by Samantha Cunningham , PhD Geneticist for the North American Limousin Foundation
Fall is a season for keeping score or taking measure : football , harvest and fall cattle work which includes weaning for many , for example . Just as we all cheer for different teams and harvest different crops at different times , as cattlemen and women , we are likely placing emphasis on different traits when making selection decisions on the farm / ranch . And that ’ s okay , because we need to do what works best for us and our operation ; however , there are a few things that can be done to not only help ourselves and our cattle , but also our customers and our breed . There are at least a few times per year when we are seeing our entire herd — calving , branding , breeding and weaning . As you work your way through an annual production calendar , what data columns are you filling in on your operation , and how will you use that data to make informed decisions ?
As cattle producers , we have a plethora of tools at our fingertips that can ( and should ) help with decision making — pedigrees , performance data , genomic results and EPDs . EPDs , of course , are one of the most valuable tools in our toolbox , as they are a combination of those things listed , taking into account the performance of an animal ’ s relatives , the results of any genomic testing , and that animal ’ s own performance . Measuring and recording an individual animal ’ s own performance is one of the most valuable things we can do because these data points are necessary to support the accuracy of the genomic marker effects in the EPDs . Likewise , by increasing the amount of data collected , as it relates to a particular animal , we can also increase our EPD accuracies which , as you know , will help us make selection decisions that will impact future generations and profits . Which brings me back to my original question — what columns are you filling in this year at weaning and how will you use that data in informed decision making ?
An animal has as many phenotypes as it has traits to measure , and a genetic evaluation is only as good as the data submitted . Genetic predictions have come a long way , but the basics for these predictions remain the same : phenotype ( an animal ’ s performance ),
TABLE 1 Birth Data |
Weaning Data |
Ultrasound Data |
Yearling Data |
|
100-310 days of age |
270-500 days of age |
270-500 days of age |
Dam information * |
Weaning date * |
Ultrasound date |
Yearling date * |
Calf birth date |
Weight * |
Weight |
Weight * |
Service Type ( Nat / AI / ET ) |
Temperament |
Weaning group |
Temperament |
Sire Reg . No .* |
Height ( hip height ) |
Height ( hip height ) |
Height ( hip height ) |
Register Y / N |
Premise / Pasture |
Management |
Scrotal on bulls |
Herd Prefix |
Management |
REA |
Pelvic area |
Tattoo * |
Feed |
Fat |
Premise / Pasture |
Tag |
Status |
% IMF |
Management |
Sex * |
Dam status |
Rump fat |
Feed |
H / P / S |
Dam weight |
Scrotal on bulls |
Status |
Color |
Dam hip height |
|
Primary calving season |
Weight |
Dam body condition |
|
Bulls can be changed to steers |
CE score |
Bulls can be changed to steers |
|
|
Twin code Management Name Disposal Season Premise / Pasture |
|
|
|
Breeding & Embryo information for calf |
* Required and recommended data ( www . nalf . org ) |
64 • OCTOBER 2021