Executive Summary
More on BOLT
By Mark Anderson, NALF executive director
Fall of 2018 has been transitional, as the North
American Limousin Foundation has joined
13 other breeds at International Genetic
Solutions with the switch to the BOLT EPD
cattle evaluation. As mentioned in previous
articles for the past two years, the move will
capitalize on the genomic enhancement
technology that is available to seedstock
producers as they make their mating selections
to raise seedstock that are of superior value.
the animal’s life what kind of cattle they have on
the ground rather than waiting for progeny to
improve or verify the accuracy of the published
EPD. Limousin breeders have utilized genomic
testing heavily the past three years and will now
be extracting more meaningful data on their cattle
which they deserve given the money they have
invested on getting their cattle on the profilers.
Limousin cattle faired very well in the across
breed comparisons to other breeds of cattle in
Many commercial
the switch. They consistently
cow/calf operations
have ranked in the top end of
The one exception is the
are becoming aware
trait comparisons for the bulk of
of purchasing bulls
the 17 published EPD traits. The
marbling
EPD,
which
the
that have been
biggest shift for Limousin was
gnomically enhanced
in the milk EPD where the breed
breed needs to continue
for EPD traits. They
shift took our base from 27 to 20
to
focus
on
without
single
know that this
pounds which was actually more
verifies that their bull
trait selecting to improve its representative of the real milk
battery purchases
EPD value. Cattle that did take
commercial demand.
can actually
a downward shift on their milk
make the genetic
EPD did so in many cases because
improvement in
their genomic marker effect for
their commercial herds they are counting on
milk were actually 1-3 standard deviations below
when they make the actual purchase. The BOLT
the breed average in milk in their DNA test.
system of EPD calculation extracts much more
Some individuals also had more progeny data
data out of the DNA testing than the old Cornell
turned in since the spring 2018 run that ratioed
method that has been used for years. In the
lower on their weaning weight data as well.
past, the old Cornell system utilized the MBV
Limousin ranks exceptionally well in calving
(Molecular Breeding Values) and a 1-10 score for
ease, weight traits, stayability, and actually
each trait to blend the genomics into the EPD, the
number one in the docility EPD thanks to the
new BOLT system actually utilizes the genomic
breeds focus on correcting this trait the previous
markers for each trait to enhance the EPD trait.
15 years. Across breed comparisons for the
As a result, the effective progeny equivalents for
Limousin breed look extremely favorable. This
traits are much higher giving producers an early
would be a positive testament for Limousin
peak into the animals true EPD value. Breeders
breeders who as a whole have taken their data
of seedstock cattle are finding out very early in
and their herdbook seriously the past 30 years
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