Carcass Quality has long been a focus of our breeding program here at Summitcrest. We keep in mind that beef and beef consumption by the consumer is the ultimate reason we are in this business. That is not to imply that performance and maternal traits are secondary or less important, but rather beef quality is a vital component of our total performance-breeding program.
Summitcrest has created a unique situation within the seedstock industry to do what few seedstock suppliers do; WE FEED OUT OUR OWN CATTLE! To understand our own cattle better, Summitcrest feeds out 350+ head annually. The cattle originate from our registered and commercial cow herd.
The data from the cattle that we have harvested proves that carcass quality and yield grade improvement can be achieved at the same time along with total performance. These same results are evident in the EPDs of our leading sires where we have been able to continuously improve our Carcass EPDs and our Performance EPDs. Over the years we have been able to improve our choice select mix, improve our CAB® acceptance rate, and increase prime while also improving carcass weights and harvesting cattle at younger ages.
This data has been incorporated into our breeding plan allowing us to stack pedigrees with several generations of cattle with positive marbling, Ribeye and negative waste fat traits which improves both the value of the carcass cuts as well as the yield and weights of these cuts. This practice gives us not only the ability to predict the future results of our own cattle which was demonstrated in the 1991 Certified Angus Beef LLC carcass contest where we were the only consignment to qualify for 100% CAB®, but to assist our customers predict potential results and how their cattle might perform on carcass quality grids such as Angus GeneNet and Angus America, to name a few.
In addition to the carcass data collected on our steers fed thru our feedlot we also collect ultrasound information on all of the bulls we sell as well as all of our replacement females. By the end of spring 2004 we will have over 7000 animals in our own database with ultrasound data.
Recently we have started to utilize DNA markers for marbling and tenderness with some fantastic results. Six bulls which are slated to sell in our 2004 Nebraska bull sale were tested By Gene Star and were found to have a six out of six markers or “stars” for marbling and tenderness. At that time there were only six other animals in the Angus breed with these same six stars, Summitcrest bred 8 of the 12 as of that time. As more tests become available you can be certain that Summitcrest will be evaluating this technology so that we can add move value and predictability in our genetics.
SUMMITCREST CARCASS EVALUATION FACTS:
- Largest registered herd contributor to the American Angus Association carcass database, the largest in the beef industry.
- 95% of our producing cows carry an interim carcass EPD. 95% of our replacement females carry an interim carcass EPD. (To achieve interim carcass EPD the sire and maternal grandsire must be carcass evaluated with the American Angus Association)
- 1992 Certified Angus Beef Commitment to Excellence Award winner (Certified Angus Beef LLC has the most successful branded beef program in the beef industry today.
- Gathering Ultrasound Data since 1996 with over 8,500 individual scans
- Over 25 years of meaningful carcass data collection within herd.
