While visiting the headquarters of the American Angus Association in St. Joseph, Missouri, AgWired’s Jamie Johansen was able to sit down for an interview with Dr. Dan Moser, president of Angus Genetics Incorporated (AGI), the largest provider of genetics worldwide
AGI develops and promotes technology for use by the beef industry, including DNA technology, and has developed genomic-enhanced EPDs for the Angus breed that are updated on a weekly basis. The company conducts research, develops and utilizes new science and technology to benefit all beef producers, and provides individualized genetic evaluation services to various breed organizations in the U.S. and Canada, currently taking advantage of 16 different genetic traits.
“With modern computing systems as well as the internet giving us the ability to deliver information all over the world all the time, it allows us to give beef producers the most up to date information, so we have birth weights, weaning weights, yearling weights, carcass measures coming in all the time, as well as genomic tests and new pedigrees,” said Dr. Moser during the interview. “By running our evaluation every week, every Friday morning there is new information and so we are giving beef producers the most up to date information to allow beef producers to make the best decisions.”
Dr. Moser discussed some of AGI’s latest breakthroughs in technology, including their GeneMax programs designed specifically for commercial replacement heifers.
“I think we’re going to continue to see an uptake in genetic testing. Currently over a quarter of Angus cattle are tested with genetics, and I think that’s going to be 50% before we know it,” he said. “We’re seeing more testing of heifers, both in registered operations and with commercial producers. As the technology gets cheaper and the cost comes down, the value proposition gets better, and so producers that have been using tested bulls can now test heifers as well and start making their heifer selection using genomics.”
Listen to Jamie’s full interview with Dr. Moser here:
Interview with Dr. Dan Moser, AGI