Dams of Dominance: Recognition and Acknowledgement of The Gelbvieh Cow
In a year with so much to celebrate as we approach the 2021 American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) Annual National Convention & 50th Anniversary Celebration, it’s important to pay tribute to those foundational females that continue to contribute maternal excellence and longevity. The AGA recognizes females that meet strict criteria Through the Dam of Merit and Dam of Distinction program.
Objectives Of the Program:

Every fall, the AGA honors the females in the herdbook that exhibit consistent maternal efficiency through the Dam of Merit and Dam of Distinction program. The AGA credits its members who continue to place selection emphasis on the maternal traits of the breed by being owners or breeders of these outstanding Gelbvieh and Balancer® females.

The Dam of Merit honors cows that have produced at least three calves with all weaning information reported to the AGA. A Dam of Distinction meets the same requirements but must have produced 8 calves or more.
The following criteria are used to determine Dams of Merit and Dams of Distinction:
  • The female’s age at first calving must not exceed 25 months.
  • A Dam of Merit must have produced at least three calves all with weaning information reported to the AGA. A Dam of Distinction must have produced eight calves or more.
  • She must have produced her last calf during the time period between January 1 of the prior year and March 1 of the current year.
  • She must possess a minimum average weaning weight ratio for all calves of 101.
  • She must have a calving interval not exceeding the maximum, calculated by the following formula:
Finding females you have bred/own that qualify.

1. Log into your AGA Online Registry Services account.

2. Locate “Herd Mgmt” on the left side of your screen.

3. From the dropdown provided, select “Reports”

4. On the next screen you’ll find a full list of reports to choose from including:

  • Calving History
  • Weaning Worksheet
  • Performance Summary
  • Etc.

5. Locate and select the PDF icon below “Dams of Merit/Distinction” in the bottom row.

6. After processing, a clickable link will appear just below the report options:

  • “Download Dams of Merit/Distinction PDF”
Congratulations!

Of the 34,428 active cows assessed in 2021 5.3% (1,819 cows) qualify for the Dams of Merit and 1.1% (390 cows) for the Dams of Distinction honor!

Top 3 States:

Kansas 436 Total Females

Nebraska 256 Total Females

Missouri 234 Total Females

A top 20 list of the maternal influencers, owners, breeders and states housing these females can be found in the November issue of Gelbvieh World.

To find more information about the Dam of Merit and Dam of Distinction program along with a full list of the top breeders and owners in 2021, be sure to visit the Additional Member Programs page at Gelbvieh.org located under the Membership
tab.
Have questions or need more information?

For questions about this program, as well as other programs and services offered to members of the American Gelbvieh Association, please contact our office 303.465.2333 or email [email protected].
American Gelbvieh Association | 303-465-2333 | [email protected]