Angus Link: A New Tool to Capture Genetic Value of Crossbred Feeders

Pulling performance genetics and heteroisis together can be a great win for some cattle producers. But how do you convey that value of your feeder cattle down the road?

Angus Link, a new feeder cattle program from the American Angus Association that launched in earlier this year, offers a validation of genetic potential for feeder cattle. Angus bulls must have sired at least 50% of the enrollment group, with the other 50% being registered with other breed associations. No more than 25% of the bulls can be non-registered bulls.

“Angus Link offers cattle feeders and buyers the ability to incorporate genetic merit into their buying decisions to help further manage risk and aid in making profits more predictable,” Engel said. “Whether they are paid on gain, grade or a combination of the two, Angus Link can be used to identify cattle that have the genetic ability to perform successfully in their system.”

Producers participating in the program must also provide information about the genetic makeup of their cow herd. The program can also be used by producers create a benchmark for their herd, measure performance in new ways, and track genetic progress.

How It Works

Three scores will be given to each group of calves that are enrolled: beef score, feedlot performance score and grid score. The foundation of the scores are the Association’s dollar value indexes — $B (beef value), $F (feedlot value) and $G (grid value), respectively. The three Angus Link scores are presented on a scale of 0 to 200, with the industry average feeder calf scoring 100 for each of the three scores.

Pricing is $4.50 per head enroll. As an incentive to encourage early enrollment in Angus Link, participants contributing to the first 50,000 head enrolled will have an introductory enrollment fee of $4 per head, and the 50 cent-per-head savings will be reciprocated for each of their sequential enrollment groups if they continue to enroll their calves into the program each year.

Special pricing is available for participants who elect to dual-enroll their calves or yearlings in Angus Link and AngusSource.  

Cattle enrolled in Angus Link will receive a neon-green ear tag that contains the Angus Link logo and a unique certificate ID (enrollees also can opt to include farm management ID on the tag).

Enrollees also get a marketing certificate that includes their Scorecard and allows them to customize the document to detail the health protocol used, where and when they plan to sell their cattle, and their contact information.

You can find enrollees' marketing certificates, using their unique certificate ID, by viewing all active listings, performing a filtered search, or you can sign up to receive bi-weekly emails by clicking the "FIND CATTLE" button below and at the top of the screen.

Enrollment groups' Angus Link Scorecards will also appear in internet/video sale catalogs and on the screen during video auctions and in sale barns.

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