Strategies to support phenotyping for genomic selection R&D and implementation in beef and sheep industries

Phenotypic recording is central to all genetic improvement. In the pre-genomics era, such recording tended to be focussed on selection candidates, particularly in beef cattle and sheep. In the genomics era, recording and selection can be completely uncoupled. This in turn makes explicit the importance of the key decisions: what to breed for, which leads to what to record, which leads to how to invest in recording (what traits, when recorded, how many records per trait, and which individuals). In single integrated organisations these decisions are relatively straightforward, but in multi-owner or –stakeholder situations, new approaches and levels of investment planning and coordination will be required for optimal sustained genetic progress. Approaches for such planning and coordination have been used (e.g. simulation modelling) are under development (for business aspects of the problem), but organisations and industries will need new models and levels of management for success.