Prime Time for Data
Your cheat sheet for data collection at weaning.
March 17, 2026
Weaning season can be a busy time of year, but for seedstock breeders, it’s also the perfect opportunity to collect a variety of data for the American Angus Association. This information can be helpful from a management perspective, but also directly influences several expected progeny differences (EPDs).
| Weaning weight (WW): Calves should be weighed between 120-280 days of age, and they must be weighed separately. For calves to be eligible for the same contemporary group, weaning dates cannot be more than three days apart. Weaning weights are required for carcass ultrasound data to process. Management codes indicate whether an animal had creep feed available to them or not, and these codes are required for data to process. Group codes are also required for weaning weights to process. |
| Mature cow data: Weight should be taken within 45 days of the calf’s weaning measure date. Body condition scores must be submitted along with this weight for data to be utilized in the National Cattle Evaluation. Dam hip heights can also be collected at this time. |
| Cow body condition score: Cows should be ranked on a scale of 1 to 9, with 9 being very obese. Mature cow weight must be submitted along with this weight for data to be utilized in the National Cattle Evaluation. |
| Foot scores: Working pairs for weaning serves as an optimal time to collect foot scores on dams. Cattle are scored on a scale of 1 to 9, with five being ideal for both foot angle and claw set. Animals must be scored prior to hoof trimming and must be at least 320 days of age. Click here to review the scoring guide. |
| Cull data: If animals are culled from the herd, record both the date. |
| DNA sampling: Blood cards, hair cards and Allflex Tissue Sample United (TSUs) are all acceptable methods for DNA collection. |
Topics: Animal Handling , Association News , EPDs , Genetics , Industry News , Management , Member Center Featured News , Record Keeping
Publication: Angus Journal
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