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Angus Genetics Inc.® and IGENITY® to
Introduce Industry’s First Genomic-enhanced EPDs for Multiple
Traits.
Angus Genetics Inc.® (AGI) and Merial have entered into an
exclusive agreement to provide American Angus Association®
breeders with genomic-enhanced expected progeny differences (EPDs)
powered by IGENITY®. This will be the first time beef producers
have access to genomic-enhanced EPDs for multiple traits at once
— and from an Angus-specific DNA profile.
Bill Bowman, president, AGI, says this agreement joins two
groups committed to advancing genetic improvement in the beef
industry.
“AGI and IGENITY share a common vision to provide beef producers
with the most advanced solutions to their genetic selection and
management needs,” Bowman says. “This represents a significant
milestone for our industry — one our board has directed us to
pursue aggressively for the past two years and supported with
collaboration and research dollars.”
The combination of a breed-specific DNA profile with the Angus
National Cattle Evaluation (NCE) will result in higher-accuracy
EPDs. This will be an especially powerful tool for evaluating
young animals, as cattle will now have accuracies that were
previously only possible once they had multiple progeny on the
ground, Bowman says.
Dr. Stewart Bauck, executive director of research and
development, IGENITY, commends AGI and its parent company, the
American Angus Association, for leading this charge.
“The American Angus Association has set the standard in data
collection and embracing cutting-edge technologies,” he says.
“We appreciate the work the Association has done to keep the
breed at the forefront of the beef industry by helping bring
this advancement to Angus breeders.”
Bowman says the selection of a DNA technology partner was a
logical decision.
“IGENITY has a robust profile of analyses, including the
industry’s only DNA analyses for reproduction and maternal
traits in combination with all of the economically important
carcass traits,” he says. “Plus, the addition of the genomic
tools from IGENITY into our NCE system provides us the ability
to improve the accuracy of Angus EPDs — especially in young
animals.”
Dr. Bauck adds that genomic-enhanced EPDs for multiple traits
have become a reality after years of collaboration among beef
industry leaders.
“The industry agreed that genomic-enhanced EPDs were the next
advancement in DNA technology,” he says. “It was our
responsibility as the leading DNA technology provider to take
action and move the topic of genomic-enhanced EPDs from an
industry discussion to a user-friendly solution.”
The list of available genomic-enhanced EPDs is being finalized
by the American Angus Association. It’s expected that Angus
producers will be able to tap into this offering with the
availability of the test this fall. The spring 2010 Sire
Evaluation Report, available online in December 2009 and in
print January 2010, will be the first report to include
genomic-enhanced EPDs. These EPDs are enhanced by analyses from
IGENITY; however, producers will continue to communicate and
work with the trusted team at the American Angus Association.
In addition to genomic-enhanced EPDs for Angus producers,
IGENITY offers analyses for more than 15 economically important
traits producers can use to make more confident selection,
management and marketing decisions. IGENITY also offers
user-friendly information management software and expert
consultation to help producers customize this advanced
information to their individual herd goals.
For more information about IGENITY, contact your IGENITY sales
representative, call 1-877-IGENITY or visit www.igenity.com. For
more information about the genomic-enhanced EPDs available from
the American Angus Association, contact your Angus regional
manager or call 816-383-5100.
Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health
company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance
the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of
animals. Merial employs approximately 5,400 people and operates
in more than 150 countries worldwide. Its 2008 sales were more
than $2.6 billion. Merial Limited is a joint venture between
Merck & Co., Inc. and sanofi-aventis. For more information,
please see www.merial.com.
Angus Genetic Inc. (AGI) is a division of the American Angus
Association, with headquarters in Saint Joseph, Mo., which
offers services to the more than 33,000 members of the American
Angus Association and thousands of commercial cattle producers
using Angus genetics across the United States. For more
information about AGI or other Association programs, visit
www.angus.org or call 816-383-5100. |
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