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Steve McGuire Receives BIF Pioneer Award

The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) has recognized Steve McGuire with the Pioneer Award, one of the organization's highest honors, recognizing individuals whose contributions have significantly advanced beef cattle improvement.

According to Dr. Wade Shafer, Steve's journey to becoming one of the industry's most influential figures was anything but predictable. Growing up on the shores of Lake Michigan and attending Kalamazoo College on a football scholarship, Steve had no connection to the beef industry in his youth. After graduation, he accepted a position as a math teacher in Kalamazoo, a career path that seemed unlikely to lead to a future in cattle genetics.

Learn more about the career and contributions that earned him one of the industry’s highest honors.

Dr. Jackie Atkins Receives BIF Continuing Service Award

The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) has recognized Dr. Jackie Atkins with the Continuing Service Award, honoring her sustained leadership and dedication to advancing genetic improvement within the beef industry. Jackie truly embodies the spirit of continuing service, having dedicated her career to tirelessly advancing genetic improvement in beef cattle.

A reproductive physiologist by training, Jackie often jokes that she is a “real” animal breeder—in that she uses her arm rather than a computer for breeding. Through her good-natured humor and exceptional communication and facilitation skills, Jackie has guided International Genetic Solutions (IGS)—an organization focused on animal breeding in the traditional sense—to effectively and efficiently provide multi-breed EPD to thousands of breeders across virtually all breeds and multiple countries.

Learn more about her contributions and the collaborative spirit that has defined her work throughout her career.

Join us August 28–31 at ASA Headquarters in Bozeman, Montana, for this year’s event. Fall Focus offers valuable opportunities to connect with fellow breeders and learn about what's happening at ASA.

For full event details and to register, visit fallfocus.org

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS

The American Simmental Association (ASA) is seeking a forward-thinking, results-driven leader to serve as Director of Finance & Operations.

This individual will provide oversight across financial management, administrative operations, human resources, and publication functions, while serving as a key partner to the Executive Vice President.

FRONTLINE & MEMBERSHIP SPECIALIST

The American Simmental Association is seeking a full-time staff member to join its established FrontLine Services team. This position serves as a primary point of contact for ASA members and cattle producers, assisting with animal registrations, transfers, and general support for ASA programs and services. Ideal candidates will have a strong interest in the cattle industry, excellent communication and customer service skills, and strong attention to detail. This role involves crossdepartmental collaboration, accurate record management, and backup support for Accounts Receivable and general customer service functions as needed, providing exposure to the broader operations of a national beef cattle breed association.

Molly Diefenbach and Dr. Elizabeth Dressler of the American. Simmental Association share practical guidance on DNA sampling and the power of genomically enhanced EPDs. Learn how collecting the right data at the right time can make a huge difference in your herd’s progress.

Update May 17, 20226

Heifer Pregnancy EPD: Expanding the Maternal Trait Toolbox

The new heifer pregnancy (HP) expected progeny difference (EPD), available for all animals on Herdbook.org beginning the week of May 18, 2026, provides another tool for maternal trait selection. After extensive development and validation by International Genetic Solutions (IGS), the HP EPD is now available for ASA members. ASA remains committed to developing genetic selection tools for economically relevant traits, and the release of the HP EPD represents another advancement in maternal trait evaluation. For producers retaining replacement females, the HP EPD is a valuable addition to your selection criteria.

Click here to read more.

Update April 4, 2026

What the Docility Evaluation Updates Mean for You

Docility isn’t just about convenience. From reducing risk in the chute to improving handling efficiency, docility plays a bigger role in operations than ever before. As part of an ongoing series of updates to the genetic evaluation, updates to the Docility evaluation will be implemented into production beginning the week of April 13, 2026.

Click here to read more

ASA Releases Heifer Pregnancy EPD in Research Release Format

Update March 13, 2026

Replacement heifer development represents a significant financial investment in a cow-calf operation. A heifer that fails to conceive during their first breeding season is a significant economic investment that returns substantially less value to the operation compared to a productive female. Improving fertility in replacement females is therefore one of the most effective ways to improve long-term herd profitability. Expected progeny differences (EPD) for heifer pregnancy (HP) have been released by the American Simmental Association (ASA) in a research release format. This EPD is designed to help producers select sires whose daughters are more likely to conceive during their first breeding season as heifers.

Click to read the full update.

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