AWA Friday Newsletter - April 30, 2021

POSTED: 04/30/2021

Newsletters

VOL 2, NO 18

Weaning Weight Requirement Rule Change
For members enrolled in the Standard Herd option, our rules have required a weaning weight to be submitted before calves could be registered. This rule created some logistical issues as it related to transfer of calves, especially calves sold at the side of cows. This often required the new owner to gather and pass the weaning weight information back to the seller some months after the cattle had been sold. This often led to frustration by one or both parties to complete the registration process of these calves.

After much discussion the AWA Board of Directors recently voted to remove the rule that required a weaning weight for the registration of calves for breeders enrolled in the Standard Herd Option.

It remains important, however, that breeders submit weaning weights on all of their calves, including the calves they do not plan to register. This improves the accuracy of our genetic evaluations and results in less bias, especially for the better calves whose EPD is negatively biased because of this.

I have included more information below regarding the Value of Information and submitting both DNA for genotyping and weaning weights gives you the best

FALL CAR ENROLLMENTS NOW AVAILABLE
Enroll Early and Save Money. For herds enrolled in the Complete Animal Recording Program (Standard Herds) there are two inventory periods, Spring and Fall calving herds. Fall Herd enrollment will be active on May 1, 2021 and for those members who activate and enroll their cows by June 30, 2021 benefit with a $27 enrollment fee, a savings over previous years.

Fall Herd Enrollment Fee Schedule
• $27 if enrolled before July 1
• $33 if enrolled between July 1 and August 31
• $36 if enrolled between August 1 and August 31
• $39 if enrolled between September 1 and September 30
• $42 if enrolled between October 1 and December 31
Invoices to be paid prior to the last day of the following month or fees
increase by $3 for each month past due.

Register Early and Save Money
For herds enrolled in the Verified Herd program and ET calves register those calves by 365 days of age and save on registration fees.

0 - 365 Days of Age or Less $55
366 - 540 Days of Age $60
541 - 720 Days of Age $65
721 Days of Age and Older $70

Value of Information

What’s the value of pedigree information, a weaning weight, or a genotype? Producers often struggle with this question when making selection decisions and how much emphasis to put on available information. When data has been submitted and is part of the genetic evaluation the EPD is the single most accurate information available as it incorporates all the available information. Using information that is not part of the genetic evaluation, or only a subset of the information used in genetic evaluations decreases the accuracy of selection. In fact, when using information that is not part of the evaluation or a subset of the evaluation can be as much as 9 times less accurate.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

From the last AWA genetic evaluation, I analyzed the WWT EPD Accuracy values for all calves born in 2019/2020, see attached graph. For those calves with only pedigree information available the average accuracy value was 0.11. For those calves with only a genotype available their average accuracy value increased to 0.21, when only weaning weight was available accuracy increased to 0.24. But when pedigree, weaning weight, and genotype was available average accuracy increased to 0.31. To be clear, this was when the weaning weights met the requirements to be included in the genetic evaluation which requires age restrictions and contemporary grouping rules.

More information on performance guidelines are available on the AWA website.
wagyu.org/members/wagyu-performance-guidelines/

Digital Beef Tip from the Staff: Creating Barnsheets!

Lauren Merry, Registrar and Member Services here at the AWA has some handy DigitalBeef tips.

How to Create a Barnsheet for your animals that are 320 to 410 days of age:

Go to Herd Mgmt: Recording: Barnsheet from your left hand menu
Select eligible animals from the list that are within the appropriate age range and do not have ultrasound data already on file
Click the ‘Create’ button to create a Barnsheet for the selected animal.
Click ‘Download Barnsheet PDF’ to open and print the generated Barnsheet form for the selected animals

CLICK TO ENLARGE Register Now for the 2021 Beef Improvement Federation Research Symposium and Convention

A friendly reminder to mark your calendar for the BIF Symposium. Registration is now open. You can register here, web.cvent.com/event/43a75782-a487-4d93-a4b9-4ec6daababe2/summary.

For more conference details, including registration information, a complete schedule and hotel information, visit BIFSymposium.com..

Learn More About Expected Progeny Differences
Trait descriptions, how to read EPD, information on accuracy, percentile rank tables and guidelines for the publication of EPD are all available, simply follow this link. https://wagyu.org/members/genetic-evaluation/

AWA Adjustable Ball Caps Now Available
Whether you’re interested in something for yourself or a gift for your customers, we have several items to choose from including our new adjustable ball caps in three different colors for $20 each! With each purchase you are helping support your association and proudly support this great Wagyu breed.

wagyu.org/consumers/shopwagyu

2021 AWA Annual General Membership Meeting and Conference

Share a Favorite Photo
We make lots of memories with family, friends and Wagyu cattle! What activities have you been up to on the farm? Send us a picture and we will chose one to feature in an upcoming newsletter! Please include your name and membership number and mail to office@wagyu.org

Advertise with the AWA
The American Wagyu Association offers many ways members can advertise their genetics and products through AWA services. These include Face Book, Premium Advertising Page, eBlasts, Classifieds, the Annual Breeders Guide and other opportunities. Contact the AWA office for more information or visit wagyu.org/members/advertising-services

Download our advertising fee schedule

AWA Calendar
April 1, 2021 – Annual Membership Renewal – Late Fees Apply
May 1, 2021 – CAR Fall Enrollment Starts
June 30, 2021 – CAR Fall Enrollment Deadline – Fees Increase July 1
September 23 - 25, 2021 – Annual General Meeting and Conference, Fort Collins, CO

Upcoming Member Events
May 22, 2021 – Bar R Cattle Company Production Sale – Pullman, Washington
June 4, 2021 – Midwest Wagyu Association Meeting, Salina, KS
June 5, 2021 – Passion For Prime – Salina, Kansas
Oct. 23, 2021 – Vermont Wagyu Production Sale – At the Farm in Springfield, VT

To post an upcoming event or to advertise your event with a live link, please contact the AWA Office.

Helpful Links
Stockmanship & Stewardship
Beef Quality Assurance
Beef Improvement Federation
Masters of Beef Advocacy
National Education Center for Agricultural Safety
Beef Cattle Community
eBEEF

Robert Williams, Ph.D.
Executive Director

Contact us at office@wagyu.org for any advertising inquires.
Visit us at wagyu.org for more information about the Wagyu breed.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: CONFIDENTIALITY AND LEGAL PRIVILEGE
This email is intended only for the use of the addressee(s) and may contain legally privileged and confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any transmission, distribution or photocopying of this email is strictly prohibited. The legal privilege and confidentiality attached to this email is not waived, lost or destroyed by reason of a mistaken delivery to you. If you have received this email in error please immediately notify us by return email and delete the message and any attachments from your system. Unless specifically indicated, this email does not constitute formal advice or commitment by the sender. Thank you.