Summary

• DNA information is now included in Simmentaler Single-Step BREEDPLAN, significantly improving the accuracy of the genetic evaluation.
• Breeders benefit through higher EBV accuracies in young animals, improved outcomes for small herds, and better returns on genotyping investments.
• Ongoing performance recording and strategic DNA testing are essential to maintain a strong reference population and ensure breeders continue to gain the full advantages of Simmentaler Single-Step BREEDPLAN.

Simmentaler breeders across Southern Africa now have access to BREEDPLAN EBVs that include genomic (DNA) information with the release of the February 2026 Simmentaler Single-Step BREEDPLAN analysis. This marks a major leap forward for Simmentaler BREEDPLAN and has been made possible through many years of dedicated performance recording and DNA testing by breeders in Southern Africa, and development by the Agricultural Business Research Institute (ABRI) in Australia.

What is Single-Step BREEDPLAN?

Single-Step BREEDPLAN evaluation simultaneously utilises pedigree, performance, and genomic information in a single analysis. Unlike conventional approaches, it accounts for each animal’s true genetic relationships with all other genotyped animals for greater accuracy, rather than just relying on pedigree expectations.

SNP data is combined with pedigree and performance records to calculate EBVs and their accuracies “in one step”. The system evaluates key traits such as growth, fertility, birth traits, and carcase characteristics using a multi‑trait model. By incorporating genomic relationships and linking SNP information to trait performance, Single-Step BREEDPLAN increases the accuracy of the genetic evaluation. The multi-trait model allows information from one trait to help improve the predictions for other traits - especially helpful for traits where fewer records are available. It also makes full use of the high‑density genotype information breeders have been collecting.

Advantages for Simmentaler Breeders

• Higher EBV accuracies at a younger age
  When young animals are genotyped early in life, they can achieve higher EBV accuracies sooner -particularly for traits that are expressed later in life, such as fertility and carcase traits. This allows breeders to make more confident selection decisions earlier.
• Improved accuracy for small herds
  Breeders with smaller herds are often limited by small contemporary group sizes, even when good pedigree and performance data are available. Genotyping allows these animals to gain additional accuracy through their genetic relationships with the wider genotyped population.

Recording Strategies with Single Step BREEDPLAN

A successful Single-Step evaluation depends on a strong reference population - animals with both performance records and genotypes. Even with the inclusion of DNA into Simmentaler BREEDPLAN, breeders are strongly encouraged to continue to collect performance data for all traits that are of importance to their and/or their clients breeding objectives. By continuing to record, breeders ensure that the reference population stays representative of the Simmentaler breed and that traits fewer records (e.g. hard to measure traits) may be able to receive more benefits from genomics in the future.

Breeders can choose which animals to genotype based on their goals. Importantly, unlike selective performance recording, selective DNA testing does not bias EBVs - it simply means ungenotyped animals miss out on the additional accuracy benefits. Some common genotyping strategies include testing sale animals to build buyer confidence or testing replacement heifers with the long-term goal of a fully genotyped cow herd. However, the greatest benefits come from genotyping selection candidates, as this directly improves the accuracy of decisions that shape the future herd.