Why EBVs matter — a quick overview
Realising the value of EBVs in commercial and seedstock operations
Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) are among the most powerful tools available to beef producers seeking to drive genetic gain, optimise herd performance, and meet evolving market demands. As both commercial and seedstock enterprises face increasing pressure to improve efficiency and deliver consistent product quality, the strategic use of EBVs is central to informing and improving breeding and selection decisions.
EBVs are genetic predictions calculated using performance records, pedigree, genomic information, and the performance of relatives. They offer a robust and standardised way to evaluate an animal’s potential to pass on desirable traits. This allows breeders to move beyond visual appraisal or single trait selection, and instead adopt a data-driven, multi-trait approach aligned with production and market goals.
One of the most immediate benefits of using EBVs is accelerating the rate of genetic progress. By selecting sires and dams with above-average EBVs for key traits such as 200-Day Growth or Eye Muscle Area, producers can achieve measurable improvement in performance traits across generations. Importantly, this progress is cumulative and permanent.
Reproductive efficiency, while harder to measure through direct EBVs in some breeds, can still be improved using related traits such as Scrotal Size. Scrotal Size has been associated with earlier puberty in both males and females, and is moderately heritable, making it a valuable trait in selection programs.
Carcase traits
Carcase traits are another key area where EBVs support profitability. Selecting for higher Intramuscular Fat (IMF) and Eye Muscle Area can help meet processor specifications and deliver a more consistent eating quality experience to consumers. For Speckle Park breeders, this is particularly important given the breed’s reputation for carcase yield and eating quality.
Selection Indexes
Selection indexes are among the most practical applications of EBVs for commercial and seedstock producers. An index combines multiple EBVs into a single figure, weighted according to the relative economic value of each trait in a specific production system. Speckle Park International currently publishes four BreedObject-based indexes:
Domestic Maternal Index (DM) – targets self-replacing commercial herds supplying the domestic supermarket trade, with maternal traits weighted accordingly.
Domestic Terminal Index (DT) – suited to herds where all progeny are slaughtered at 18 months for the domestic trade.
Export Maternal Index (EM) – for self-replacing herds supplying export markets, placing emphasis on growth, maternal, and carcase traits.
Export Terminal Index (ET) – for herds targeting export markets with all progeny finished for slaughter.
Using Selection Indexes to drive profit and whole-herd progress
Each index is reported in dollars per cow mated and reflects the short and long-term profitability of animals in specific production systems. They simplify complex decisions by ranking animals on their genetic merit for overall profitability, streamlining selection decisions for breeders and commercial buyers alike.
Balanced trait selection remains the cornerstone of EBV use. While it is tempting to chase extreme values in a single trait, such as 600-Day Weight or IMF, single trait selection often leads to unintended consequences, such as increased mature cow size or reduced calving ease. Using selection indexes helps breeders maintain equilibrium, optimising whole-herd productivity rather than maximising a single metric.
The value of EBVs is not limited to seedstock breeders. Commercial producers using EBV-informed bulls consistently outperform their peers in growth rate, calving ease, and market suitability. This is especially true where commercial herds retain replacements, as the maternal traits of sires, often overlooked, play a vital role in shaping the next generation of breeding females.
Producers using BREEDPLAN data benefit from Trans-Tasman benchmarking and linkage, with genetic evaluations incorporating performance data from both Australian and New Zealand herds. Bulls purchased from herds with high-accuracy EBVs provide buyers greater confidence in genetic outcomes. This is particularly important in herds using fixed-time AI or multi-sire matings, where accuracy and linkage underpin predictable progeny performance.
As the beef industry becomes more transparent and supply chains more integrated, the ability to demonstrate genetic progress and align with customer specifications is no longer optional, it is a business imperative. EBVs and Speckle Park’s selection indexes, when used thoughtfully and consistently, allow producers to remain competitive, efficient and resilient.