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Genetics – use them to your best advantage.<br />
The breeding objectives of your herd need to align with the breeder you buy your<br />
genetics from. The progress we are making in those traits that are relevant to you<br />
should be your focus.<br />
We know there are dangers in too much focus on one trait alone. In the pork industry<br />
a selection focus for high growth came at the expense of meat quality. In the dairy<br />
industry a selection focus for high milk production came at the expense fertility.<br />
Selecting for one trait allows for rapid progress in that trait and conversely progress<br />
is slowed when a number of traits are being selected for. At <strong>Tikana</strong> we believe we<br />
have a good balance of traits we select for.<br />
The <strong>Tikana</strong> herd has been fully recorded on DEERSelect since 2005 and we have<br />
been selecting based on eBV’s (estimated Breeding Values) generated since 2010.<br />
An eBV is the genetic merit of an individual for a given trait once all environmental<br />
factors are removed. eBVs put a figure on the genetic worth of an animal for a given<br />
trait and indicate the amount that the progeny of that animal will gain or lose for that<br />
trait. They are an invaluable tool for selection. Please note the eBV values in our<br />
catalogue are within our herd only. They cannot be compared to values from other<br />
Wapiti or Red deer herds. One of the objectives of the DPT was to be able to have<br />
all deer on “the same page”. Work currently being done by DEERSelect should<br />
see this become a reality in 12 months. Over-riding any selection based on eBVs<br />
at <strong>Tikana</strong>, is eye appraisal for conformation and zero tolerance for undesirable<br />
temperament.<br />
A genetic trend is the improvement over time for a given trait and is a measure of the<br />
progress a breeder is making. Usually a genetic trend is produced for the average<br />
value of the progeny for that trait. We decided to look at our breeding females to<br />
determine progress. We believe our Wapiti cows are the power engine of genetics<br />
at <strong>Tikana</strong>.<br />
Since 2005 until <strong>2016</strong> the average growth (WT12) eBV of our Wapiti cows has<br />
increased 15 fold<br />
Since 2005 until <strong>2016</strong> the average velvet (MVW) eBV of our Wapiti cows has<br />
increased 40 fold<br />
Since 2005 until 2014 the average eye muscle area (EMA) ceBV of our Wapiti cows<br />
has increased 5 fold. (Note we have only been scanning for EMA for 7 years and so<br />
have only been able to select for the last 5 years)<br />
We have also been saliva sampling each crop of fawns for the last 5 years. This<br />
CARLA test measures the protective immunoglobulin produced in saliva in response<br />
to parasite challenge. Thanks to analysis of CARLA on the DPT fawns we now know<br />
it has a heritability of 0.31.This exciting finding means it is a reality that in future we<br />
will offer deer with an eBV for parasite tolerance.<br />
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