About
About
The Murray Grey Association Australia (Inc.) is an alternative herd registration organisation that promotes an affordable, no frills approach to cattle registration. While the MGAA does have a grading system, the primary aim is to focus on the wonderful attributes of pure bred Murray Grey cattle. MGAA registered cattle are accepted at Royal Show level and actively promote showing, special emphasis is placed on carcase competitions.
The MGAA places a strong focus on structure, temperament and commercial attributes and continual herd improvement. We believe that performance recording should be done by breeders improving cattle, but we are not linked to EBV’s, EPD, etc. However, we can assist breeders in accessing the estimated systems if required. Relevant genetic testing is encouraged but not essential.
As a member driven organisation that aims to keep costs to minimum and as an example cattle are registered once and this is lifetime registration, members are encouraged to join like-minded breeders to further promote Murray Greys at all levels.
Our Aim
Why use the Murray Grey Association Australia Incorporated?
There are a number of different organisations that can have your Murray Grey cattle recorded onto a herd book and there are advantages and disadvantages to all organisations, so you just need to choose the one that will suit you and the breed. Murray Grey Association Australia was formed by cattle people with a vision for the commercial aspect of the Murray Grey while keeping the breed pure and containing costs for the producer.
The prime reason for existence of a breed organisation is to maintain a herd book and this has been the case for most organisations with most traditional cattle breeds being traced back about 170 to 200 years. While there are some that can go back further than this the Murray Greys started to be recorded from 1914 and became formalised in 1962. Some breed societies are show focused, others commercially focused and it is hoped that MGAA caters well for both streams however if there is not a commercial base a breed will risk being allocated to the rare breed listings.
It is important that this commercial focus is done with keeping the breed pure and maintaining a standard of correct form and function.
A few breed societies have introduced outcross animals to widen the genetic base or change the form of the animals to meet changing demand. When this crossing is first done there is often widespread excitement at the first of the new generation animals as they have tremendous growth for age. This is more often a result of Heterosis (hybrid vigour or F1) and occurs because two genetically diverse parents (cattle, sheep, plants and even humans) are joined and the resulting offspring are superior to both parents.
The increase varies from 6.4% to 25% with most research pointing to the higher figure. However, the biggest gain is in the first cross (F1) and despite using different genetic out crosses for each subsequent generation the amount of gain decreases practically by the 3rd cross and almost completely by the 4th cross.
While there are a number of positives to Heterosis in cattle such as increased growth, increased health, increased fertility and milk. There are several down sides with F1 including increased fodder consumption, potential loss of some of the traits that were favoured in some of the original animals and after the F1 the gains are reduced.
MGAA have clearly laid rules for out crossing and we have no issues with any breeder using that as a means of pursuing specific traits or genetic diversity, but very clearly for the animal to have seedstock value as a pure breed it must be bought back to the 4th generation.
Seedstock Murray Greys will have consistent levels of performance and by breeding a pure line it can assist a commercial breeder with an outcross over there choice of the other pure breed animal. We believe that the best way for genetic improvement is to keep breeding from good lines to make the offspring better. This is not as quick but more sustainable.
The old saying goes along the line of “you can’t manage what you don’t measure”. That may be true but there are different ways of managing and measuring and while the computer age handles numbers extremely well there are a wide variety of parameters that most computer programs are not geared up to handle. It may be that farmer A measures their success on the total $/ Ha earned adjusted for seasonal conditions. For farmer B improvements in soil and animal health are the important drivers.
Whatever measurement an individual or organisation would like to use is up to them, so long as it is consistent and honest. MGAA do encourage performance monitoring such as days to calving, calving ease, growth rates, retail yield, etc.
It is important to note that performance recording is not necessarily the same as Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) or Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) which are a numerical computation derived over a number of animals and different herds and calculated against base animals designated years ago and are in an almost continual state of variability.
Seventy (70%) percent of an animals make up is environmental leaving 30% to genetics. Given half of the genetic change generally will come from the Dam and half from the Sire it means people who have selected animals based on EBVs have selected animals based on 15% and often ignored 85% of what an animal has to offer to a breeding program.
