up to date information. This includes current BREEDPLAN EBVs and Selection Index values (with most BREEDPLAN analyses run on a monthly basis, the BREEDPLAN EBVs and Selection Indexes shown in sale catalogues can and do change as more data is submitted into newer analyses) and the EBV Percentile Graph.

While it is strongly recommended that BREEDPLAN members adhere to the guidelines provided, the presentation of any BREEDPLAN information in advertising materials is ultimately at the discretion of the individual producer. That said, some breed societies do have their own regulations regarding the display of BREEDPLAN information in sale catalogues. Therefore, it is recommended that you contact your breed society to identify whether they have specific regulations that you need to adhere to.

For further information regarding the display of BREEDPLAN EBVs in sale catalogues and other documentation, please contact staff at your BREEDPLAN processing centre.