Simmental Provides Open-Breed Registration Promotion

Bozeman, MT — Knowledge is a powerful tool for success. The American Simmental Association (ASA) recognizes that informed, data-driven decisions improve the bottom line for both seedstock and commercial producers. Making access to complete herd data easier, the ASA Board of Trustees recently passed an open-breed promotion to dual-register cows that are registered with another breed association at the nominal rate of $5.00 per head for fiscal year 2022. As the ASA runs an open herdbook to any breed and believes strongly in the benefits of crossbreeding, many members of the ASA raise a variety of breeds of seedstock. Dual registry enables breeders to garner EPD from the largest multi-breed beef cattle genetic evaluation with the International Genetics Solutions (IGS), opens opportunities with other programs available from the ASA, and paints a more complete picture of the herd when all cows are in the database.

"We are taking away that cost-based hurdle for any person who wants access to the IGS Multi-breed Genetic Evaluation to receive a multi-breed, directly comparable EPD,” shares Chip Kemp, ASA director of Commercial and Industry Operations. “If someone has been intrigued by our database but was holding out, this is the opportunity to invest, and bring a large group of females into the IGS database for a credible multi-breed EPD.”

Starting in July 2021, the ASA will reduce the rate to register a cow already registered in another recognized breed association from $17.00 to $5.00 for the 2022 fiscal year (July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022).

ASA’s director of Performance Data Programs, Jannine Story, shares that by dual-registering females, cattle producers take advantage of more meaningful data by creating ties to other offspring and animals in the genetic evaluation.

“Not only is this a clear advantage for current members to receive a more complete picture of their herd’s performance through fuller pedigrees,” she says, “but also, this open-breed registration promotion coupled with our various Total Herd Enrollment options provide any producer, who may have not had access to a multi-breed evaluation before, timely access to weekly updated, low-cost, cross-breed directly comparable EPD on cows and calves.”

Any person can apply for registration on an animal registered with another breed association. To take advantage of ASA’s open-breed registration promotion, all dual-registration requests must be received or postmarked during the 2022 fiscal year. To get started, email a list of the other breed association numbers with tattoos to simmental@simmgene.com.

Founded in 1968, the American Simmental Association is headquartered in Bozeman, MT. ASA is committed to leveraging technology, education, and collaboration to accelerate genetic profitability for the beef industry. In keeping with its commitment, ASA, along with its partners, formed International Genetic Solutions — the world’s largest genetic evaluation of beef cattle. Learn more at www.simmental.org.