Jerry Cassady
Association Perspective
Sire selection tools are available.
Purchasing the right herd bull or selecting an artificial insemination (AI) sire to create the next generation for your program is a process that should not be underestimated. Sire selection is the single, most important factor to consider when trying to improve the genetics of your herd. Not only will the sire component represent one-half of the genetic makeup of your next calf crop, the paternal impact on your program will be felt for many years as daughters kept as replacement females enter the herd. Therefore, careful decision-making and planning relative to sire selection is imperative. Your American Angus Association has a full complement of tools to assist you with this process.
Let's start with the American Angus Association web site. At www.angus.org you will find a wealth of information day or night — 24/7. As a regional manager, I often recommend members and non-members alike visit our home page and become familiar with the information available free of charge.
One of the most visited options is the online Sire Evaluation Search. Here you can follow simple instructions to input a desired expected progeny difference (EPD) profile for your future herd sire. Search results will include bulls in the data base that meet your guidelines. You can specify a sire to have only sons of a particular sire listed and sorted to your preference with their subsequent EPD profiles. The sire evaluation home page can also provide other useful tools, such as breed average EPDs, percentile breakdowns, genetic trends and even across-breed EPD adjustments.
Milk production is a powerful trait that can have a major effect on calf weights and, thus, your bottom line. However, lactation also requires tremendous inputs in the form of feed energy. Finding the optimal level of milk for your program is critically important for profitability. Your American Angus Association offers an interactive module called the "Optimal Milk Module," which can, with just a few simple steps, help you identify the optimal milk EPDs for your operation. The Optimal Milk Module is accessible via the "Data Searches/Tools" tab in the left-hand navigation bar.
Within the "API/Angus Journal" tab you can find tools such as online sale books, a sale calendar with dates and locations, and even e-classified advertising. Other online resources include literature such as "Bull Buying Strategies," which is a publication outlining areas important to you when making your bull purchase. Order this handy resource through the "Angus Info | Literature" links. Follow the "Performance/AHIR®/BRS" to find descriptions of Angus EPDs and our Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR) program.
I would be remiss if I failed to recommend you contact your American Angus Association regional manager. He's there to assist you in any way possible.
It is much easier to identify an existing market and create genetics currently in demand in your area than it is to breed cattle without a plan or target in mind, then try to sell what you have created. Producers must diligently review their options to make the best sire selections and match the genetics of their cow herd, environment, feed resources and marketing targets.
Editor's Note: Regional Manager Jerry Cassady covers Region 9, including the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Click here to find the regional manager for your state.
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