Arthrogryposis Multiplex (AM) ??-?

[Oldtimer]

The AAA came out today with a revised policy for known genetic defect carriers ....This one is a combined policy on AM & NH. The major points are included in the following segment:

" ... it expands the window of opportunity in which members can continue to register heifers that are known carriers of these defects. The "sunset" provision for registration of AM-carrier heifers is now December 31, 2011. The "sunset" provision for registration of NH-carrier heifers is June 14, 2012. Beginning January 1, 2010, AM-carrier bulls – and June 15, 2010, NH-carrier bulls – will not be eligible for registration."

 

[Brandonm22]

"it expands the window of opportunity in which members can continue to register heifers that are known carriers of these defects. The "sunset" provision for registration of AM-carrier heifers is now December 31, 2011. The "sunset" provision for registration of NH-carrier heifers is June 14, 2012. Beginning January 1, 2010, AM-carrier bulls – and June 15, 2010, NH-carrier bulls – will not be eligible for registration."

Let the buyer beware.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Looks like the "pressure" caved them in. Time will tell.

 

[Oldtimer]

Looks like the "pressure" caved them in. Time will tell.

BIG MONEY TALKS BIG !!!!

 

[Brandonm22]

Looks like the "pressure" caved them in. Time will tell.

Yep they caved in completely. I wonder if they will fold again and extend those deadlines???

 

[bigag03]

I know I am in the minority, but I think they did the right thing, or at least they are getting there. If it was me, I would stop registration of carrier bulls today, but I would have no window to register carrier females. If we aren't letting carrier bulls out on the market, it doesn't matter if there are a few carrier females out there.

 

[VanC]

I know I am in the minority, but I think they did the right thing, or at least they are getting there. If it was me, I would stop registration of carrier bulls today, but I would have no window to register carrier females. If we aren't letting carrier bulls out on the market, it doesn't matter if there are a few carrier females out there.

I don't see how you can keep every carrier bull off the market. Sure, you can keep them from being registered, but not everyone uses registered bulls. If everyone were well educated on AM, and everyone did the right thing, then there would be no more AM calves, even if there were still carriers. Unfortunately, that's probably not the case.

 

[Brandonm22]

I don't see how you can keep every carrier bull off the market. Sure, you can keep them from being registered, but not everyone uses registered bulls. If everyone were well educated on AM, and everyone did the right thing, then there would be no more AM calves, even if there were still carriers. Unfortunately, that's probably not the case.

Exactly, I am reading very little about this outside of the internet and Angus publications. I would love to see commercial cattlemen polled. I am betting that 70-80% haven't heard of this yet or don't really understand it yet. Most who use Angus heavily probably already have some carriers for AM or NH in their cowherd. By knuckling under this means that carrier cows will still be out there in the registered bull momma herd thru at least 2025 (A Christmas 2011 heifer who produces until she is 13). If people don't exercise some self restraint, a lot of less well informed Angus bull buyers are going to get burned by this.

 

[Angus In Texas]

I share the fears of dead calves turning up in commercial herds. There have been a number of sales of bulls in the last few years which have been sired by now-tested carriers. There are also a lot of them around which have NHC in their pedigrees too and there's nothing being printed in any sales catalogue I've been sent in the last few weeks about that particular nightmare. I'm too far from any of the sales to find out if they say anything on sale day.

I am about to make my own unwilling contribution to the problem, for all that I wished to avoid doing so: I have too many calves from last calving to carry through this winter, so a number of them, untested, are off to a sale tomorrow. My agent tells me few such calves are bought by breeders, but I will have no control over that. The sire of most of them is AMF, but we're still waiting for the NH test to become available and I'm running out of grass.

Next year I will sell no carriers. My breed association has failed to express any concern about the problem in commercial herds. But it's not going to take too many dead black calves in the commercial world to slaughter any market for the breed in my neighbourhood. I'm small-fry compared with many of the longer-established herds, and I cannot understand the apparent complete silence on their part about the whole thing, when they have so much more to lose.

Yes these genetic defects need to be dealt with and eliminated but what you are forgetting is that the genetics that have brought about these defects have been around for almost 20 years and there has not been an outbreak of dead commercial calves. Why would that all of a sudden change now that they have identified the defects? Yes they should be eliminated so they aren't propagated any further than they already are, but at the same time people need to step back and have some rational about it all. 1680, which has been the highly used source of these defects was born in 1990. Everyone needs to just take a deep breath and have some rational about it all but at the same time don't propagate these defects and do what is morally and ethically correct with regards to your breeding stock sales.

 

[bigag03]

Why is this industry the only industry that makes rules and regulations based on not hurting the idiots!?!?!

I would bet money that every commercial producer using Angus bulls, (here comes the caveat) who's living is made solely in cattle (or a large percentage of it), knows about AM and NH and is making preparations to breed around it.

Why is it the seedstock industry's job to get our coloring book out for every weekend warrior with 5 cows? I am completely in favor of educating when possible, providing all available information (good and bad), and being honest in everything we do; but at the end of the day, commercial producers have to step up and take responsiblity for their herds and their decisions.