The American Simmental Association (ASA) is updating its two economic selection indexes to better reflect changes in today’s beef industry, according to lead geneticist Elizabeth Dressler.
The all-purpose index ($API) and terminal index ($TI) help producers make breeding and mating decisions based on traits tied to profitability.
The traits included in both indexes will remain the same, but several, including carcass weight, dry matter intake, mature weight and heifer pregnancy, will shift to direct estimates rather than correlated responses. ASA will also update the economic value and relative emphasis placed on individual traits.
Most cattle are expected to rank similarly under the revised indexes, although some may change slightly. Dressler said the updates should provide producers with a more accurate way to predict the profitability of an animal’s offspring.
