It’s the time of year where the leaves are changing, folks are busy shipping, farming, weaning calves, kids are back in school playing football, volleyball and probably even pickleball nowadays, or maybe that’s still just the adults over 40. While all of that is going on and the daylight is getting shorter, if you have a bull sale in Jan-May 2025 and you have not shipped DNA in yet, please reach out to me if you have questions or to strategize on best way to get this completed so we are not up against your catalog deadline. Reminder, there’s no “expediting” DNA testing through ANY Association. We need to give ourselves at least 8 weeks from the time the sample enters into testing to have GE-EPDs. More animals (and samples) are being tested than ever before with the lab receiving upwards of 25,000 samples per day. In addition, if you’re taking animals to Denver or on the show circuit yet this fall, make sure to check the rules since quite a few breeds and shows are incorporating DNA testing requirements and we need to ensure animals are ready to be exhibited.
Sale Transfers
– If you sold animals in 2024 and need them transferred, there’s no time like the present. Send over the information and we’ll get those taken care of.
DNA Testing Materials
The preferred method of DNA sampling continues to be the Allflex Tissue Sampling Units (TSUs). For Simmental members, ASA continues to hold steady at $22.00/box of 10 plus shipping costs. Let me know how many and I can coordinate placing an order for you. For all other breeds (or Simmental members if you get in a pinch) Data Genie has TSUs available for the same price as ASA, plus shipping. If you find yourself in need of an Applicator let me know, we will try and find a deal for you. It is best to get your TSUs requested if you’re going to be working animals in the next 3 months, don’t wait. They do not go bad if stored at room temperature so no worries if it takes a bit until you use them. Better to have them on hand when needed rather than to have to pay exorbitant expedited shipping costs.
Simmental Members
Annual Service Fees (ASF) has been invoiced to your accounts as of July 1, 2024 to remain active members these dues must be paid by October 17, 2024. Log-in to your ASA account and pay the balance due today. Accounts with outstanding AMFs will be switched to inactive status on October 17. In addition to paying your AMF, at least one animal record must be registered and/or transferred within the last two years to keep your account active.
Spring Herds
– If you have completed weaning, please gather the records and let’s go ahead and get them reported into the database. Reminder that if you want RightChoice scoring on your calves from Allied/Top Genomics, they need to have weaning weights recorded (in addition to having GE-EPDs) and that have went through IGS BOLT evaluation so that can take up to 2 weeks depending on when the weights get reported.
– Mature Cow Weights and Body Condition Scores (BCS) should be collected within 45 days of weaning. It is not critical to weigh the older cows each year, but IT IS important to capture a weight on the first calf heifers after they’ve weaned the first calf. Older females can be weighed every few years to ideally have 2-3 weights taken over their productive life. If you need a copy of the BCS guidelines let me know.
Fall Herds
– We need to report yearling weights and update disposal codes for calves that were not kept in the herd. If you need a template let me know or just send me the data you have and we’ll get it reported/updated.
– Fall 2024 calving records can be sent to us anytime after you finish up calving. If you want (or have) collected TSU samples on the calves we can certainly get those tested through Calf Crop Genomics (CCG) once the calves have ASA numbers assigned. It’s never to early to get this done.
– Reminder – for birth weight measurements, if you use a hoof tape instead of a scale we need to know that so we can record the weight type as “T” for tape.
– DNA samples should be collected as soon as possible if you plan on participating in Calf Crop Genomics (CCG). A reminder, the participation requirement is to submit a sample on at least 90% of the calves that are reported to the association for that season. For example, if you have 110 females enrolled in spring THE, 10 cows did not calve for various reasons (no calf reported), 50 dams had heifer calves and 50 dams had male calves. ASA is either going to require you to submit 90 samples or greater if you’re sending in both sexes at the same time OR if you are splitting shipping DNA in between males and females they would then require samples on >45 males and >45 females. This becomes very important!!!! so please collect samples on ALL calves and then once we’ve tallied up the numbers and can go through the data if you have enough samples, you can elect to not test a few if they are not needed.
Red Angus Members
Credit/Debit cards include a processing fee of 3% – from RAAA eNews
RAAA has multiple payment options to keep your account current:
– E-check (bank account and routing number)
– Credit/debit cards, includes a processing fee of 3%
– Mailing a check
The easiest way to make a payment is by logging into REDSPro> My Account > Billing/Payment > Pay Account Balance. Both E-check and credit/debit cards can be used for online payments. If you prefer not to pay online, you can mail a check or by call the membership department at 940-387-3502, ext. 7. If mailing a check, please include your account number on the memo line.
Fall 2023 Calf Data due by October 18th to RAAA
Every female enrolled in THR for 2023 Fall needs to either have a calf reported or a reason code if she does not have a calf to report. Failure to report this information will result in a dam being inactivated. Once a dam is deactivated the cost to add her back in within 6 months is $50.00 and after that, it’s $100.00. Pretty stiff penalty so let’s make sure to get those records cleared up if you received a “Fall No Progeny” report from RAAA in August, reach out with the missing data and we’ll get it done.
Data Reporting Reminders
Fall Herds
– We need to report yearling weights and update disposal codes for calves that were not kept in the herd. If you need a template let me know or just send me the data you have and we’ll get it reported/updated.
Spring Herds
– DNA samples should be collected as soon as possible on calves and you can store at room temperature until you’re ready to move forward with testing.
– Mature Cow Weights and Body Condition Scores (BCS) should be collected within 45 days of weaning. It is not critical to weigh the older cows each year, but IT IS important to capture a weight on the first calf heifers after they’ve weaned the first calf. Older females can be weighed every few years to ideally have 2-3 weights taken over their productive life. If you need a copy of the BCS guidelines let me know.
Angus Members
Data Reporting Reminders
Fall Herds
– Collecting Teat and Udder Suspension scores within 24 hours of calving and making this part of your calving routine will benefit your EPD accuracy for this trait. If you have any questions on collecting this data, please let me know.
Spring Herds
– If you have completed weaning, please gather the calf records and let’s go ahead and get them reported into the database. There’s no time like the present. If we submit a registration on a calf prior to 4 months of age it’s $12.00 and 4-10 months is $14.00. This can reduce the cost of registration quite significantly.
*We encourage you to order your AI certificates on bulls you do not own once you’ve decided to move forward with registration, this prevents delays and lengthy suspends.
Don’t forget to send flush dates for each ET mating along with whether it was conventional or IVF.
– DNA samples should be collected as soon as possible on calves and you can store them at room temperature until you’re ready to move forward with testing.
– Speaking of DNA testing, if you have an idea of bulls or heifers going in for testing that may end up being collected or the donor pen we should add on the genetic conditions bundle to your AngusGS or HD50K since it’s $18.00 if added to an AngusGS or HD50K and run concurrently. Genetic condition testing is now required for all AI sire’s born after January 1, 2018 and Donor dams born after January 1, 2023. If we come back and run this after the fact, it’s $45.00 and takes ~4-6 weeks to complete.
Industry Tidbits
With the Farm Bill expired, farmers and ranchers face uncertainty. Outdated policies could kick in by 2025 if no action is taken. What does this mean for ag producers? – Western Livestock Journal
Take a closer look at $M versus $W – Angus Beef Bulletin
As always – reach out via email, text or phone for more information on any of the above.
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