Angus SteerSELECT provides an overall selection Index being NEW Interim Steer Value. It balances 5 traits that have an impact on efficiency, production, and profitability in most beef supply chains, particularly those that include lot feeding.
A NEW interim Steer Value, reported in percentiles, includes emphasis on Yearling Weight (20%), Carcass Weight (35%), Eye Muscle Area (10%), MSA Marbling (35%).
The NEW Interim Steer Value assists in making “balanced” selection decisions to identify animals that have the genetic potential to suit specific beef supply chains. Higher NEW Interim Steer Values identify steers have a balanced genetic profile with focus on beef quantity and quality.
Figure 1 shows the traits that are considered in the NEW Interim Steer Value, and how much they contribute to the overall balance of the value. The larger the segment, the greater the impact on the selection index. In the NEW Interim Steer Value, there is a focus on increasing the beef quantity (carcase weight, EMA) and quality (Marbling), while improving growth (Yearling Weight).
Figure 2 shows the selection advantage if steers are selected using the NEW Interim Steer Value. The selection advantage is calculated by ranking all animals currently tested via SteerSELECT on Total Value, and comparing the average NEW Interim genomic predictions of the heifers in the top 10% with the average NEW Interim genomic predictions of all heifers available for selection.
