Back to Basics Selection Tools for Beef Cattle Improvement

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Back to BasicsSelection Tools for Beef Cattle
Improvement
AMERICAN ANGUS ASSOCIATION

• Sally L. Northcutt
• Genetic Research Director
• American Angus Association

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The evolution of livestock measurement
AVERAGE DAILY GAIN
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Beef Improvement Records
9,112 herds
329,167 weaning wts
15 million pedigrees
14 million measures
Fiscal 2005
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The Performance Life of an Angus Calf

• Breeding records
• Cow disposal information
• Pregnancy check results
• Calving data

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The Performance Life of an Angus Calf

• Birth weight (within 24 hr of birth scales)
• Calf sex
• Calving score (1 to 5)
• 1 unassisted 4 C-section
• 2 some assistance 5 Abnormal presentation
• 3 mechanical
• Birth type (single, twin)
• Weaning weight, creep or no creep (120-280)
• Mature cow size data ( 45 days of weaning wt)
• Cow body condition score (1 to 9)
• Cow weight height

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The Performance Life of an Angus Calf

• Yearling weight, hip height (320-440 days of age)
• Scrotal circumference (320-440)
• Temperament (320-440 1 to 6 scale)
• Ultrasound data (bulls 320-440 heifers 320-460)

• Carcass progeny data

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Age in Days Calculator
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Age in Days Calculator
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How are your weight and measures used?

• AHIR summary reports
• Adjusted measures
• Ratios
• EPDs

• Adjusted measures are used, not the Ratios.
• Contemporary group definition by the breeder is
  critical.

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Contemporary Groups
A group of cattle of the same breed, of the same
sex, born in the same season, at the same
location, managed alike from birth to the time of
measurement.

• Proper contemporary grouping eliminates
  environmental effects.
• Differences expressed between cattle are then
  genetic.

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ALL CONTEMPORARY GROUPS ARE NOT EQUAL
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What Splits Calves into Contemporary Groups?

• Management codes (creep vs. noncreep)
• Group codes
• Weaning weigh dates more than three days apart
• Location codes
• Registered vs. commercial dams
• Natural vs. embryo transfer (ET) calves,
  registered Angus vs. other recipients

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What Splits Calves into Contemporary Groups?

• Submitting data on calves from the same
  contemporary group on different days.

Process Date Lot ID Bulls 10/21/04 1 2 07/23/04
1 1 06/14/04 3 3 05/17/04 1 4 05/13/04 4 2
04/21/04 1 1 04/19/04 3 1 10/13/03 4 7
Process Date Lot ID Bulls 10/13/03 4 21
Weigh date and management codes were the same.
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American Angus Association 2006
...Decision Making Tools...
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How are EPDs Calculated?
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EPDs
Pedigree
Progeny
Individual
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Traits That We Measure
Heritability Estimates

• Reproduction (low) lt .20
• Growth (moderate) .20 - .40
• Carcass (high) gt .40

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Expected Progeny Difference

• EPD is the expected difference in future progeny
  performance of one individual relative to another
  individual(s).
• EPDs can be used to compare all cattle within a
  breed.

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HOW DO WE USE EPDs?PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
What is the current level of herd
performance? What direction (if any) does the
herd need to move?
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Producer Questions
Birth weight EPD - Example
BULL A BULL B
BW EPD, lb 0 6

• The Expected Difference in the Progeny of Bull A
  and Bull B is 6 lb.

But what will my calves weigh?
EPDs Do Not Predict Actual Performance
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Where do these EPDs come from?
6 pounds
Expected Difference In EPDs For Two Bulls
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Expected Progeny Difference (Bull A vs. B)
Breed EPD, lb Averagea Bull A Bull B Diff
BW EPD 2.3 5 0 5 WW EPD 40 45 30 15 YW
EPD 74 75 55 20 MILK 20 17 27 -10
a Non-parent Angus Bulls
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Capturing Value Through Genetics

• Calving Ease
• Cow Size/Milk
• Growth/Efficiency
• Carcass Merit

Very rarely is an effective breeding program
based solely on a single trait.
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Heifer Calving Ease

• Use as a tool in choosing sires mated to
  first-calf heifers.
• Increase the chance of easier calving.

• Higher EPDs are more favorable.

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Producer Resources Breed Averages
www.angus.org
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Producer Resources Percentile Rank
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Producer Resources Possible Change
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National Cattle Evaluation (NCE)
New Data Submitted
AAA DATABASE

• Interim EPDs ( I 25)
• Uses Animal Record, or
• Pedigree estimate

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Missing EPDs
Calf EPDs

• Calf has no individual wt
• The Dam has Interim EPDs
• Cannot take Interims from Interims

The calf needed a weight or measure submitted
from a proper contemporary group
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...Decision Making Tools...
Solutions for Commercial Bull Buyers

• Bridges for the Information Gap
• Selection Tools, Commercial Programs, Data
  Management

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Outputs create Revenue
Inputs generate Expense
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What are Indexes?
INDEX -- A combination and weighting of multiple
traits and their relative economic impact into
one value that can be used to rank animals.

• Challenging to Develop
• Simplistic to Use
• Directional Change in Multiple Traits

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AMERICAN ANGUS ASSOCIATION
Value Indexes
Weaned Calf W
Postweaning F G B
QG, YG
Cow Energy EN
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Weaned Calf Index (W)
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Cow Energy Value (EN)
Energy Savings
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Using W and EN Consider Feed Resources
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Key Components
Feedlot Value (F)

• WW and YW EPDs and their relationship
• Projected ADG
• Value
• Costs
• Feed Consumption and Cost Differences

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Carcass Evaluation
? Initiated 1974
? 83,331 progeny records
? 6,330 sires
Fall 2006
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Ultrasound Evaluation
? Initiated 1998
? 630,794 Records
Fall 2006 NCE
? 53,950 Sires
? 1,074,546 EPDs
Fall 2006
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Key Components
Grid Value (G)

• End Product
• Carcass EPDs
• Ultrasound EPDs
• Quality Grade
• Yield Grade

American Angus Association 2005
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Feedlot Value (F)
Grid Value (G)
Beef Value (B)
per head difference
American Angus Association 2005
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EPD/Pedigree Lookup Details
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Values
Wean W Feedlot F Grid G Quality QG Yield
YG Beef B
EN
SM
American Angus Association 2005
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Back to BasicsSelection Tools for Beef Cattle
Improvement
AMERICAN ANGUS ASSOCIATION

• Sally L. Northcutt
• Genetic Research Director
• American Angus Association