Mitt French, manager, San Benito Cattle Company, San Benito, Calif., has found multiple uses for the IGENITY^® profile in the management of the ranch's 4,000-head cow herd.

"We began using IGENITY to identify parentage in our commercial cow herd. We run multiple sires in each pasture and our ranch is spread over some rough terrain, so it is difficult to identify calves at birth," French says. "IGENITY allows us to match calves with their sires, track their performance and use that information to evaluate each sire individually."

Continuing to evaluate sires and using the comprehensive IGENITY profile has allowed French to make important breeding decisions and improve his herd's genetics faster.

"By identifying parentage on calves and linking their performance back to the bulls, as well as learning the marker information from IGENITY, we have identified some superior sires in our lineup. We have collected semen on those sires and use them more heavily," he says. "We also started an embryo transfer program. We use the IGENITY profile to help make selection and mating decisions for this group of cows."

French says he has used information from the comprehensive IGENITY profile alongside EPDs and performance data to select individuals and manage carcass traits in the herd. However, he says it is the DNA information that has played the largest role in sire selection and management.

"We use DNA marker information to investigate our own sires so we can make the proper mating decisions to manage certain carcass traits," French notes. "We want all the feeder cattle we sell to grade mid-Choice or better. However, we also have to maintain acceptable Yield Grades. By knowing more about each bull, we can be sure we are making progress in selecting for Quality Grade without sacrificing Yield Grade."

He says by using IGENITY, San Benito Cattle Company can gain all the information needed in one efficient package. From parentage, to information on carcass composition traits, to BVD-PI testing, French can get plenty of information to help make effective management and selection decisions.

"Along with parentage and bull selection, we plan to begin using the IGENITY information to select replacement heifers and possibly manage and market feeder cattle," French explains. "We collect DNA samples on the calves at weaning. Using the IGENITY tissue tagging system for sample collection has helped reduce human error, ensuring that we get more good samples, and allows us to learn BVD-PI status."