basco /archived press releases
BASCO Archived Press Releases
Basco Herdbook Web Searches Available
In what is one of the most exciting and fundamental developments of
the BASCO system to date, the Society is delighted to announce that
the herdbook web search facility have been made available from the
first week in January 2007. The web search facility allows members,
customers and any interested parties worldwide to search through the
Society’s herdbook information at their leisure. With detailed
development, this is a premier web search facility that will provide
both simple and advanced searches of the Limousin herdbook.
Members are able to compile and view searches that are practical,
detailed, standard and compact in format. Here are just a few examples
of what you can do with the Limousin web searches:
You can search for: individual animals; animals bred by a member;
animals owned by a member; progeny of a given animal; animals by EBV’s
and traits; refined searches by EBV range; back pedigrees of every
animal; member searches; members by region
The web searches are fully flexible and will provide, at your fingertips,
the ability to research all bloodlines, breeding, progeny and performance
as simply or as extensively as you would like to. Please note that
the information available is concentrated on pedigree and performance
information. The information on members available will include, name,
address, contact numbers, email and website where applicable.
Delivering the web searches is the next stage in the ongoing creation
of a leading edge web enabled database facility. The anticipation is
that this facility will deliver real value to members and customers
and will offer immediate and extended opportunities for the marketing
and technical improvement of the breed.
BASCO database proving a big hit with Limousin breeders
The British Limousin Cattle Society’s recently launched on-line
herdbook facility has proved a big hit with its membership. Since
its introduction to members in March this year, over 600 have signed
up and used the web enabled BASCO (Beef and Sheep Company) Database
system. This uptake in use has meant that just over 60%
of all Society pedigree applications received since March 1st have
been either by on-line (51%) or by telephone (10%) means.
Iain Kerr, Chief Executive of the British Limousin Cattle Society,
welcomed the figures and the positive feedback the system was receiving: “The
BASCO system is a sophisticated livestock database that is practical,
easy to use and farmer friendly. Turn round time for pedigree
work is almost instant and members are very positive about the reduced
paperwork, the increase in efficiency and added value the system has
delivered. It’s proving very popular.”
As well as pedigree applications members can also simultaneously apply
for animal passports directly to BCMS. In what is a constantly
evolving project, further build phases will include the ability to
record health and reproduction data, performance data and product quality
information. A series of web search tools will also be developed
for world wide use and this will allow pedigree members, commercial
producers and interested parties access to a large database of accurate
and up-to-date animal information.
Within the next fortnight, MLC/Signet’s agreement with BASCO
Data Ltd will also see the database platform carrying all of Signet’s
performance and pedigree records.
“Each development stage is aimed at having a direct commercial
value for breeders and users,” said Iain Kerr. “As well
as improving core business practices and services, development will
continue to be responsive to breeders and farmers’ practical
and statutory industry requirements.”
At the forthcoming Royal Show at Stoneleigh, the British Limousin
Cattle Society will be providing a daily demonstration of the database
within their offices situated at Avenue Q of the National Agricultural
Centre, Stoneleigh.
Beef and Sheep Data – future secured in UK
Two major players in the livestock industry have joined forces with
a recently created UK livestock database – which has been awarded
nearly £1/2 million government backing.
MLC Signet has signed up a long term agreement with BASCO Data Ltd.,
whereby the industry owned database will be the platform for carrying
all Signet’s performance and pedigree records.
The Genetic Evaluations for all Signet’s breeding services will,
with effect from 2006, be carried out by SAC’s Genetic Evaluation
Unit, based in Edinburgh and led by Professor Geoff Simm.
BASCO was created as a joint venture by the Limousin Cattle and Suffolk
and Texel Sheep Societies, initially to replace their existing pedigree
data bases. The recent award of a £453,700 grant - the biggest
ADS (Agricultural Development Scheme) grant ever awarded to the beef
and sheep breeding sectors will mean that pedigree data, performance
records and health information will be held on a single database for
the very first time in the UK.
BASCO’s business manager, Steven McLean says he is delighted
with the grant: “This enables us to provide to the whole of the
beef and sheep sectors in the UK and beyond with the world’s
most sophisticated livestock data base, written on the GT-X platform
and designed as a multi-user, multi-hit, web enabled application.
He continues: “DEFRA’s backing allows us to enhance our
basic data-base, delivered to our 5,500 members last year. It is also
the catalyst for the integration of performance recording into an ‘industry
owned’ structure, fast forwarding the delivery of a much more
sophisticated performance package. We are now in a position to invite
all UK based sheep and beef breed Societies to take advantage of BASCO’s
exciting developments.”
Delivery of the BASCO system is by British Company, Graham Technology,
the Glasgow based suppliers of futuristic data systems which power
Egg online banking and Argos to name but two household names.
