CALF_News_August_September_2020

45 CALF News • August | September 2020 • www.calfnews.net T op Dollar Angus has been in business for almost 6 years and continues to grow rapidly. Its core concept is built on objectively verifying Angus and Red Angus-based feeder calves that objectively rank in the top 25 percent of the breed population for growth and carcass traits. It’s a simple matter of better genetics equals more valuable cattle. Top Dollar Angus charges participating cow-calf producers a modest fee for its verification services; use of the Top Dollar Angus logo in“labeling” qualified feeder cattle groups; and for the marketing support services it provides leading up to sale day. Approximately 150 elite seedstock producers also work with Top Dollar Angus via a partnership program designed to help them assist their most loyal bull customers, creating a win-win for both entities through the Top Dollar Angus feeder calf program. From a cattle feeding perspective, Top Dollar Angus pro- vides third-party genetic verification services that allow feed- yard buyers to be confident the growth and carcass genetics they’re purchasing are on the high end of the bell curve. Cattle generally look alike, so you can’t be sure if they are genetically good, bad or indifferent without some type of independent verification based on objective data. Analysts at Top Dollar Angus use historical bull expected progeny differences (EPDs) and/or DNA scores to quantify the genetics of each calf crop they evaluate to determine if that particular group is worthy of the Top Dollar Angus brand. Those that do qualify become both a known and a positive to the potential buyer. Their genetics have been quantified and Top Dollar Angus’ Mission Is Genetic Improvement by Tom Brink, CEO, Red Angus Association of America, and Founder of Top Dollar Angus, Inc. Top Dollar Angus is ultimately a business with a mission to provide cattle feeders with exactly what they want in the form of healthy, genetically superior cattle that excel in growth, feed efficiency and superior carcass characteristics. are therefore known . And because these cattle rank high in the population, their genetic merit represents a positive attribute that will benefit the buyer. There is also a bigger picture perspective to all of this. By only recognizing and rewarding the very best in growth and carcass genetics, Top Dollar Angus incentivizes the creation of genetically superior cattle. Quite a few ranchers who initially try to get their calf crops into Top Dollar Angus fall short, and find they need to ramp up their genetics before they can qualify. Many will then take prescriptive action by upgrading the genetics in their bull batteries, enabling them to join the program within a year or two. It is always encouraging to see producers get serious about what they’re producing, especially when they raise their sights toward a high-end genetic target. Top Dollar Angus is ultimately a business with a mission to provide cattle feeders with exactly what they want in the form of healthy, genetically superior cattle that excel in growth, feed efficiency and superior carcass characteristics. We make every effort to help producers understand that they can be more suc- cessful themselves by providing their feedyard customers with more of what they need and want. Our mission is to facilitate true genetic improvement that results in cattle being worth more for everyone who owns them throughout the entire supply chain. For more information, contact Jared Wareham at 660-492- 2777 or jared@topdollarangus.com . 