Maternal or terminal – matching selection criteria with purpose
Not all bulls are designed to make cows and not all bulls are designed to make high gaining, high grading feeder cattle – this is a fact that often gets overlooked when buying bulls. Some suggest a bull can offer the best of both worlds, but it simply isn’ t true. There are far too many genetic antagonisms between maternal and terminal traits. Before purchasing your next bull, determine the primary purpose of your bull and then select a bull that has the necessary traits to meet your needs.
If producing replacement females is the primary goal, prioritize your selection criteria according to the following:
• Fertility – Fertility is the most economically important trait in cow / calf production, so make sure to find an early-maturing bull with adequate scrotal circumference that has easily passed a breeding soundness exam.
• Calving Ease( Maternal and Direct) – Calving ease indexes are important because of the direct link to fertility. These indices account for birth weight, cow size, age and body condition, making them more robust and useful than actual birth weight or birth weight Expected Progeny Difference( EPD).
• Longevity / Structural Soundness – Longevity is a difficult trait to measure, so select bulls out of older cows with complete production records to make sure they are structurally sound.
• Feed Efficiency – Feed costs account for 70 % of the total cost of production. Using Residual Feed Intake( RFI) and not Feed: Gain ratio as selection for Feed: Gain will result in increased mature size and feed requirements of the cow herd.
• Frame Size – Frame size is an indicator of mature weight and feed requirements. Cattle that are too small lose both gain and production efficiency, while cattle that are too large have increased maintenance requirements.
• Carcass Traits( Ribeye Area and Marbling) – Carcass traits impact yield and quality and should be considered in maternal bulls. Select bulls with acceptable carcass value but don’ t overemphasize carcass traits or you will select terminal bulls.
• Milk and Weaning Weight – Milk and Weaning Weight EPDs fall to the bottom of the list because they are cost-increasing traits rather than cost-reducing traits. Although most producers sell calves at weaning and these traits impact sale weight, increased production is associated with a cost increase, so there is an optimum level of milk and weaning weight.
When purchasing a bull to produce feeder cattle only and no replacement females, prioritize your selection criteria according to the following:
• Gain / Feed Efficiency – First and foremost, terminal bulls should add growth and gain efficiency to the calf crop.
• Carcass Traits – Terminal bulls should increase yield, and at the very least, maintain carcass quality.
• Calving Ease / Fertility – Open cows and dead calves don’ t make
It is important to find a bull that fits your needs and purpose. any money, but a heifer bull is not necessary for mature cows.
• Weaning and Yearling Weight – Based upon available marketing options, utilize weaning or yearling weight data to improve / optimize sale weights.
Remember, bull selection is one of the most important decisions you will make as a beef producer, so do your homework and find a bull that not only fits your needs but also fits the purpose – maternal or terminal.
By Kevin Shaffer, WVU Extension Specialist – Livestock
West Virginia heirloom beans
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If you have an heirloom variety in your region that you would like evaluated, please contact WVU Extension Commercial Horticulture Specialist Lewis Jett( Lewis. Jett @ mail. wvu. edu; 304-293-2634).
By Lewis Jett, WVU Extension Specialist – Commercial Horticulture
Insert provided by WVU Extension Service and Davis College of Ag., Natural Resources, and Design Winter 2016
West Virginia Farm Bureau News 17