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The focus of the Angus breed has
always been intent on helping the commercial cattlemen achieve
profitability. Fiscal Year 2007 was certainly an attribute to
growth of the breed. Registrations over 347,000, up from FY 2006.
Certified Angus beef and its 13,500 licensed partners sold 583
million pounds of CAB product, more than 35 million pounds above
last years mark. The Angus Foundation, Angus Source and Angus
Productions Inc. have continued to exceed our expectations. Jot
Hartley, American Angus Association outgoing president was
recently quoted as saying, “One reason we are successful right now
is that we identified and developed programs that benefit not just
our membership, but their customers, which in turn created a big
demand for our livestock” .
Never complacent, Angus Breeders,
Staff and your Board of Directors dedicate their efforts to
position themselves above other breeds, service organizations and
branded programs. Here are just a few highlights of board actions
from this past year.
- Directed staff to develop, and
later the release of, heifer pregnancy expected progeny
differences on sires as a special research report in the
National Cattle Evaluation;
-
Approved release of and updated heifer pregnancy EPD reports in
the spring 2008 NCE, as well as a research Angus docility
genetic evaluation;
-
Voted
to inform members of current udder scoring methods and to
develop means to receive scores into Angus Herd Improvement
Records (AHIR);
-
Voted
to pursue analyzing the ultrasound and carcass AHIR data to
evaluate computing one set of carcass EPD’s;
-
Oversaw the creation of a new subsidiary, Angus Genetics Inc, to
offer genetic evaluation services to the beef industry, with
operations beginning October 1, 2007;
-
Voted
to fund a four-year University of Illinois research project on
feed efficiency as part of the Angus Foundation research
initiative.
-
Renewed funding for Year 3 of a North Carolina State University
multidisciplinary feed intake study
-
Approved a new educational three-day program, the Beef Leaders
Institute, for the Associations members 23-45 years old that
will be willing to provide young producers with insight into the
American Angus Association and all segments of the industry;
-
Voted
to suspend the fees for electronic storage of printed
registration certificates
-
Approved the policy regarding how Certified Angus Beef LLC would
consider other U.S. Department of Agriculture process-verified
program tagging programs similar to Angus Source.
-
Approve an editorial service position-later called creative
media-within API that will allow the subsidiary to provide
editorial services to producers and industry on a custom-hire
basis;
Your
American Angus Association’s Board of Directors is a diverse group
of small and large producers from an array of geographic
locations. Each has different strengths but is intent on one
focus, Angus cattle.
Sincerely,
Rob Thomas
AAA Director |
