Sire Selection
Interestingly, data from the Cow Herd Appraisal Performance Software( CHAPS), through the North Dakota State University Extension Service and North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association( NDBCIA), suggest that with most performance traits, threshold values seem to exist that commercial beef producers can attain for relative performance within the herd, including growth, reproduction and livability. Assuming CHAPS producers are similar to other beef producers, they simply need to better understand the numbers to adequately maintain or tweak their current cow-calf enterprise.
Breed: Red Angus
Sample Bull Selection Worksheet
Reg. No. |
Sire Name |
BW |
WW |
YW |
Milk |
Marb |
REA |
HBI |
GMI |
123 |
Bull 001 |
-3.0 |
58 |
84 |
16 |
0.34 |
0.70 |
$ 118.00 |
$ 49.00 |
234 |
Bull 001 |
-1.9 |
59 |
90 |
14 |
0.68 |
0.42 |
$ 89.00 |
$ 51.00 |
345 |
Bull 001 |
-1.2 |
60 |
92 |
17 |
0.87 |
0.23 |
$ 113.00 |
$ 51.00 |
456 |
Bull 001 |
1.2 |
71 |
111 |
17 |
1.08 |
0.60 |
$ 93.00 |
$ 53.00 |
567 |
Bull 001 |
-3.1 |
57 |
88 |
21 |
0.75 |
0.51 |
$ 144.00 |
$ 51.00 |
678 |
Bull 001 |
-2.7 |
68 |
105 |
17 |
0.68 |
0.57 |
$ 128.00 |
$ 52.00 |
789 |
Bull 001 |
-2.4 |
63 |
100 |
17 |
0.60 |
0.57 |
$ 113.00 |
$ 52.00 |
AVG |
-1.9 |
62 |
96 |
17 |
0.71 |
0.51 |
$ 114.00 |
$ 51.29 |
Percentile Scores For Actual EPD |
Breed 10 % |
-1.9 |
77 |
121 |
30 |
0.79 |
0.45 |
$ 159.05 |
$ 53.29 |
Breed 30 % |
-3.2 |
66 |
103 |
25 |
0.59 |
0.26 |
$ 122.39 |
$ 51.35 |
Breed 50 % |
-1.8 |
59 |
91 |
21 |
0.46 |
0.13 |
$ 97.00 |
$ 50.00 |
Breed 70 % |
-0.4 |
52 |
79 |
17 |
0.33 |
0.00 |
$ 71.61 |
$ 48.65 |
CURRENT SIRES AS OF 9-18-2017 |
http:// redangus. org / genetics / epd-percentiles |
Enter the bull. The bulls impact production and are the tools of the trade to meet the specifications of a demanding consumer and help the cow-calf producer sustain the cowcalf herd through the selection of replacements. The message for today’ s cattle producer: Understanding value and balance is more important than the perceived, ever-desired increase in cattle performance. It’ s what’ s inside beef that counts.
Historically, we run races, and we believed that biggest is best. What happens when all of the cattle are big? As the beef cattle industry continues to mature, bull selection shifts from a simpler straight race to a more complex maze. As the race ends, we enter the maze, a maze that will drive bull selection.
The hard work starts now. Future success will be a balancing act now, weighing inputs and costs against potential additional improvement. Thus, the need for EPDs and bull selection. If puzzled, seek some advice, attend some workshops and ask for help for the questions that do not seem to have answers. carry the genes, which make up 50 percent of a calf. The sire of the cow makes up 25 percent of the calf and the sire of the mother of the cow makes up 12.5 percent of the calf. In simple terms, the last three bulls have furnished 87.5 percent of the genes in the most recent calf crop.
The same could be said of the cow side of the pedigree; however, the cow does not have the opportunity to produce copious numbers of calves, so data is more limited. And data- that is, the numbers- are the point of this discussion.
So, begin by finding registration numbers of recently purchased bulls, look up their current EPD values for the traits of interest and write them down. Once the numbers are written, data are emerging.
An average EPD calculation for the traits of interest will develop a benchmark. The benchmark relates to the calves in the pen. Modification of the benchmark is sire selection. I
The goal in the bull workshops is connectivity, connecting what one sees to the previously purchased bulls. The bulls
30 | FEBRUARY 2018