Simmental
& SimGenetics Cattle
Data Driven.
Member Focused.

ASA hosted a virtual town hall covering the updates to $TI and $API. The webinar included a short presentation by ASA staff. Members had the opportunity to submit questions which were answered by ASA staff.

Doug Parke is a passionate, lifelong promoter of the Simmental breed who has been involved in every piece of the business. His early career working for prominent breeders solidified his love for Simmental. He took this knowledge to his family’s DP Sales Management, which has been supporting Simmental breeders for decades.

ASA is proud to recognize Doug for all of his efforts and contributions!

Update 9/16/2026

by Dr. Elizabeth Dressler, ASA Lead Geneticist

Economic selection indexes are a valuable tool for selection and mating decisions. One major benefit is that selection indexes combine several traits into one number that estimates expected progeny profitability for a specific production system.

When you open a sale catalog to compare two bulls, economic indexes are designed to help answer a practical question: “Which bull is expected to sire the more profitable set of calves within this production system?” ASA publishes two economic selection indexes: the all-purpose index ($API) and the terminal index ($TI). These indexes help Simmental breeders make more informed decisions by bringing the economic importance of several traits together in one easy-to-use tool.

For more than 20 years, the original $API and $TI served the breed well. But when it came to breed composition, the model was relatively broad. One general relative-emphasis framework was applied across cattle.

I think of it like reading glasses from the drugstore — they can work, but they rely on broad assumptions. The updated indexes work more like prescription glasses, tailored to the individual. The model now evaluates Simmental breed composition in 10% increments, allowing the relative emphasis on traits to change as breed composition changes.

That may be more complicated, but intuitively it makes sense. A purebred Angus bull, a half-blood Simmental bull, and a purebred Simmental bull are unlikely to contribute the same things when bred to Angus cows. The model can now better recognize those differences.

The ASA Board of Trustees recently met and selected their nominees for the upcoming Trustee election. Physical nomination ballots were sent, and the online voting portal on Herdbook is now open.

Accounts with unpaid annual service fees (ASF) were recently updated to inactive status. In order to keep your account active, ASFs must be paid and at least one animal record must be registered and/or transferred within the last two years.

Accounts must be in an active status to vote in the ongoing trustee election and to vote on rule and bylaw amendments. If you have any questions, contact ASA’s Membership Department at 406-587-4531 or members@simmgene.com.

ASA DNA Services Specialist:

Full-time, On-site The American Simmental Association (ASA), headquartered in Bozeman, Montana, is seeking a full-time staff member to join its established DNA Services team. This position plays an important role in supporting ASA members, cattle producers, and industry partners through the coordination, facilitation, and reporting of DNA and genomic testing. Ideal for individuals with a strong interest in the cattle industry, this role combines cross-departmental collaboration with detailed, accurate record management.

What happens when you bring together some of the best young cattlemen and women in the Simmental breed? A National Classic full of competition, learning, friendships, and plenty of memories. 

In Episode 3, Jon DeClerck and Ben Crites sit down with Mia Bayer to recap the 2026 AJSA National Classic in Grand Island, Nebraska; talk about some of the highlights from the week; and look ahead to Louisville, Kentucky, and the 2027 National Classic. 

Listen to the latest episode of Profit Through Science now.