Macarthur Family Sees Quick Results with Genomic Testing on Santa Gertrudis
The Macarthur family have been breeding stud and commercial Santa Gertrudis in southeast Queensland for the last six decades. Today, the picturesque Normanby Santa Gertrudis Stud, located in the heart of the Scenic Rim is managed by Andrew Macarthur together with his sons Alastair, Callum and Fergus. It’s a linage that now stretches eleven generations of cattlemen.
In 2020, after a 25-year absence, the family decided to retain some bulls for private sale and their own use. They currently stock 650 females in their stud herd as well as 400 commercial females.
With the goal of breeding the most consistent and highest performing progeny, the Macarthur family made the decision to DNA test their entire stud herd as well as to test all their stud progeny moving forward. This amounts to approximately 50 males and between 50-100 replacement heifers each year.
The family wanted to gain a more thorough understanding of the genetic strengths of the herd to achieve greater productivity and to produce a financial benefit not only for their own operation but for their customers too.
Working closely with the Santa Gertrudis Breeders Association of Australia (SGBAA), the Macarthur family selected Neogen as their genomic testing partner and soon became familiar with the requirements of tissue sampling, testing and interpretation of results.
According to Callum, the team at Neogen are very helpful and always happy to answer questions.
“Working with Neogen has been great,” says Callum. “The staff are very professional and transparent. Communication between the breeder, Neogen and the breed society has always been clear and timely.”
Neogen’s Queensland Territory Manager, Harry Stewart says the work being done at Normanby is a great example of what can be achieved through genomic testing in a relatively short period of time.
“The Macarthur family have been really enthusiastic about embracing the technology and have a clear plan for what they want to achieve,” says Harry. “It’s great to see that they are already beginning to experience tangible benefits for their business after just a few years.”
The Macarthur family say investing in DNA testing through Neogen has resulted in greater insight into their animals, leading to both better decision-making and more effective marketing. With the testing they’ve done already, their customers know exactly what they are buying, and the benefits flow through the entire supply chain.
“This has improved our ability to identify which outside genetics to introduce into our herd and to join the right bulls to the right cows.”
One of the key advantages of genomic testing is the ability to make more accurate selection decisions at an earlier age and for a greater range of traits.
Harry says this results in faster genetic gain and ultimately improves both productivity and profitability.
“Working with Neogen means your testing is happening here in Australia at the largest livestock genomics lab in the southern hemisphere,” says Harry. “It really is the fastest way to better results.”
While the Macarthur family are seeing the benefits of genomic testing already, Callum says they intend to continue working with Neogen to test their stud progeny on an ongoing basis.
“This will allow us to focus on improving the genetic profile of our herd and provide our customers with a consistent and high performing Stud Santa Gertrudis cattle,” says Callum. “Having a better understanding of herd genetics can help cattle breeders to lift overall performance and profitability of their herd.”
Want to learn more about how genomic testing can improve your breeding program? Click here or contact our team to discuss your specific needs.
