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With a growing list of expected prog- eny differences, selection at times can seem like a daunting task. Index-based decisions allow for a more simplistic look at an animal’s overall genetic merit. Utilizing an index such as the Balanced Index can help guide deci- sions and drive commercial customers toward an index that best suits their overall goals. Utilizing genomics has also become a vital part of cattle breeding across associations. Genomic selection offers the ability to increase the rate of genetic change while adding early accuracy to young, unproven animals. Submitting DNA on young and unproven animals can help provide accuracy and drive decision making within your herd. As we continue down the trail this fall, please let us know if you have any questions about these new and exciting advancements or if we can better help you understand and collect data to be turned into the platform that helps you advance your business goals.

Trail Talk EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT By Webb D. Fields (361) 592-9357 | wfields@santagertrudis.com

I t is always a good feeling when a large project that you have been working on for months finally comes to fruition. Our new pedigree platform unveiling is finally here and we are extremely excited to share it with our membership. This is a project that start- ed more than a year ago and one that staff has diligently worked on through- out the summer. While we originally had a projected start date of the end of 2021, we plan to fully transition to the new platform this month. As we have said all summer, we believe the move will enable numerous advancements online for our members. We anticipate a more user-friendly experience with more bells and whistles in the new system. While we are excited about the change, including a different login appearance, we anticipate it will be easy to access and understand. We plan to have tutorials and information to ensure a seamless transition. As we are back in the swing of things for fall shows and sales, the board of directors will also convene this month for a fall meeting. While we have a full slate scheduled for the agenda, please reach out to your directors with any questions, concerns or ideas you have. The board has a great mix of experi- ence, new ideas, and an understand- ing and willingness to bring member- ship concerns to board meetings and address opportunities for progress. The fall is also a great and busy time within our business. Data collection, new purchases and potential business plan adjustments are all in place. While it’s a busy time and it can be hard to slow down from the daily grind of get- ting the job done, I do think it’s a good time to step back and think about your overall objective and ways to achieve it. A quick review of the tools for a seedstock breeder on making genetic progress might be helpful. With any good business, a solid busi- ness plan is needed. Breeding objec- tives must be set before you set your overall plan into motion. Where do you want to be? How do you want to get

there? With advanced technologies that allow us to make genetic change faster than ever come the possibility of making a mistake at a faster pace, as well. Ensuring you are headed in the right direction with your herd is an imperative first move. One advancement our new pedigree platform will allow is whole-herd report- ing. This inventory-based reporting system will allow for more accurate phenotypes for reproductive traits and will ultimately add more accuracy to these traits. As we have discussed many times, accurately defined contemporary groups are key. Contemporary groups are the lifeblood of the genetic evalua- tion, allowing for head-to-head genetic comparisons. The phenotypes that are submitted in contemporary groups serve as the backbone for the whole evaluation, so making sure you take pride in reporting accurate records and turning in the complete contemporary group will only better serve you in the long run.

SGBI

Need to Know

W ith guidance and research from the Performance Committee, the Santa Gertrudis Breeders International (SGBI) Board of Directors has approved a parentage confirmation emblem within our new pedigree platform. This will be used to confirm when DNA is on file for an animal and if parentage has been confirmed by a DNA test. With this, members will receive a parentage test at no additional cost when running a full genomic panel. This ensures all available information is provided to members, a commitment long held by SGBI. This emblem will allow membership not only to see if DNA is on file for an animal, meaning genomics have been added into their expected progeny differences calculation, but it will provide information regarding if sire, dam or both parents have been confirmed or not by DNA. “With information and data being king, we feel this is just another way to provide as much information as possible to our breeders and members,” says SGBI Execu- tive Director Webb Fields. “While we know there will always be a small amount of error, we also are aware that accurately identifying parentage allows us to properly attribute performance within the genetic evaluation. This is just another tool in members’ toolboxes when making breeding decisions and another great attribute of moving to our new pedigree system.”

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SANTA GERTRUDIS USA