Canadian Simmental Association North American EPD system – Bar 5 Sire Summary

A. Canadian Simmental Association Information Technology System

The CSA made the decision some10 years ago to be part of an over all North American Evaluation system for the Simmental breed. Once a year the CSA sends all performance information the ASA for processing.

We have asked the CSA to review the processing of the information in regards to Imports and Embryo transfer calves.

The system differs from University of Guelph – BIO in that the comtemperary groups are owned cattle by the breeder, where the U of G system is physical residence of the cattle for contemporary.

We believe in the residence system. At this time, the system used in North America for Simmental is outdated and not updated for the modern info tech world, as it will not use the 12 years of Ultrasound data collected by Bar 5.

We are hoping for change.

The CAA uses Breedplan for the EPD Genetic Evaluation reporting system.

NORTH AMERICAN SIMMENTAL & ANGUS GENETIC EVALUATION EPD CHART

Warning: CSA & North American Simmental Genetic Evaluation

We encourage users to ignore the EPD info provided by the CSA, especially on Imported genetics in the North American system until such time as the CSA can understand and implement a system that is meaningful to and for the users of the breed and the information. Obviously, we are very disappointed in the lack of technology within the CSA Breed Improvement Committee and CSA Marketing Plan, as the complete failure by the CSA to add credibility to the Info tech system leaves the vast majority of Simmentals users further behind in this high tech world.

The EPD information produced by our home association, CSA (Canadian Simmental Association) for the Simmental breed, is produced by the ASA (American Simmental Association) by Cornell University, and does not take into account Imported cattle, and/or Embryo transfer calves. Therefore, rendering a substantial portion of the breed with no meaningful or relevant Genetic Evaluations within North America.

As the cattle in question are residents of Canada, so we started with the CSA.

The CSA -- In 1999, we brought our concerns to the CSA at the AGM in Brandon, MB. Again, to Board members in 2001, 2002, 2003, & the AGM in 2004. At the AGM in 2004, Andy Olanksi, Fred Schuetze and Greg Nolan, asked the CSA Board to review the situation of Imported Animals.

At time of this writing, in May 2005, after multiple requests by our office, letters from our corporate lawyers, a visit by Ron Nolan, Bar 5 President on Wednesday, April 28, 2005 in the CSA office for a 6 hour meeting with CSA Representatives; the CSA contacted us on Thursday, May 27, 2005 and said they agree with our analysis of the system and will look at ways to change it.

On Wednesday, May 18, 2005 – Greg submitted a list of Angus entered into the ASA system and Imported SA bulls from Bar 5 & BHR. I was contacted by a CSA representative and said he can not make sense of the Angus vs. Imported Fleckviehs, and he will personally oversee a review.

On May 9, 2005 -- In complete frustration, we have formally requested for all Imported cattle, a specifically for our own South African imports, the CSA has agreed to use "N/A" for Bar 5 imported cattle, as the system is incapable of producing meaningful information. We encourage all to do the same.

We thank and congratulate the CSA President on his involvement in this issue. We will await his review.

The ASA -- Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - We turned our sites on the ASA, for results. I emailed the list below to Fred Schuetze, Chairman of the ASA. Our presentation of the comparative numbers of the “”Angus vs. the SA & German Imported bulls””, has cause ASA Chairman Fred Scuetze to order an immediate review of the system.

The Imported animals were entered into the ASA system at zero for all traits prior to 1993, whereby the ASA became aware of the situation and initiated the animals to be entered at a compilation of the breed average of the parents for their birth years. Obviously, the system has not been corrected as indicated to Bar5 at our request in June 2003 to the management of the ASA as to how the ASA was handling their own information for imported animals, as well as the ASA processing the CSA information.

The ASA does not input any information from foreign herd books nor attempt to adjust to match any format usable in the North American system, although this seems to be the case for American Angus cattle.

Thursday, May 27, 2005 – He agrees to seize the EPD system of NA, with CSA President Bruce Holmquist, until the managers, advisors & tech guys can explain to him the errors, with a System Review.

We congratulate Fred in his initiation of this review. Thank you.

What does the future hold? We do not know. We hope both the CSA & ASA develop awareness of the system and correct it. We have the awareness, and we would willingly use our office and our industry connections to rectify the issues, they merely have to ask.

We hope to see the imported animals go in at Country of origin numbers, ET calf information be used and the expansion of contemporary groups and other features added to the system

Bar 5 Genetic Evaluations

Bar 5 Information technology http://www.bar5.com/infolinks.htm Bar 5 production Targets BAR 5 BREEDING PRODUCTION TARGETS & GOALS  University of Guelph-BIO EPD system - http://www.bar5.com/bar5BIObulls.htm

B. AMERICAN SIMMENTAL ASSOCIATION GENETIC EVALUATION SYSTEM

The ASA Genetic Evaluation system is produced by Cornell University with the information put forth by the ASA.

The database uses all information from ASA & CSA in what is called a North American Evaluation. The ASA runs the information twice yearly.

The ASA, at the present time, inputs into the system Angus at Angus calculated EPD’s but not Simmental from Foreign Herdbooks.

ASA Search page

American Simmental Association description of Across Breed EPDs

EXAMPLES OF ANIMALS IN THE ASA SYSTEM:

Angus	Fleckvieh
2146552	2151235
2136255	2012612
2061746	1964533
2162514	2099504
2109292	2179006
2083298	2205939
2032009	2047677

NOTE : Angus EPD’s information being inputted into the NA Genetic Evaluation system.

In the May of 2003, the ASA began to add Angus cattle into the database, at the Angus produced EPD from the American Angus system, adjusted to a Simmental base.

In conclusion, and to our amazement, the Cornell U. system can find a way to input another breed but not Simmental from another country. Again, we apologize to users of Fleckvieh and Simmental genetics, and again, confirm our unbending commitment to resolving this issue.