Today, Casamú has about 900 breeding cows which are part of a foundation stock of 2000 purebred Red and Black Angus animals. It is certainly the largest purebred Angus foundation stock in Argentina, which, in addition, has a complete and reliable genetic data bank of all its products with concrete selection objectives. We are about to reach the PR # 10,000 and begin a new identification cycle.

Mature breeding cows at El Rincón	Bred heifers

From the very beginning, i.e. 1980, selection was assisted by the genetic plan of the Angus Breeders Association (first named PRONER and currently ERA) providing the system with the full information of the animals produced at Casamú. My special thanks to Horacio Guitou and his team of collaborators for their enthusiasm and dedication during that first stage, when the whole system was new and exciting to me because I understood that the use of production tests had served its purpose as they were exclusively intended for one promotion with no possibility of comparison with those of prior years or other stock farms. This novel system of the animal model spread slowly among breeders because they did not see its importance and, therefore, preferred to continue using morphological selection as usual, without realizing that, with it, the genetic progress was not measurable. For this reason, the Technical Commission decided to make it mandatory to provide performance data for the young categories participating in Palermo, thus having increased critical mass.

Bull calves under pasture evaluation

In 2000, I became aware of Breedplan Australia, which was also fairly new in the world and had been recently implemented in our country by a group of advanced breeders gathered by the three Bustingorri brothers in Saladillo, who sought the efficiency and productivity of their foundation stocks but exclusively under pasture management and feeding conditions, which was beginning to be my objective. In addition, the arguments that Mr. Martín Vergara provided to me as member of Breedplan were very convincing and determining for my decision.
Becoming familiar with the Breedplan methodology and fully adopting it was immediate because I found out that it provided me with more detailed and reliable information than the data to which I was used.
For some years, I kept providing information in parallel to both selection systems but, when I experienced their results, I realized that the additional work was not worth it. Therefore, for practical reasons, I opted to continue only with Breedplan. In 2006, I made the difficult decision to stop sending information to ERA, to which I had contributed information for 26 years.

Bred heifers forced to move by the water

I have recently reconsidered my decision because I believe that it is advisable to have Casamú's foundation stock compared to two different populations. To such an end, once again I provided information about 7000 animals which are being computed. I think it is a good idea to become familiar with the current ERA, which kept evolving and perfecting for the implementation of even more genetic information in order to be similar to the other selection system. Besides, I have reached an age at which I appreciate sharing what I consider to be good without trying to impose it.

Explaining Breedplan to Mr. Daniel Scioli	From the right, Beno Bustingorri, Juan Lafontaine, Martín Vergara, Raúl Wilmer, among other producers, during a technical meeting

A comparative advantage of Breedplan in relation to ERA is that all the information provided by breeders, mostly veterinarians, to the former is obtained in natural management conditions and that participation in the system is free and voluntary, with a lot of enthusiasm, which benefits the quality of information and consequently the quality of results. Moreover, it is supported by the Australian University of New England, which has 280 experts that continuously  research, monitor and perfect the genetic plan, which is used in the selection of most cattle breeds in the world.

Bred heifers

So far, Breedplan provides the estimated breeding values (EBVs) for 16 fundamental selection traits, so that each breeder can choose the most appropriate EBV profile for his production goal.
We are also informed of the Pampa Index, which allows us to choose the most suitable animals for the productive chain, including breeders, feeders and the industry, and which also provides buyers of breeding cows and bulls with some guidance to make their selection.
From the EBV profile of the bulls incorporated every year as sires, which are included in the auction catalogues or on our website, it is easy to identify the current genetic objectives of Casamú.

Bull calves just weaned

Direct calving ease and daughters' calving ease are intended to have positive values. Higher values ensure that calving does not need assistance and the birth weight can be increased by rising the growth rate by correlation. To determine these values, all details during calving are accurately informed and, together with the correlation with other traits, the EBVs for these items are established.
On birth, gestation is preferred to be short with negative values. This will represent less calving problems and a higher subsequent growth rate, in addition to earlier sexual and physiological maturity.

