Announcements
ASA Board Meeting
ASA Chairman, Tim Curran and EVP, Wade Shafer encourage you to stay involved with your Association. Many of the committee and board meetings are virtual. Watch eNews or check simmental.org frequently to stay informed of these meetings.
Monday, October 26, 2020, is the next scheduled board meeting. The agenda will be announced a few days before the meeting. Click here to register.
January’s committee, board, and annual meetings are in the works and will be announced as soon as all has been finalized.
DNA Department strongly recommends shipping with a tracking option.
As the busy season ramps up this fall, ASA’s DNA Department strongly recommends that members send all DNA samples in a tracked package. This can be through any carrier, so long as a tracking number is available. We also strongly suggest that kits are sent to members in a tracked package, as the extra cost can eliminate delays in regular USPS shipping, and also limit the chance of the package being lost in transit. Priority shipping is the only way to cut down on the time it takes to get a sample tested, as there are no priority options at the lab. Upon arrival at the lab, testing takes three to four weeks, and additional time is necessary for genomic panels to run through the evaluation.
The ASA Board of Trustees recently approved the updated 100K genomic panel to qualify AI sires and donor dams.
Recently, Neogen updated their mid-level genomic panel from ~50,000 SNPs to ~100,000 SNPs. In Herdbook, animals with the former genomic panel are denoted with a 47K or C47K for Cow Herd DNA Roundup (CHR) samples. The current updated genomic panel is denoted with a 100K in Herdbook (C100K for CHR and A100K for Calf Crop Genomics samples).
The ASA Board of Trustees recently approved the updated 100K genomic panel to qualify AI sires and donor dams. Animals with a completed 100K, C100K, or A100K panel will automatically qualify as a donor dam or AI sire. Animals with a completed 47K panel will not qualify and must be re-tested at the 100K level in order to become an approved AI sire or donor dam.
The genomic panel cost to approve an AI sire or donor dam is now $50, and the add-on options and prices will remain the same. The 100K genomic panel continues to be our recommendation for animals that will make a large impact in your herd and is the only genomic panel with add-on pricing for coat color, horned/polled, and genetic condition panel. If you have any questions, please contact ASA's DNA Department.
The ASA Board of Trustees recently approved the updated 100K genomic panel to qualify AI sires and donor dams. Animals with a completed 100K, C100K, or A100K panel will automatically qualify as a donor dam or AI sire. Animals with a completed 47K panel will not qualify and must be re-tested at the 100K level in order to become an approved AI sire or donor dam.
The genomic panel cost to approve an AI sire or donor dam is now $50, and the add-on options and prices will remain the same. The 100K genomic panel continues to be our recommendation for animals that will make a large impact in your herd and is the only genomic panel with add-on pricing for coat color, horned/polled, and genetic condition panel. If you have any questions, please contact ASA's DNA Department.
Updates to birth weight ratio and collection method on HB.
The Board of Trustees recently passed a resolution to change the direction of the ratio for birth weights so that larger ratios will be assigned to animals with heavier birth weights in their contemporary group and vice versa. This resolution came about to try to standardize the direction of the ratios so that higher ratios uniformly mean more of that trait.
Also new in regard to birth weight, breeders can now indicate if they use hoof tape to estimate birth weight in Herdbook. There is a column called “BwMethod” next to the column where birth weights are entered in the animal entry page. If the weights were estimated using hoof tape, then simply put a T in the “BwMethod” column. If birth weights were obtained using a scale, there is no need to enter anything.
Also new in regard to birth weight, breeders can now indicate if they use hoof tape to estimate birth weight in Herdbook. There is a column called “BwMethod” next to the column where birth weights are entered in the animal entry page. If the weights were estimated using hoof tape, then simply put a T in the “BwMethod” column. If birth weights were obtained using a scale, there is no need to enter anything.
Announcements and Events
The American Simmental Association (ASA) has designated the newly formed Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma City, OK as the 2020-2021 National Simmental Show
October 09, 2020
Events
The ASA Board of Trustees met October 5th to discuss alternative plans due to the postponement of the 2021 National Western Stock Show. The Board voted to…
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2020 NAILE Fullblood Simmental Shows Cancelled
Oct 05, 2020 Events
Industry News
ASA’s Membership Benefits — Are You Using These Tools?
October 22, 2020
Industry News
It’s 2020. It’s been a rough year — for our finances, emotions, and health. During this time of uncertainty and unprecedented challenge, are you taking advantage of the time and money-saving products offered exclusively to active American Simmental…
Beef Abroad: Insights into the Scottish Cattle Industry
October 13, 2020
Industry News
By Troy Rowan, Ph.D. Graduate Candidate at the University of Missouri | Editor's note: Troy Rowan, recent recipient of the Walton-Berry Graduate Student Support Grant, studied abroad at the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute in Scotland looking at…
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Exploring Genetic Defects in Beef Cattle
Oct 09, 2020 Industry News -
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The HOLSim Bull List September 2020
Sep 30, 2020 Industry News -
2020 Walton-Berry Recipients Named
Sep 28, 2020 Industry News -
Timing is Everything
Aug 27, 2020 Industry News -
The School of Hard Knocks
Aug 13, 2020 Industry News -
Updates to Growth Trait Predictions
Aug 13, 2020 Industry News -
CMP - Bull Class of 2017 Results
Aug 10, 2020 Industry News -
Right Man at the Right Time
Jul 30, 2020 Industry News
ASA Spotlight
Iowa Simmental Association Recognizes the Doug and Sue Wenell Family
October 20, 2020
ASA Spotlight
Editors Note: The following was submitted by Joyce Williams. In memory of her husband, Harold, a past ASA Trustee and lifelong member of the Iowa Simmental…
Eichacker Named Dakotafest Woman Farmer and Rancher-of-the-Year
October 18, 2020
ASA Spotlight
Cathy Eichacker, Eichacker Simmentals, was recently named the South Dakota Woman Farmer and Rancher-of-the-Year, during a Dakotafest Women in Ag event.…
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A Legacy Built on Genetic Improvement
Sep 28, 2020 ASA Spotlight -
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Cultivating Cattle and Creativity in Kansas
Aug 27, 2020 ASA Spotlight -
Talking Cattle With Curran
Aug 13, 2020 ASA Spotlight -
Believing in the Breed
Jul 30, 2020 ASA Spotlight -
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Making Her Way In Modern Ranching
Apr 27, 2020 ASA Spotlight
