Neogen, Top Dollar Angus Announce Genetic Verification Program
Neogen Genomics and Top Dollar Angus announce a new genetic verification program.
Neogen and Top Dollar Angus will provide a marketing opportunity for cattle producers who leverage Igenity® Beef in their selection and breeding decisions.
Through the Igenity Beef genomic platform, Neogen will identify groups of cattle that qualify for Top Dollar Angus — the first and only genetic verification program focused on commercial Angus and Red Angus cattle that rank in the top 25% of growth and carcass traits.
“For Igenity Beef customers targeting superior growth and carcass merit with commercial Angus and Red Angus genetics, this partnership is a win-win,” said Kenny Stauffer, Neogen’s Director of Beef Sales. “We see our partnership with Top Dollar Angus as means to identify a powerful marketing pipeline for producers looking to differentiate their high-quality genetics.”
With multiple verification programs available to producers, Top Dollar Angus stands out by providing second-to-none marketing support through a variety of channels to help producers differentiate their superior genetics, most often resulting in $30 to $50 per head premiums on qualified cattle.
“Cattle feeders are looking for superior genetics that grow rapidly and grade well,” said Tom Brink, Top Dollar Angus founder and CEO of the Red Angus Association of America. “These cattle dollar-up better for everyone in the supply chain from rancher to feeder, and on to the packer and consumer. They are worthy of premium prices at every stage of production.”
To qualify for Top Dollar Angus, the cattle must be at least 50% Angus or Red Angus. After that producers have two pathways they can choose:
- Test 30% of calf crop on Igenity Beef with a group average score of 6.25 or above for Average Daily Gain (ADG), Marbling (MARB) and Ribeye Area (REA).
- Or they can submit seven years of sire registration data with an average rank in the top 25% for the American Angus Association®’s $Beef index ($B) or Red Angus Association®’s GridMaster index (GM).
The commercial herd enrollment fee for Top Dollar Angus is $250 annually, which is most often paid by one of Top Dollar’s nearly 150 Seedstock Partners in support of their bull buyers. Meanwhile, the per head fee for cattle marketed through the Top Dollar Angus program is $4 per head.
“Igenity Beef is a risk management tool for producers looking to make better selection decisions” said Stauffer. Cattlemen and women who have made investments in this technology have seen real improvements in genetic progress. Now it’s time to further bolster the value of these high-quality cattle down the supply chain by partnering with an organization that knows a thing or two about capturing premiums for the producer.”
To leverage Igenity Beef in your herd call 877/443-6489. Or, to learn more about Top Dollar Angus and their certification programs, go to topdollarangus.com.
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