| BLUP FIGURES |
The statistical procedure known as BLUP or Best Linear Unbiased Predictor has been used in the beef industry since 1991. It is universally recognised as being the best method available for determining how much of a pedigree animal’s performance is due to its genes, and how much is because of the way it is managed and fed.
The BLUP programme uses information recorded on all of an animal’s relatives (it goes back to the great great grand parents) and corrects for non genetic effects such as feeding and management.
Through the use of the relationships between animals it is possible to estimate the breeding value of an animal even though the animal itself may not have been linear scored. These breeding values will have a low accuracy.
To quality assure the evaluation a reliability value is used. The reliability value (figure) varies from 0 (where there is very little information) up to close to 100 where there is on information on the animal itself and large numbers of its relatives
The reliability value (figure) is very important. It indicates the confidence with which the figures for Muscle, Skeletal, Functionality and Yearling Weight, can be treated. (It has nothing whatsoever to do with the reliability of the animal itself) A.I sires will generally have a Reliability figure of 70% and over, whereas a stock bull’s Reliability figure may be as low as 35%.
THE HIGHER THE RELIABILITY FIGURE THE BETTER.
HOW TO READ BLUP FIGURES
BLUP figures are indicators of the genetic worth of an individual animal as a parent when compared to another individual of the same breed.
The base year for the current Charolais BLUP evaluations is 1995. (i.e. the average figure for Muscle, Skeletal and Functionality for all Charolais calves born in 1995 was set at 100.)
Where genetic progress is being made in a breed, for a particular trait, the average figure, for that trait, for calves born in each succeeding year should be increasing, As this is happening in the Charolais breed the
The average muscle score for calves born in the year 2007 was 113.3
The average skeletal score for calves born in the year 2007 was 109.0
The average function score for calves born in the year 2002 was 109.
MUSCLE higher figures mean more muscle
SKELETAL higher figures are likely to produce taller, growthier progeny. Whether a very high figure is more desirable will depend on your cow size
FUNCTIONALITY higher figures indicate better legs, feet and muzzle Width
RELIABILITY the higher the figure the better. The reliability figure indicates how much confidence you can put in the figures for muscle, skeletal and function
BLUP figures can be used to compare two animals of the same breed, in
terms of their genetic merit for that particular trait.
BLUP figures can be used as a tool to increase, decrease or maintain any
trait for which they are calculated.
BLUP figures should be used as one of several selection criteria. The first decision should always be to select an animal that is physically and reproductively sound.
BLUP figures cannot compare animals across breeds.
BLUP figures can change, as more information on that animal becomes available.
BLUP figures do not make up for poor management
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