5-month-old bull calf

Today, almost all the births of Casamú's heifers are spontaneous and with no assistance, as opposed to what happened at the very height of the New Type. That any bull can breed any heifer is a selection objective, as it used to be in the case of the Scottish biotype that made the breed famous. At present, all the sires in use at Casamú can be used with heifers; therefore, soon the idea about the universal use of bulls will be a fact.
The birth weight value should be such as not to compromise the birth, but it should be taken into account that very low birth values are associated with a lower growth rate, which is not desirable to us. Therefore, we attach great importance to anything related to calving ease.

RP 4214 Jewlian, trait leader for marbling, direct and daughters' calving ease, birth weight and fat depth

From the foregoing, it is clear that we also attach great significance to growth at its three stages: weaning (200 days), one year old (400 days) and 18 months old (600 days). These three values determine the growth curve, which varies widely among the different animals; we choose the one considered to be the most appropriate: A very steep increasing curve which becomes flat early when maturity is reached.
Growth is assisted by other two EBVs: the mature cow weight, which is very related to the 600-day weight, is logically intended not to be too high as mentioned above. This is how we can manage the mature size assisted by this EBV, which is obtained from weighing every year breeding cows when weaned.

CSM 4144 Adengen, trait leader for scrotal size, fat cover and marbling

The other value assisting the growth guideline is the milking ability or milk production of the mother. For this EBV, we seek superior but not excessive values so as not to compromise the fertility of the breeding cow due to lack of proper nutrition limited by the natural field to maintain lactation.
The scrotal size is intended to have above-average values since it relates to higher sexual precocity and growth, although extremely high values do not cause higher fertility.
Carcass data are of great commercial importance and are expressed by six EBVs. First, there is the carcass weight, which we intend to have medium to high values.

CSM 5622 Lihuén, maximum value for eye muscle area and Pampa Indexç	Mature cows

As known, there is an antagonism between the eye muscle area and the fat depth measured at the 12th-rib site and the rump site, but we prefer positive values for both; the higher, the better. And this is possible. We highly appreciate the ease of finishing in pasture conditions, which was the main damage caused by the New Type to the Angus breed. We are trying to reverse this situation of generalized leanness - more evident in the red variety - to reincorporate in these animals the ease of finishing and maintenance lost in previous years, which was one of the Angus' comparative advantages in relation to other breeds and which made it so popular.

Live ultrasound scan

At the current selective stage, no importance is attached to the retail beef yield because in this period we prioritize the generalized fattening of the population we manage. Once this is achieved, we will seek more consistency with this trait of industrial importance. It will be automatic as we succeed in increasing the eye muscle area.
We intend that all the animals of the foundation stock we manage have very high values for marbling, though this still has no commercial significance. The Angus breed is famous for the beef quality, among others. Therefore, in the near future, carcasses with better marbling will also have a higher comparative value in relation to others with insufficient marbling. Favorable genes for this trait need to be added in each generation of the population because it is not linked to other factors. It is a trait that cannot be improvised overnight.
Lastly, to finish the description of the EBV profile selected at Casamú, the Pampa Index allows us to have a quick look at the most appropriate animals to select, which can then be analyzed in detail by considering the individual values of each EBV to adjust them exactly to our productive objective. At present, all the bulls in use fall within the 1%-5% percentile band for the Pampa Index.

CSM 5960 Nehuén homozygous for the 4 tenderness markers	El Abra 5342 Bud, 100% Scottish genetics

Finally, taking advantage of the appearance of molecular markers, we have been implementing tenderness as a selective trait for three years now. We have tested all the sires that we had at that moment and all those which have joined the herd since then. With great satisfaction, we found that markers showing more tenderness are widely spread, which will allow us to use only 8/8 sires (maximum values) homozygous for the two calpain and calpastatin markers - the only opportunity to achieve the best level and thus be able to reach the status of Certified Foundation Stock for this trait. Casamú is one of the first stock farms that implemented this technology massively. Due to this new selection requirement that we imposed on ourselves, two years ago we modified and completed our initial slogan to read as follows: <<Casamú, reliable genetics, guaranteed tenderness >>

We know that much more production markers are close to being detected; for their validation, the comparison with the related EBVs available will be extremely useful. We will certainly be the first ones to incorporate all the advanced technology available.

