Dec. 23, 2011
For more
information contact:
Crystal Albers,
assistant director of communications, at 816-383-5134 or calbers@angus.org
American Angus Association to
Introduce PathfinderPlus
New voluntary system will offer Angus
breeders further reporting options.
The American Angus Association®
will soon introduce a voluntary, inventory-based reporting system designed to
capture additional reproductive trait data and to ultimately expand reproductive
and lifetime productivity tools, such as longevity measures.
The new program, known as PathfinderPlus, will debut in early 2012 and provide Angus
breeders and their customers with additional information to make effective
selection decisions.
“The PathfinderPlus
program is a unique system that will allow us to more effectively capture
reproductive trait data while providing participants with additional
information at weaning processing time, such as calving ease, birth weight and
weaning weight EPDs for calves out of inventoried cows,” says
Breeders interested in participating in PathfinderPlus can enroll in the program through AAA Login,
available at www.angus.org,
beginning early 2012.
To begin, breeders provide an online
inventory of breeding heifers and cows in their herd.
The primary requirement of the program is
submission of heifer breeding records from the production herd. “Heifer breeding records are pivotal pieces
to the PathfinderPlus program,” explains Sally
Northcutt, Association director of genetic research. “These records will then
be used in the existing heifer pregnancy evaluation and will also allow us to
develop more lifetime trait measures such as longevity components.”
In addition to heifer breeding records, each
inventoried female will be required to have either a calf record (weight,
preweaning disposal reason), a disposal code for the cow or a reason code for
why the cow didn’t produce.
“Disposal
codes will help pinpoint why an animal left the herd and will greatly aid in
the development of a longevity selection tool,” Northcutt says. “The PathfinderPlus program provides us the opportunity to
identify superior genetics for traits that greatly influence profit but are
traditionally difficult to measure — reproduction and longevity.”
Breeders will be able to enroll in PathfinderPlus at any time during the year. Females 20
months of age and older are assessed an annual $3-per-cow inventory fee based
upon the enrollment date. The fee includes performance reporting for the cow’s
calf (CED, BW and WW EPDs).
An additional fee is charged to reinstate
or reactivate a cow.
Bowman says the current Angus Herd
Improvement Records (AHIR®) reporting system will remain in place
for non-participants, along with the traditional Pathfinder®
recognition program.
“PathfinderPlus
is the most comprehensive route to generate reproductive selection tools on
your herd,” Bowman says. “The program is streamlined to capture the necessary
data for genetic predictions to assist you and your customers.”
Contact the American Angus Association at
816-383-5100 or visit www.angus.org for more information.
The American Angus Association serves nearly 30,000 members across the United States and Canada. It provides programs and services to farmers, ranchers and others who rely on the power of Angus to produce quality genetics for the beef industry and quality beef for consumers.
For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association’s programs and services, visit www.angus.org.
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