Sally Northcutt (pictured) and Bill Bowman of the American Angus Association shared with producers the newest genetic improvement tools available for Angus breeders and their customers.

New tools for members, customers

American Angus Association Vice President of Information and Data Programs Bill Bowman and Genetic Research Director Sally Northcutt outlined tools and services available to commercial bull buyers, as well as to Association members, during the 2004 National Angus Conference Sept. 15 in Roanoke, Va.

The Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR) program amasses a cumulative database of more than 14 million pedigrees and 13 million performance measures to provide cattle producers with dependable predictive measures for use in their operations. Expected progeny differences (EPDs) are available on 17 traits, and now the Association's bio-economic $Values add a multi-trait selection index approach. The $Values were developed to serve as selection tools for commercial bull buyers.

$Values encompass revenue generated by outputs and costs or expenses associated with inputs. Available $Values for feedlot performance merit and carcass value continue to grow in popularity. Feedlot Value ($F) represents the dollar-per-head difference in future progeny performance in the feedlot. Grid Value ($G) combines quality grade and yield grade attributes and associated adjustments for industry-relevant values and costs to arrive at the expected dollar-per-head difference in grid merit. The overall Beef Value ($B), which combines the attributes of $F and $G, is an important tool used by commercial bull buyers as an indicator of terminal value including postweaning performance and grid merit.

What's next in the suite of $Values?
The newest index, to be released with the spring 2005 National Cattle Evaluation (NCE), is the Weaned Calf $Value ($W). This new $Value considers four primary economic impact areas: 1) birth weight (BW) and calf death loss adjustments to cow profitability, 2) weaning weight (WW) revenue and expenses, 3) maternal milk, and 4) mature cow size expense adjustments. $W provides the expected dollar-per-head difference in future progeny performance preweaning in a multi-trait fashion, with the cow herd as a priority. Interactive decision tools and educational modules to support $W are slated to be released in mid-2005.

The new generation of $Values for commercial bull buyers has generated additional research projects. A Cow Energy Value ($EN) will be available with the spring 2005 EPD release to assess differences in cow energy requirement, expressed in dollars per cow per year, as an expected savings difference in future daughters of sires. Adjustments for computing the cow $EN savings difference include maintenance requirements for lactation, not just mature size. $EN is an additional tool for breeders wanting to fine-tune herd maintenance attributes in their breeding programs.

The mature size evaluation for mature weight EPD and mature height EPD have been enhanced to a multi-trait animal model for improved mature cow size EPDs for spring 2005. This technology will use repeated measures on cows from yearling age throughout their lifetimes. It is important that body condition scores (BCSs) be taken with the cow weights at or near calf-weaning date (+/-30 days) in order for the weights to be used for EPDs.

Research for a heifer calving ease genetic evaluation is being completed this fall. Results would include a heifer calving ease direct and maternal EPD, expressed in percentage, where higher EPDs are more favorable as a tool to increase the chance of easier-calving qualities in heifers.

Two key programs demonstrate the continued pull-through effect of valued Angus genetics for commercial producers using registered Angus bulls. The first program for commercial cow-calf producers is the Association's Beef Record Service (BRS). The BRS program, established in 2000, puts production data into a usable form. It provides Standardized Performance Analysis (SPA)-certified-produciton summaries tied to the American Angus Association database for preweaning and postweaning performance.

The AngusSource program is an exciting and innovative tagging and marketing program for commercial cattle, providing dynamic opportunities for source-verified, feeder calves and replacement females sired by registered Angus bulls. AngusSource provides key source, genetic and processing information on enrolled calves.

The dynamic nature of the program, with flexible tagging options [visual or radio frequency (RFID)], along with marketing profiles including EPD and $Values describe the genetics and process information of feeder calves and Angus replacement females. AngusSource provides future buyers with full-service profiles on these Angus-influenced cattle.

— by Bill Bowman and Sally Northcutt

For more information about AngusSource producers can visit www.angussource.com or BRS at www.beefrecords.com .

Below are the links to published articles regarding $Values.

Angus Journal links
$Values go interactive

Testing for Profit

Association presents tools

Angus Beef Bulletin links
New selection tool designed to benefit commercial producers