Beyond looks: Choosing replacements, part two
Yesterday, we talked about going beyond phenotype when making replacement female selections. Today, we share the second part of Mark’s advice, focusing on the genetics and performance side of things.
Go beyond the sire and dam
These days, it’s not difficult to find commercial heifers that are the multi-generational product of artificial insemination (AI), Mark says. In other words, they may be representative of the best Angus genetics out there.
“If I can select those kinds of heifers to bring back into my herd, where someone has stacked generations of selection pressure for carcass genetics and marbling, boy, that sure puts me several steps ahead in this whole pursuit of quality,” he explains.
Consider the scores
When a seller has implemented GeneMax™ testing in his herd, genetic information is taken to another new level. You can really sort through the top prospects and identify those with the highest merit. Depending on opportunities available, you can add a GMX score of 50 or 75 or even 90 or higher as selection criteria, eliminating even more guesswork. (Looking for GeneMax cattle? Visit GenomeXchange.)
Get the history
When possible, Mark recommends asking for feeding history of potential replacements’ steer mates. Actual feeding data — and some carcass data — will give you another layer of knowledge for informed decision making, he explains.
There’s a lot that goes into building a high-quality herd and increasing CAB and Prime qualifying rates. But knowledge really is power, and buying good females today means raising good females tomorrow.
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