Where Food Comes From Inc. (WFCF), a resource for independent, third-party verification of food production practices in North America, announced July 16 that its IMI Global division has established an exclusive partnership with International Genetic Solutions (IGS) to offer the IGS Feeder Profit Calculator within its suite of verification services for beef producers.

The IGS Feeder Profit Calculator utilizes the largest and most comprehensive set of management and genetic data available in the beef industry to calculate the relative value of feeder calves in a one-of-a-kind, breed agnostic, independent manner, the announcement said.

The evaluation and resulting value is based on both management and genetic criteria, WFCF said, explaining that the relative value, as indicated on a formal certificate, enables producers to benchmark their work to continuously improve management and genetic decisions in their herds. For cattle buyers, it provides insight into projected feedlot and carcass trait performance and overall profit potential, WFCF said.

“The IGS Feeder Profit Calculator is the perfect addition to our suite of value-added services for our beef producers,” said Leann Saunders, president of IMI Global. “We have been searching for this kind of solution for years and feel that the IGS tool is far and away the most inclusive and sophisticated calculator available in the industry today. By enabling beef producers to see the value their management and genetic decisions are providing to their operation, it enables them to have a benchmark from which they can make confident, knowledgeable choices about how to continuously improve their operations. ... Knowledge matters, and the IGS calculator provides producers with one more tool in their toolbox to make transparent, informed management decisions.”

The IGS Feeder Profit Calculator will be offered to all of IMI Global’s customers at no added cost to their existing verification programs.

“Deciding to establish a partnership with a company like IMI Global was an easy decision for us,” said Chip Kemp, director of IGS commercial and industry operations. “Even in today’s data-driven world, this level of genetic awareness in the commercial cattle sector is woefully inadequate. Price discovery as we know it today most often does not take into account the actual performance potential of a producer’s cattle. The IGS Feeder Profit Calculator is unique in that it offers a level of genetic awareness of feeder calves that has not been previously possible in the beef business. This, combined with the progressive, market-driven programs IMI Global provides, will enable their producers to market calves with the ultimate value-added package.”