MLC’s Beef and Sheep Industry Development Manager, Dr Duncan
Pullar, acknowledges: “We are delighted to be working closely
with BASCO Data and SAC. Co-operation will reduce costs and paperwork
long term for all sectors of the industry, at the same time as providing
a state-of-the-art database.
“Using a single source of pedigree and performance information
will provide pedigree and commercial producers with fast access to
reliable information. There is no doubt future profitability of beef
and sheep businesses will depend on selecting the right animals for
the job. BASCO Data will be a very valuable tool to identify breeding
requisites, unlocking marketing power and ultimately profitability,” adds
Dr Pullar.
Head of SAC's Sustainable Livestock Systems Group, Professor Geoff
Simm says, "With genetic evaluations for beef, sheep and dairy
all being consolidated into one centre of excellence in Edinburgh,
and beef and sheep records being stored in the same database, the UK
breeding industry is equipping itself to face the increasing demands
for recording in the future.
"The future will see a need to record many more traits such as
those involved in health, fertility, product quality and welfare. BASCO
is to be congratulated in making this all possible and SAC look forward
to contributing to its future success and the farmers it serves."
Professor Bill McKelvey, Chief Executive of SAC, welcomed the development. He
says “SAC is pleased to be involved in this major new industry
initiative. We see this as a stepping stone which will enable the industry
to take greater control over its future and create a platform that
allows it to respond to market signals more quickly. Significantly,
this is a UK driven performance recording system, using UK animal models
designed for UK livestock producers "
BASCO – launches
with an eye to the future
Beef and sheep recording in the UK stepped into a new era on Friday,
November 19th 2004 with the launch of BASCO Data Ltd (Beef & Sheep
Company).
The London Eye was the futuristic venue for the launch of
BASCO Data, which has already loaded 1.5 million animal records from
three founder breed Societies onto a web-enabled database. This
has established the Limousin Cattle and Texel and Suffolk sheep
as leading terminal sire societies with "an eye to the future."
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| Peter Henshall, Iain Kerr
& Sonia Phippard of DEFRA at BASCO launch |
Speaking at the launch Sonia Phippard, DEFRA's Director of Sustainable
Agriculture and Livestock Products (SALP) praised the initiative's
collaborative approach: "I am sure that the web-enabled database
that BASCO has developed will become a major tool in support of those
that are keen to take their sheep and cattle breeding forward to support
commercial producers in the challenge that they will undoubtedly face
post CAP reform."
Sonia Phippard highlighted DEFRA's commitment
to assisting the livestock sector to adjust to the new demands created
by the need to farm in an environmentally and socially sustainable
way, while making a living. "This
inevitably means the breeding objectives for our main sheep and beef
breeds will need to be adapted to ensure that they are producing what
the market wants in an environmentally sustainable way.
" We are keen to see the particular needs of the UK industry and
rural environment being met by home based genetic recording and evaluation
systems. We have a rich heritage in livestock breeding in this country,
it is important that we remain at the forefront and ensure that UK
livestock production remains competitive in the future."
It was
Dr Mike Coffey of the SAC's (Scottish Agricultural College) initial
assessment of the needs of the breed societies which led to the formation
of BASCO. "The collaborative approach has resulted
in an infinitely superior system – light years ahead of anything
affordable by an individual breed Society. We searched the world for
the right system, our pre-requisites included BASCO ownership and control
of the intellectual property, which in effect means UK ownership and
control.
Dr Coffey continues: "For the 5,500 members of the three
Societies we have a secure web-enabled pedigree database. However
BASCO will go much further and rapidly expand to include performance
data and health data, with direct links, for example to the BCMS
and the NSP. It is an objective of BASCO to improve the use of
information to enable the production of market facing meat."
Already
MLC recording subsidiary, Signet, has indicated that it soon
wishes to use the system to handle all its own data. Says Dr
Duncan Pullar, of MLC: "We are delighted to be part of this
exciting and revolutionary UK development. The database will
open links between pedigree and commercial data, reducing industry
costs while providing quality customer service through interactivity
and flexibility."
Following the global search, the database
was supplied by Glasgow based Graham Technology – the brainpower
behind Egg Banking and Argos Online. GT's project manager explains: "Creating
IT solutions is about creating a system which minimises inputs
and maximises outputs of information – so that pedigree
and commercial producers can present animals more closely aligned
to the markets needs, from genetic traceability to performance
accountability. The system has limitless horizons:"
A point
Dr Coffey takes up: "as increasingly sophisticated
genetic tools become available, the BASCO database will be ideally
placed to exploit them – it's keeping an eye to the future.
The system will now be made available to all beef and sheep Societies
in the UK. - already a number have made their interest clear
it.
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