Structural Soundness EBVs are reported as an estimate of the genetic difference in the percentage of progeny that will have a desirable score for a given structural trait. Currently, BREEDPLAN calculates EBVs for five structural traits; these are Front Feet Angle (FA), Front Feet Claw Set (FC), Rear Feet Angle (RA), Rear Leg Hind View (RH) and Rear Leg Side View (RS). These EBVs are calculated from structural score information recorded for animals younger than 750 days of age.

Why should Structural Score information be recorded?

Since cattle were first domesticated, it has been recognised that animals should conform to certain structural requirements to ensure high levels of production and adaptability to the environment. When structural integrity is not maintained, substantial financial loss can occur. These losses could be due to such things as complete bull breakdown, bulls not being able to cover the allocated cows resulting in lower conception rates, or steers being unable to finish a long feeding program.

Structural soundness is heritable and can be improved by selection. While structural scores that have been recorded for an animal can be used to assess the current feet and leg soundness of that particular individual, Structural Soundness EBVs provide an indication of likely differences in the structural soundness of the progeny of animals. Collecting structural soundness information for BREEDPLAN gives beef breeders the opportunity to make genetic improvement in the structural soundness of their future herd.

How do I record Structural Score information?

BREEDPLAN can analyse the structural score information from animals that are younger than 750 days of age when measured.  The majority of animals are scored as rising two year olds (i.e. around 600 days of age), usually at the same time they are scanned.

Structural score information will only be accepted by BREEDPLAN if it has been recorded by an accredited structural scoring technician. A list of accredited structural scorers can be accessed in the Help Centre on the BREEDPLAN website or by contacting staff at your BREEDPLAN processing centre.

Your accredited structural scoring technician will use the Beef Class Structural Assessment System to assess each animal’s structure for five feet and leg structure traits. This is done using a scale of 1 to 9 (where a score of 5 is considered ideal), as shown in the downloadable document.

What considerations should be made when recording Structural Soundness information?

• While more than one set of structural score information can be recorded for an individual animal, BREEDPLAN is only analysing the first set of structural score information for each animal at this stage.
• BREEDPLAN is not currently analysing the structural score information that has been recorded on the mature cow herd.
• Structural score information can also be collected for a range of other traits such as sheath and navel scores, udder evenness and attachment, teat size and shape and capacity. These scores are not currently included in the BREEDPLAN analysis. However, they may be used to develop Structural Soundness EBVs for these traits in the future.

How do I submit Structural Soundness information?

Submission of structural soundness information to BREEDPLAN is the beef producer’s responsibility, and not that of the structural scoring technician. Structural soundness information can be submitted to your BREEDPLAN processing centre using any of the following methods:

• The BREEDPLAN paper performance recording forms (forms can be requested by contacting staff at your BREEDPLAN processing centre).
• The BREEDPLAN compatible Microsoft Excel template (available to download in the Help Centre on the BREEDPLAN website).
• A BREEDPLAN compatible herd recording computer program.

Alternatively, the recording sheet completed by the scorer at the time of structural soundness assessment can be submitted to BREEDPLAN; however, it must be presented in an acceptable format. Details like Herd ID, date of scoring and the full breed society ident of each animal must be provided (not just tattoo). Sheets should also be clean and clear to read.

Please see the Methods of Submitting Data to BREEDPLAN tip sheet, available in the Help Centre on the BREEDPLAN website, for further information.

For more information regarding how to record structural soundness information or Structural Soundness EBVs in general, please contact staff at your BREEDPLAN processing centre.