DNA Testing in Angus: Why Three Out of Four Registrations Are Genotyped

A decade or two ago, sending a tissue sample to a lab was something a few progressive seedstock breeders did. Today it is routine. In an American Angus Association column on fiscal year 2025 registrations, the figure was stated plainly: 75 percent of the 309,926 registered animals were genomically tested. The same piece reported that 63 percent were sire-verified and 50 percent were verified for both sire and dam. This guide explains what that testing does and what it can and cannot do for your operation.

What genotyping is

Genotyping reads thousands of genetic markers from a small sample, typically hair or tissue. The lab does not read the animal's whole genome. Instead, it records which variants the animal carries at known marker positions. Those results are fed into the national cattle evaluation along with pedigree and performance records, and they produce what are called genomic-enhanced EPDs, or GE-EPDs.

Three jobs a test does

1. It improves accuracy early in life

A calf has no performance records of its own and no progeny. Traditionally, its EPDs were just the average of its parents' values, which says nothing about which parent's genes the calf actually inherited. A genomic test shows which version of each marker the calf received, so two full siblings can get different values. This is most valuable for young animals and for traits that are hard or expensive to measure, such as feed intake or carcass merit. Our guide to what GE-EPDs add goes through the mechanics.

2. It verifies parentage

Sire and dam errors happen, especially in multi-sire pastures or when calf tags get switched. Marker data can confirm or correct the pedigree. That is why the Association tracks sire-verified and dam-verified percentages. Wrong parentage poisons EPDs, because the animal gets credit or blame for relatives that are not truly its own.

3. It screens for genetic conditions

Testing can flag carrier status for known inherited conditions, so breeders can avoid carrier-to-carrier matings. The tests available evolve, so ask a lab or the Association which ones apply to the cattle you own.

What a test does not do

Genotyping does not replace performance recording. It adds to it. The Association's own data show that genotypes alone do not drive accuracy; direct records still raise it the most. An Angus Genetics Inc. geneticist wrote that for hard-to-measure traits like intake, animals that have both genomic information and their own phenotypes reach the highest average accuracy (Angus Journal). In other words, keep weighing calves and recording data, because the test works best on top of good records.

A genomic test also cannot fix a bad management program or turn a structurally unsound animal into a good one. Look at the animal and the pedigree as well as the number.

Should a commercial herd test?

Registered producers sell animals on EPDs, so testing is close to a requirement of the market. Commercial producers face a different decision. A few situations where a test can pay:

• Selecting replacement heifers. Testing heifer calves can help pick which to keep when you cannot afford to retain them all, especially if you lack individual records.
• Buying bulls or heifers from a source that has tested, since you benefit from more accurate numbers at no extra cost.
• Retaining ownership where carcass and feed traits affect your return.

Where you sell all calves at weaning on the same price schedule and keep few heifers, the payback is thinner. Do the arithmetic with current lab fees, which vary by product and change over time, and compare it to the value of one better replacement decision.

What the 75 percent figure suggests, and what it does not

It tells us testing is mainstream among registered Angus, and that the breed's evaluation sits on a growing pool of genotypes. It does not show that every registered animal is a better animal. It also says nothing about commercial cattle, where testing rates are lower and less documented. A high testing rate means more data and therefore a stronger evaluation, but selection still has to be done thoughtfully.

Practical tips

• Ask sellers whether their animals have GE-EPDs and which tests were run.
• Sample cleanly and label carefully. A mislabeled sample undermines the whole point.
• Combine genomic results with your own weights, calving records and visual appraisal.
• Keep a copy of results and the registration numbers together.

For buyers of beef

You will not see a genomic result on a package of steak, but the effect shows up in consistency. Better selection tools help producers aim at carcass quality, and brand programs such as Certified Angus Beef then verify results at the packing plant. For more on genetic selection generally, read farm.fm's page on mastering Angus cattle genetics, and use the agriculture directory to find labs, extension help and seedstock suppliers.

Testing options, fees and the Association's statistics are updated regularly. Check current American Angus Association and Angus Genetics Inc. materials before making a purchase. This site is independent and not affiliated with either organization.