Sorting Gate
Drive profitability with Angus solutions.
March 22, 2025
As the beef industry faces an important period of herd rebuilding, many producers are making strategic decisions to keep back more females in the coming years. This shift is essential for future growth and sustainability. However, rebuilding herds requires thoughtful planning to ensure producers retain the right females that will drive success for generations to come.
Meeting consumer demand while addressing challenges
Maintaining strong consumer demand for quality beef remains critical. Angus beef continues to set the standard for excellence, and producers who invest in superior genetics can deliver products that meet and exceed consumer expectations.
Additionally, the Targeting the Brand™ logo provides valuable guidance for bull selection decisions, helping producers identify individuals predicted to produce calf crops that will meet or exceed 50% qualifying for the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand with good management. However, the challenge lies in selecting the optimal females to keep back while ensuring long-term herd productivity and profitability.
The Angus advantage: diverse solutions
The Angus breed offers unparalleled diversity, providing solutions that address both maternal and terminal characteristics. Traits like calving ease and weaning weight remain paramount for commercial producers. Based on U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) data, Angus remains the breed leader in both birth weight and weaning weight, being the dynamic breed that can continually produce offspring that come easy and gain effectively (see Figs. 1 and 2).
Fig. 1: Genetic trends for birth weight EPD, lb., among breeds
Fig. 2: Genetic trend for weaning weight EPD, lb., among breeds
This versatility makes Angus cattle an obvious choice for producers seeking a balanced approach to herd management. Whether focusing on maternal value or optimizing terminal traits, Angus genetics provide a clear path forward.
Powered by the world’s largest genetic evaluation
At the heart of Angus’ success is the world’s largest Angus genetic evaluation, driven by more than 85 million measurements. With such an extensive dataset, producers benefit from more reliable and predictable genetic insights, providing greater confidence in their selection decisions.
This comprehensive dataset empowers producers with unmatched insights, allowing them to make data-driven decisions that enhance their operations.
Harnessing the power of GeneMax Advantage
GeneMax® Advantage™ is a game-changing tool for commercial cattlemen, enabling them to leverage the power of this extensive genetic database for their Angus-based cow herds. The test is available at a cost of $28 per head, making it an accessible and valuable investment for herd improvement. The benefits of GeneMax Advantage include:
Directly comparable $Values: GeneMax Advantage provides valuable insights for optimal sire selection, helping producers make informed choices that align with their breeding goals.
Sire identification: This feature allows producers to determine which bulls are getting cows pregnant without the need for retesting sires, saving time and resources.
Comprehensive trait reporting: GeneMax Advantage delivers individual trait reports covering maternal, production, management and carcass traits. These are presented on an easy-to-understand 1-to-100 scale, where 100 represents the highest potential for the trait of interest.
Fig. 3 shows the individual traits that are predicted through GeneMax.
Refining cow herd selection
Given the importance of this herd rebuilding phase, GeneMax Advantage offers a powerful solution for refining cow herd selection. By using this tool to identify and retain the most promising replacement females, producers can position their operations for sustained success. Not only will this approach help you keep the right females, but it will also continue to increase the value and quality of their offspring.
Fig. 3: Individual traits predicted with GeneMax® Advantage™
For those who sell calves at weaning, capitalizing on all this genetic investment — whether through bull selection or retaining the right females — is now possible. With the use of AngusLinkSM and the Genetic Merit ScorecardSM, producers can differentiate their groups of feeder cattle from the sea of black-hided feeder cattle currently dominating the marketplace, ensuring they get paid for their genetic investments.
In a time when strategic decisions are crucial, leveraging the resources and insights offered by Angus programs ensures that producers can build resilient, high-performing herds. GeneMax Advantage and the world-class Angus genetic evaluation provide the foundation for smarter selection and better outcomes, driving long-term profitability and consumer satisfaction.
Editor’s note: “Sorting Gate” is a regular Angus Beef Bulletin column featuring herd improvement topics for commercial producers using Angus genetics. Kelli Retallick-Riley is president of AGI. For additional information on performance programs available through the American Angus Association and AGI, visit www.angus.org and select AGI and/or AHIR® under the “Programs” tab.
Topics: EPDs , Management , Selection , Female Foundations
Publication: Angus Beef Bulletin
Issue: April 2025
Related Content
Current Angus Beef Bulletin
The April issue has a “Focus On Females,” including a special advertising section devoted to herds intent on providing the female foundation.