These computer programs have been accompanied by a massive sales pitch and the organisers have been extremely successful at marketing it. There is no doubt that as it is based on statistical probabilities the greater numbers enrolled the more accurate it is and on large herds the accuracy is increased. Although MGAA does not use EBVs / EPDs, we recognise the need for some producers to use them. It is suggested that members contact ABRI to enter the multibreed register for new Murray Grey cattle.
There is plenty of existing evidence to support genetic testing for various results including sire tracing, tenderness, marbling, etc. As time goes by these tests will become extremely accurate and targeted and may well provide great assistance to breeders to achieve desired breeding aims. Accordingly, MGAA support the collection of this information which can be recorded on the registration certificate.
Murray Grey Association Australia Inc. has been set up by people with a background in commercial cattle breeding and the foundation members are all too aware of breed organisations that all things to all members. MGAA will never pretend to be this, the primary aim of a breed organisation is to run a herd book, set a standard and maintain the purity of the breed. This is the primary focus of MGAA.
Having observed some member organisations with a good funding basis only to have their directors spend funds with little responsibility and even less accountability causes disharmony and ultimately conflict. MGAA have committed to keeping prices for services low for members. There are obviously expenses in running any organisation and these are all to be kept in check. If any money is to be spent outside the day to day expenses, it must provide a financial return to the organisation and it does not matter if this is $3 or $3m, it is all members money.
Having a system of producer run breed promotion subcommittees it is felt that this will enable targeted, cost effective enhancement of the Murray Grey Breed.
Our Purpose
a. To maintain and improve the Murray Grey Beef Cattle breed in Australia, giving particular attention to the maintenance and the
purity of the Murray Grey cattle breed
b. To maintain a herd book of the Murray Grey Cattle breed in Australia and internationally
c. To compile a register of cattle, descriptions, stud prefixes, stud names and abbreviations electronically
d. To publish (including electronically), a Herd Book of the Murray Grey Association Australia Inc. cattle
e. To make from time to time as deemed necessary revocations or amendments to regulations in relation to the entry of animals in the herd book
f. To encourage any person interested in breeding Murray Grey Cattle to become a member of the Association
g. To draw up a list of judges competent to act as Judges and a list of Inspectors competent to act as Inspectors of the Murray Grey
Cattle breed at Royal and National Shows as required
h. To hold shows or exhibitions or sales of Murray Grey Cattle and to offer prizes or contribute prize money in respect of competitions
of Murray Grey Cattle
i. To promote in any way whatever, the interests of breeders of Murray Grey Cattle
j. To print, publish, distribute, sell or make contribution to any newspaper, journal or publication to advertise or publicise in any way
Murray Grey Cattle or anything appertaining to the breed or the promotion thereof
k. To establish relations and make arrangements or agreements with any Association or Society having similar objectives to this
Association and formed for the promotion of cattle
l. To support and assist the progress and development of Agricultural Societies
m. To purchase or accept as a gift any property whatsoever and to improve or sell same in any way whatsoever
n. To collaborate with other cattle breed societies and associations in the promotion and development of the cattle industry in Australia
and particularly any other society or association formed for the promotion and development of Murray Grey cattle
o. To publish or otherwise make available for publication any information which the Association may think desirable for the promotion of its objects
p. To support and assist in the progress and development of any agricultural show and in particular the Royal Shows of the various
States of the Commonwealth and its Territories
q. To open and maintain banking accounts and to operate or allow the same to be operated in such manner as the Association may determine
r. To register brands of all descriptions, trademarks and copyrights for the use of the Association and of its Members.
s. To organise, conduct, convene or hold conventions, lectures and conferences.
t. To promote generally the welfare of the Beef cattle industry in Australia
u. To invest the monies of the Association not immediately required upon such securities and in such manner as may from time to time
be allowed by law and as may be determined by the Association
v. To pay the costs, charges and expenses of the formation and establishment of the Association
w. To appoint, employ, remunerate, remove or suspend such managers, clerks, secretaries, servants, workmen and other persons as may
be necessary or convenient for the purposes of the Association and to establish and maintain superannuation, provident or other similar funds for the benefit of any such employees and their dependents
x. Consistent with its objects to make Regulations in respect to the Association
