Feb. 23, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information contact:

Crystal Albers, assistant director of communications/web editor, 816-273-3001 or calbers@angus.org

Angus EPD/Pedigree Search Features New Option

Angus producers accessing the EPD/Pedigree Search at www.angus.org now have more options to display animal data.

The American Angus Association^® has introduced a graph of EPD percentile breakdowns in addition to pedigrees and available expected progeny differences (EPDs) through the EPD/Pedigree Search. Using data from the latest National Cattle Evaluation (NCE), the EPD graph visually displays where animals rank within the breed according to their sex and category, with the 50th percentile representing the breed average (see Fig. 1). To access the graph, click on the EPD Percentiles link located between the animal’s pedigree and EPDs.

“The new feature simply gives producers a snapshot of an animal’s ranking for EPDs and selection indexes,” says Lou Ann Adams, director of information systems. “It’s now one of the many online tools Angus breeders can use to present data to their commercial customers.”

EPD/Pedigree Search is available through the Data Searches/Tools link on the left menu at www.angus.org.

The American Angus Association is the nation’s largest beef organization, serving more than 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.

Fig. 1. Example EPD Percentiles graph

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