Data sharing next big step for beef genetics

Glacier FarmMedia – Data access is vital to success in most businesses these days, and that includes cattle genetics, according to panel members at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Saskatoon in August.

“I believe genetics can be the motivator that drives success in the beef industry in the next 20 years,” said panel chair Sandy Russell, CEO of the Canadian Beef Breeds Council. “I think we have just tapped the beginning of the iceberg of what can be done.”

Genetic data is often used on an individual scale, where many producers keep track of their own. Some ranchers use it to market their calves. For seedstock producers, this kind of record-keeping is the bread and butter of their operations.

Stephen Hughes of Chinook Ranch near Longview, Alta., said their focus is on trying to create a maternal herd.

“Genetics is a huge part of our operation. The goal of our operation is we strive to create a cow that will work in our management system, our environment.”

In early 2021, the Canadian Beef Breeds Council created the Canadian Beef Improvement Network, designed to help producers across the country share genetic data. Council chair Dave Sibbald said having consistent and reliable genetic data is what continues to progress the industry, and what is helping producers see a difference in their operations.

“The data’s never been easier to access, easier to compile, and truly, hopefully, today we help share with you how you get started, or how you progress from the start you already have. Because, in all honesty, we’re not all starting this race in the same place, but we have to finish somewhere in a uniform, consistent product.”

Common data set

The Canadian Beef Improvement Network is designed to increase the use and sharing of genetic data and to influence and drive market signals. According to their website, there are over 21 million data points across the various breed associations, and the goal is to unify their data sets and standardize collection.

There are four aspects of the network. The linkage hub will tie together IDs of different animals from different populations. The analytics hub will focus on the analytics of genomic data, the knowledge hub will provide details about the upcoming work, and there is a genomics and data warehousing platform. Since April 2024, Canadian Beef Breeds Council has been working with the Herdbook Group, which is leading the technical and program development of the project.

Mark Lowerison is the project lead for the network and a managing partner of the Herdbook Group.

He said there has been trouble getting alignment from the many different breed associations on what the focus of the programs and platform should be, but they are making good headway now.

“I think now we’re starting to see inside support rallying behind those four pillar ideas to talk about the genomics warehouse, linkage hub, analytics hub and knowledge base — those four ideas seem to have gained traction.”

Lowerison says they have also been working on the concept of a Canadian beef biobank. A biobank stores frozen genetic material of different breeds, and can be used to reconstitute a breed if necessary.

He said they have also been working with labs and genomic test vendors to document and standardize tests and data.

“Breeders have a good handle on what tests they need because they’re generally wrapped up in that service offering at the breed association. But our commercial stakeholders, our feedlot stakeholders, other industry sector folks don’t necessarily have that same (knowledge).”

The Canadian Beef Improvement Net- work is slated to launch by the end of 2024 or beginning of 2025.

“We’re kind of gearing up to release a bunch of stuff here… things are trundling along with new vendors and a new group of developers and program leaders, and they’re fairly enthusiastic,” Lowerison said.

Genetics and management

Phenotypes are also a big topic of discussion in genetics. A phenotype is the way a certain trait performs, which combines genetics with environmental influences.

The phenotypes you select for depend on what you want to see in your herd and the types of genetics you prioritize. Selecting for specific phenotypes can also be used for more advanced issues such as methane production or heat production. This is where data become so important.

With both the data producers collect on their operations as well as the greater industry data that can be found on the Canadian Beef Improvement Network, there is more opportunity to make worthwhile changes to a breeding operation.

A calf’s genetics are determined at conception, but it is up to the producer to maximize those genetics with management.

“Use the data to inform the context that you carry around in the back of your head when you’re making your daily decisions,” Lowerison said. “That’s all you want to do and you want to work on trying to make the processes that give you that data and make it available to the decision-making settings you find yourself in, as automatic and smooth as you can.”

Sibbald said how well the data work on your operation depends on what genetics are important to you and how you implement that data on your ranch.

“It doesn’t matter what all the DNA can do for you, it’s the plan you have.”

Breed associations

Information sharing starts with the collaboration of purebred breed organizations, which can be a challenge when they have different goals and purposes.

Sibbald said while breed associations do work together, there is still room for improvement.

He said while within an association, there are standards to compare cattle within the breed, that sometimes doesn’t translate to other breeds. However, sharing those things with the wider industry could be beneficial to use of genetics in Canada.

Lowerison said technology and networks such as the Canadian Beef Improvement Network help not only the progression of genetics in Canada but also the management practices of the individual producer.

Data sharing

With so much opportunity in the industry, data sharing could be the key to pushing Canadian genetics forward.

“One of the things I think is lacking in this industry is these people who bought (the calves) are willing to give us all the data on these calves in terms of carcass grading and even how they did in the feedlot. And then from that, hopefully, we can all make strides,” Hughes said.

Sibbald said sharing data and the work of the Canadian Beef Improvement Network will only make Canada that much more of a player on the global stage.

“Canada is a trusted source, but in this space, other countries and other competitors are in a genetic race. I’m not saying they’re ahead of us, but with the size of Canada, the uniformity of the environment versus our major competitors in the protein business, we have the ability to do something the rest of the world can’t.”

– This article was originally published in the December issue of Canadian Cattlemen.