EnviroBeef, a new tool developed by AHDB that measures the genetic potential of an animal, aims to reduce the carbon footprint of suckler beef through improved herd efficiency.
Not only that, AHDB said the new tool will improve farm profitability while boosting animal health and welfare.
Genetic evaluations provide farmers with a summary of their animal鈥檚 commercial traits based on the performance of its relatives. These traits can include the animal鈥檚 carcase fat class, days to slaughter, and average daily carcase gain, among others.
Evaluations for beef cattle are currently available in many different places, each of which use data from different sources.
AHDB operates one of these evaluation services called the NBE (National Beef Evaluations), which, unlike other evaluations, draws on:
- birth, death and calving data from the BCMS (British Cattle Movement Service);
- carcase data from abattoirs; and
- data from breed societies and milk recording organisations.
Due to its wide range of data points, the NBE is useful across various beef systems and breeds, including crossbreeds.
What is an EnviroBeef score?
The new EnviroBeef tool uses NBE data to produce a 鈥榮core鈥�, a single metric that allows farmers to benchmark animals across all beef breeds according to their potential to reduce herd carbon emissions.
For instance, a breed with a score of -10% has the genetic potential to reduce the carbon footprint of suckler beef by 10% compared to the GB average.
AHDB suggests that, alongside other criteria such as health and temperament, farmers can use the EnviroBeef score when it comes to choosing which bulls to use, which cows to remove from the herd, and which heifers to keep as replacements (by looking at their own or their dam鈥檚 score).
Currently, the tool does not use genomics, relying on the use of family trees rather than DNA test results.听Therefore, it is less likely to produce accurate results for younger animals.
However, AHDB said it is working to incorporate genomics into the metric, where DNA test results (genotypes) are also included.
鈥淎nimals that live long healthy lives, as measured by productive lifespan and calf survival, also score well in EnviroBeef. This means that using [the new benchmarking tool] will also have positive effects on the health and welfare of suckler cattle, which is so important to the consumer.鈥�
Harriet Bunning, lead animal genetics expert, AHDB
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鈥楢 more efficient herd鈥�
Harriet Bunning, lead animal genetics expert at AHDB, who worked on the EnviroBeef project, explained: 鈥淭he suckler industry is under pressure to reduce emissions. Unlike other approaches which may have ongoing costs to farmers, using existing data to breed a more efficient herd is a win-win. A more efficient herd will be more profitable as well as producing beef with a lower carbon footprint.
鈥淎dditionally, animals that live long healthy lives, as measured by productive lifespan and calf survival, also score well in EnviroBeef. This means that using EnviroBeef will also have positive effects on the health and welfare of suckler cattle, which is so important to the consumer.鈥�
EnviroBeef scores now appear alongside NBE data results. Farmers can check for a particular breed鈥檚 score by using eartag numbers to search the NBE database. For pedigree animals, farmers can also try search using the pedigree name.
AHDB's NBE database and new benchmarking tool can be found at: .
