Donor dams who can be cleared of potential genetic conditions using information from their pedigree may no longer need to be tested for the full genetic conditions bundle to be considered a donor dam. The American Angus Association^® Board of Directors approved updates to Rule 104d. 2 during the June 2026 board meeting. Rule 104d. 2, referred to as the Donor Dam Rule, was previously updated in 2023, and requires all donor dams to be tested for genetic conditions, matching the requirements for AI sires. The rule helps ensure potential genetic condition carriers are not unknowingly widely propagated. 

Following member feedback this spring, staff and board members have reviewed current testing trends and established the following updates to the section of Rule 104d. 2 addressing donor dams born on or after Jan. 1, 2023:  

• The full suite of genetic testing will be required on donor dams that are not parent qualified.  
• Donor dams who are parent qualified and listed as a potential carrier for genetic conditions will be required to be tested for those genetic conditions. 
• Donor dams who are parent qualified and free of potential genetic conditions, as confirmed by their pedigree, will not need a genetic conditions test. 

No changes were made to the requirements that all donor dams must be DNA-marker-typed, or must have been blood-typed prior to Jan. 1, 2001. 

These updates balance the precautionary measure of the rule with the increase in genetic information available through the Association’s database. Since 2015, the percentage of registrations which are parent qualified each year has increased from less than 15% to nearly 55% in 2025. In addition, many of those bloodlines have been cleared of genetic conditions through testing. 

“The board was able to make this update, thanks to the many breeders who have implemented DNA testing in their operations over the years,” says Levi Landers, director of the Association’s Field and Member Services. “It means many pedigrees have a robust amount of information within them.” 

The updates to Rule 104d. 2 will take effect immediately and can be viewed in full on page 35 of the Breeder’s Reference Guide. An animal’s genetic condition test results are noted below the registration number on the individual's Performance Registration Certificate (PRC) and are also included in Find An Animal on Angus.org.