Exchanging ideas with Juan Adolfo Lafontaine

It should be stressed that, in order to make the genetic change decided since 1990, which consisted in reversing the New Type selection trends, I decided to "go back to the origins". Thus, importance would be attached again to breed characteristics and carcass composition, for which I incorporated genetics of pure Scottish origin miraculously kept in our country only by Cabaña El Hinojo of the successors of Emilio Brú, currently managed by Luis Jaime Brú.
For several years, we have tried to change the objectives with the best animals of the stock in terms of fat and type, with the assistance of the ultrasound scan of Mr. Fernando Lagos and the wise comments of Juan A. Lafontaine, but we observed that progress was too slow because the selection differential was very low as a result of the homogeneity achieved in the existing population.

Black heterozygote daughter of Líder

To speed up the change, in 1999 we bought two black bulls at the auction of El Hinojo: El Abra Jewlian 4214 “Jewlian” and El Abra Jewlian 4237 “Scottish”. When we saw the satisfactory results obtained with their calves, we extended their use incorporating semen from other bulls of that origin; today that genetic biotype is essential for the achievement of the objectives established. The mix of so different breeds was great as we succeeded in improving the breed phenotype, calving ease and carcass composition in terms of fat, while the genetics we have developed for 20 years provide a higher growth rate and increased adaptability, which are missing in that Scottish biotype. For this to be certainly expressed, the assistance of a secure and efficient selection system like Breedplan or ERA is required, which was consistent with the opinion of Jim Leachman.

EL ABRA JEWLIAN 4214, 100% Scottish genetics

I think that El Abra Jewlian 4214 is the bull which has had the most beneficial genetic impact for Cabaña Casamú since its establishment and, therefore, when it passes away, it will be buried in my yard.
Since that black homozygous genetic introduction, the number of black-haired products (while mostly heterozygotes) has increased. The idea is that 50% of the stock has that color variety and that animals are used without distinction.
Thanks to that genetic change and the use of information, we are close to widely obtaining bulls which can breed heifers without any restrictions, as it used to be, when this trait, together with the carcass quality, turned the Angus breed into the most efficient beef cattle.

Visiting Australia with my son Juan and my son-in-law Pancho Fattorini

From the above explanation, it is clear that the sires for the following generation are selected from the foundation stock as there is a lot of reliable genetic information available about them which is consistent with the same genetic objectives established.
The above decision was the result of the trip to Australia which I made with my son Juan and my son-in-law Pancho and was organized by Estudio Pergamino of Carlos Kitroser. In addition to becoming familiar with the country of origin of Breedplan and its livestock, my objective was to look for some genetic material which could be used to improve the genetics of Casamú.

At Don Nicol's house in Australia (Brisbane 2005).

One day, on a visit to Don Nicol's house to know about the wagyu meat, I asked him, as the main creator of Breedplan, to recommend which bull in Australia or the world to use. Right away, he gave me an honest answer that surprised me a little but deep inside was a great incentive to keep working and selecting. He said: "You should look for the best bull for Casamú among the animals of your own stock because you have clear and concrete objectives and full and consistent information". And so I did, with immense satisfaction and a huge success. Thus, thanks to Sally Forbes, Jim Leachman and Don Nicol, I completed the trilogy of opinions which today guide the selection at Casamú, obviously also assisted by my analytical observation and common sense.

We know that we are on the right track because most of the sires selected every year come from replacement heifers, certainly constituting the advanced genetics. Moreover, selecting sires from one's own production allows to observe the production background of its mother, brothers and sisters, and collaterals before incorporating the sire in the foundation stock, thus avoiding any surprise or mistake.

Bred heifers in corn stover

Today, we incorporate genetics not belonging to our genetic pool on an exceptional basis - less and less indeed, because as the pedigree of that animal is unknown in the production system it takes more time for its EBVs to reach a reasonable degree of reliability. So many times we had had very high expectations of the use of promising semen material - many times as a consequence of a good photograph - and then measurements showed that it was more of the same and it turned out to be a waste of time... On the other hand, most genetic material available at artificial insemination centers comes from bulls that have been prepared for stock shows, so I believe that the genetic evaluations provided are distorted from reality, which makes it difficult to know their capabilities. Other times, as these bulls come from the US, they have information and production objectives that differ from ours. However, last year I incorporated 150 straws of SAV Final Answer 0035 and 50 of Bismark 5682, and, in the first case, I found two very important traits: very short gestation and a very high value for scrotal size, without detracting from calving ease and growth.

CSM 7289, daughter of RP 3560 Helvión	Heifer calves just weaned