The Agricultural Business Research Institute (ABRI) is pleased to announce that Braford breeders across South Africa are set to benefit from several BREEDPLAN enhancements released in the May 2025 South African Braford BREEDPLAN evaluation.

These enhancements improve the predictive ability of the EBVs published for Braford animals, ensuring that the pedigree and performance information being recorded by members of the Braford Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa is used to its full potential.

These enhancements include:  

1. Upgrade to BREEDPLAN version 6.2

The operating system on which the South African Braford BREEDPLAN evaluation is run has been transitioned from a legacy system to one which will carry the South African Braford BREEDPLAN evaluation into the future. To do so, we have been required to upgrade South African Braford to BREEDPLAN version 6.2.

This transition to BREEDPLAN v6.2 means a more comprehensive approach to the modelling of genetic groups has now been implemented. This allows for better separation of base animals according to Hereford and Brahman breed contributions as well as accounting for other breed contributions represented in the data. Consequently, changes in EBVs may be apparent for some animals, especially those more closely related to the foundation breeds (e.g. first or second cross progeny) and those with one or both parents unknown.

2. Publication of Days to Calving EBVs

For the first time, Braford breeders have access to a new Days to Calving EBV. The publication of the Days to Calving EBV has been made possible following the upgrade to BREEDPLAN version 6.2, which has allowed South African Braford BREEDPLAN to incorporate female fertility data records into the analysis.

Days to Calving EBVs are estimates of genetic differences between animals in the time from the start of the joining period under natural mating until subsequent calving. Days to Calving EBVs are expressed in days, with a more negative EBV being more favourable. A shorter time from the start of mating to calving is mostly indicative of a shorter time to conception. These EBVs are calculated from the natural joining records submitted for both heifers and mature cows. More information on Days to Calving EBVs can be found in the Help Centre on the BREEDPLAN website here. 

3. Incorporation of Carcase Data Records

As a result of the upgrade to BREEDPLAN version 6.2, South African Braford BREEDPLAN can now incorporate abattoir carcase data collected at slaughter into the evaluation. This means that Carcase EBVs can now be calculated using both ultrasound scanning information collected on the live animal by a BREEDPLAN accredited ultrasound scanning technician, and carcase data collected at slaughter. Consequently, Braford breeders may see changes in EBVs and associated EBV accuracies for Carcase traits (e.g. Eye Muscle Area) as a result of the incorporation of abattoir carcase data.