The committee has been very busy over the last few months, working through the various projects we have just now. The remit of the Breed Development Committee is wide ranging but in general we focus on ways to improve the breed and the Society. This could be from a market share point of view, from a breeder’s point of view or within Pedigree House. It is important the breed is in sync with the beef industry as a whole, so the committee are constantly looking to ensure we are the breed to meet the challenges that suckler farmers, dairy farmers, finishers, processors & retailers face now and in the future.
One of the current projects is the rollout of a new Dairy Index. This is aimed at dairy farmers to provide them an unbiased tool to select Aberdeen-Angus bulls that suit their requirements. We hope to launch uit to the industry soon.
We are also working on an adaptation of the American Angus Association’s Pathfinder system used to identify those cows within herds that excel in maternal traits.

Alongside these two key projects, we are also looking at how we incorporate docility & other, new traits into Breedplan.

The Youth Development Programme has a busy summer ahead with plenty workshops still to take place as well as the finals at Stirling on the 24th-25th September.

We are also recruiting a YDP council to provide a platform for YDP members to get together and help drive the programme. It will also provide participants with an opening into the Society Council which is a great chance to learn how the breed operates. Please get in touch if you’d like to take part!