Finally got done with V1 of the genetic model. Going to start the game over today and have it apply basic traits from the start.
For the current version of testing, each calf inherits eight separate genetic traits — Frame, Muscle, Growth, Fertility, Maternal, Carcass, Structure, and Disposition — independently. There's no single "genetic score" being passed down. The overall rating you see is calculated after each trait is determined.
A calf's starting point is built from its pedigree: 70% from its parents, 20% from its grandparents, and 10% from its great-grandparents. Deep, consistent pedigrees matter.
From there, two things happen.
First, Mendelian sampling — the genetic lottery of which alleles each parent passed on. This is why two full siblings from the same flush can turn out very differently. Second, the calf either improves or regresses relative to its pedigree. Animals below the herd average are more likely to improve; animals above it are more likely to regress. Selection pressure — choosing which animals to breed — is what moves your herd forward over time.
Different traits respond to selection at different speeds. Heritability controls this. High-heritability traits like Frame and Muscle respond fast to good breeding decisions. Low-heritability traits like Fertility take many more generations to shift.
edited 5/12/2026 7:52 AM