Should more breeds embrace classification? The ongoing debate in the stud industry

A long-running debate continues to divide Australia's stud cattle sector: should more breeds adopt formal classification systems to ensure quality, consistency, and a clear breed benchmark?

While many breed associations increasingly rely on genetic data and estimated breeding values to guide selection, only a handful still use a structured, visual classification system for stud registrations.

The question now being asked: Is there still value in a visual 'tick of approval,' and should other breeds follow suit?

Santa Gertrudis remains one of the few Australian breeds that mandates classification, requiring every animal to be assessed for registration.

Santa Gertrudis classifier Russell Smyth, from Bingara in northern NSW, explained that the purpose of classification was not to rank animals by excellence, but to guarantee a minimum structural and phenotypic standard across the breed.

"We're essentially here to take the bottoms out," Mr Smyth said.

"It's a minimum standard classification. We're identifying bulls that might not be outstanding stud sires, but still meet the baseline. That gives commercial buyers confidence that these animals have passed a structural test."

Animals that meet the standard are branded with an 'S' on the shoulder - a visible sign of approval. The process focuses exclusively on phenotype, structure and temperament, rather than performance data.

"We're looking for faults that would hurt commercial producers - bad feet, large sheaths, poor temperament," he said.

"A lot of commercial operators will only buy classified bulls because they know they've been through that extra scrutiny."

Mr Smyth said that rejection rates varied by operation, with 20-40per cent of animals typically not meeting the standard.

For smaller-scale breeders or those less familiar with commercial priorities, the classifier becomes "an extra pair of eyes with no prejudice".

Santa Gertrudis Australia general manager Brad Cooper said classification had been critical in shaping the breed's identity and credibility in the market.

"It's played an integral role in building the breed's reputation for uniformity, consistency, and predictability," Mr Cooper said.

Classifiers also assist with heifer selection and help producers track progress through the association's 'grading-up' program.

Females are assessed for structural soundness, walking ability, carcase traits, udder quality, and other key breed characteristics.

Still, the Santa Gertrudis breed has not made parent verification or EBVs mandatory.

At the opposite end of the spectrum are breeds like Angus, which have embraced genetics-based systems and large-scale data collection to drive breeding decisions.

Angus Australia's Sire Benchmarking Program, which launched 16 years ago, was built around large-scale data collection and genomic analysis.

Angus Australia research and development specialist Liam Mowbray said the data allowed faster directional breeding without visual inspection for the breed.

"The program is fundamentally a progeny test program," he said.

"In 2024, we had approximately 650,000 phenotypes come in from members.

"It provides a base of really highly phenotyped animals that we use for hard-to-measure traits like net feed intake, carcase data and fertility traits.

"We also use those animals to collect lots of data on the traits of the future... methane emissions, immune competence, and meat quality."

Mr Mowbray admitted that there was significant phenotypic variation within the breed.

"We get a lot of variation in Angus cattle... because we can increase the accuracy of that genetic selection, it means you can select animals with a greater degree of accuracy to take you there quicker," he said.

He said it had helped to lift the baseline of the breed through increased accuracy of genetic selection.

Other breed societies had implemented hybrid approaches that use a base classification to enrol and mandatory DNA testing of registered sale animals.

For example, Brangus Australia's system means commercial animals that conform to the breed's standard of excellence must be classified by an Australian Brangus Cattle Association inspector to be enrolled to the breed's register.

CEO Nathan O'Sullivan said from there, progeny from an enrolled animal becomes a foundation animal, and its progeny could progress to a first generation Brangus, provided they met the regulations of the herdbook, similar to other breeds' grading up processes.

Mandatory DNA testing had also boosted confidence in the breed's reputation, he said.

"Mandatory DNA testing of sires, donor dams, and registered animals presented at shows and association conducted sales has increased the accuracy of the herdbook by way of parent verification," Mr O'Sullivan said.

Genomic EBVs are also profiled on each registered animal in the Brangus society with the option for members to enter raw data, similar to other breeds who have taken up a hybrid approach.

For the majority of breeds, it is up to the breeder to decipher whether or not an animal meets the breed's standards and requirements, which leaves room for interpretation and variation of phenotype and selection.

Advocates of classification argue that structural faults still cost money in commercial settings and that phenotype shouldn't be forgotten.

Meanwhile, data-driven breeds are proving that genomic selection can dramatically lift breeding accuracy and accelerate progress.