Option 2 (CCA Member Organized Contract herds, not CCA Controlled)

  1. Features:

    • Similar to option 1 except that the CCA does not have any stake in control or ownership of the cattle
    • Reduced fees paid to CCA for supervision of mating, data collection and reporting
    • Bull owners negotiate with contract herds to ensure cattle are retained postweaning to meet program guidelines
    • Cows will be crossbred cows or straightbred commercial cows of a breed other than Charolais
    • CCA maintains a list of approved reference sires complete with current contact information for semen purchases
    • Not all progeny have to complete the test, for example only steers may be fed out
    • Bull owners decide on how much performance data will be collected
    • CCA analyzed data and reports at completion of the test
    • Guaranteed carcass EPD with a minimum accuracy of 0.65 from national cattle evaluation on all test sires at end of program, if program is CCA endorsed

  2. Specific Testing Guidelines:

    • Reference sires A minimum of two reference sires will be used in each herd. Reference sires will be previously progeny tested sires.
    • Number of Progeny per test and reference sire

    The overall goal is to have a minimum accuracy value of 0.65 on each test sire at the completion of the test. The goal is to have 20 progeny from each test sire with carcass data. In the case of multiple herds each herd will have a minimum of 5 progeny per test sire. In each herd the goal is to have 5 progeny from each of two reference sires. In a perfectly designed and completed test this scenario would give an approximate accuracy of 0.78, however it is very unlikely that any test will end up with perfect distribution and equal progeny numbers per test sire so these goals build in a margin of safety.

  3. Breeding

    Cows will be crossbred cows or straightbred commercial cows of a breed other than Charolais and will represent a cross-section of the Canadian commercial industry as much as possible. All cows in each test herd will be mated using AI. In order to keep the birth date range of calves within 90 days an estrous synchronization program with mass AI will be used in each herd unless success with a short, controlled AI breeding season can be demonstrated. To meet the progeny numbers outlined in 2 each test sire will be mated to 40 cows in total. In the case of multiple test herds each test sire will be mated to a minimum of 10 cows per test herd. Each reference will be mated to 10 cows within each test herd. The following data will be recorded:

    • Unique cow identification
    • Cow age in years
    • Cow breed composition
    • AI service date(s)
    • Sire identification

  4. Calving Ease

    All test calves will be uniquely identified at birth with a cross-reference to the dams’ identification. All male calves will be castrated by 90 days of age if they are going to be used for carcass data collection. All test calves will be managed as one contemporary group until weaning. In extreme situations the calves could be split in to more than one management group. Weaning weights will be taken when all test calves are between 140 and 270 days of age. The following data will or could be recorded:

    • Unique calf identification (required)
    • Dam identification (required)
    • Sire identification (required)
    • Date of birth (required)
    • Sex of calf (required)
    • Calving ease score (optional)
    • Birth weight (optional)
    • Weaning Management group (required)
    • Weaning date (required)
    • Actual weaning weight (required)
    • Actual weaning weigh date (if different from weaning date) (required)

  5. Feedlot and slaughter

    All test calves will be fed at one facility for finishing. Test calves will be assigned to pens based on their weaning contemporary groups. Weaning contemporary groups of test calves can be combined in to one pen for finishing. All calves should be on feed for a minimum of 180 days. Progeny will be designated for slaughter on a contemporary group basis at a constant industry standard endpoint. All progeny within a contemporary group should be slaughtered on the same day. In the situation that a contemporary group must be slaughtered on multiple days it is desirable to reduce the number of slaughter dates to a minimum and that each test and reference sire in the contemporary group be equally represented on each slaughter date. Progeny will be slaughtered at a plant where a certified Canadian Beef Grading Agency grader will record the grading information on the day following slaughter. Grading procedures and measures will follow Canadian Beef Grading Agency detailed guidelines. The following data will be recorded:

    • Feedlot unique identification cross-referenced to calf birth identification (required)
    • Date of arrival at feedlot (required)
    • Feedlot pen (required)
    • Date on test
    • Start of test weight
    • Date off test
    • End of test weight
    • Feedlot management group (required)
    • Slaughter date (required)
    • Slaughter weight (if possible)
    • Grading date (required)
    • Carcass identification cross-referenced to feedlot identification (required)
    • Hot carcass weight (required
    • Rib eye area (required)
    • Average fat (average of 3 fat measures around the rib eye) (required)
    • Grade fat (required)
    • Marbling score (required)
    • Marbling grade (required)
    • Estimated lean yield (required)

    Note: The post weaning gain test is optional. If members wish to record this information the following procedures are recommended. Two weeks after the last calves have entered the feedlot all calves will be officially weighed on test. Calves will be treated in an industry standard manner including implanting however all calves within a contemporary group must be treated the same. Progeny will be weighed off test following a 140-day test period.