American Gelbvieh Association releases new way to calculate expected progeny differences
The American Gelbvieh Association officially released BOLT-powered expected progeny differences recently. The transition to this new single-step method of EPD calculation changes the way genomic information is incorporated into the AGA’s database and makes carrying out weekly evaluations possible.
The AGA is a part of International Genetic Solutions, which is a collaboration between several North American beef breed associations. IGS invested in the new BOLT software, which brings with it the single-step genetic evaluation, a new, more streamlined method for incorporating genomic results into EPDs. The new genetic evaluation provides more predictive EPDs, better use of genomics, more accurate accuracy reported with EPDs, all with weekly evaluations.
Producers receive more value for their genomic investment with BOLT-derived EPDs. BOLT technology is a significant improvement over the old “blending” method previously used in AGA genomic-enhanced EPDs. All the data available on animals is now used simultaneously for a more efficient EPD calculations process.
In addition to migration to the BOLT software, several important improvements and upgrades to the carcass EPDs have been employed. Advances in technology related to carcass traits have allowed for better use of more information to be incorporated into the EPDs. Correlations between carcass and ultrasound have also been updated and these model improvements lead to a slight increase in accuracy for carcass EPDs.
Several years of development, programming for system automation, and multiple test runs have lead up to the widely anticipated BOLT release by the IGS team. The advancement to BOLT technology falls in line with AGA’s goal to provide its members and commercial customers with the best available selection tools to allow them to make the best possible decisions to move their operations forward.
For more information about the release of BOLT-powered EPDs visit www.gelbvieh.org.
