Angus Offers New Beef Cattle Genomics Test

The American Angus Association and GeneSeek recently announced a new DNA test for Angus breeders.

Genomic results are a way to enhance the current selection tools, to achieve more accuracy on predictions for younger animals, and to characterize genetics for traits where it's difficult to measure the phenotype.
The new DNA test provides an additional option for breeders of all sizes to make more rapid genetic improvements in their herds. The ability to gather more information on younger animals is one key benefit - says Stewart Bauck  - GeneSeek beef genomics director

Bauck: “It is a large high density airee -- with over 50,000 SNP or single nucleotide polymorphism evenly spaced throughout the cattle genome. And through our collaborative studies with Angus Genetics, we’ve been able to derive estimates for genetic merit using those SNP profiles. We then send that information to AGI and they incorporate the genomic data along with the pedigrees, the animal’s performance data and out of that you can get a highly accurate EPD out of a young animal.”

In fact, depending on the trait, GE-EPDs on unproven animals have the same amount of accuracy as if they had already sired 8-20 calves.

Visit www.angus.org to learn more about genomic testing opportunities.