  BeefTalk:
Use EPDs to Design Your Beef Production Plan
By Kris Ringwall, Extension Beef Specialist,
NDSU Extension Service
The learning curve for a new management concept within the beef industry
usually is steep and unfortunately splits somewhere on the way up. The same new
concept may have industry acceptance, but understanding may not always be there.
Purchasing bulls based on EPDs is a good example of this. The beef
industry--from cow-calf producers to feeders to packers--generally encourages
using EPDs for sire selection, but a drop quiz during a bull sale would reveal a
shortage in understanding. Some may rebuke the concept, but general nods would
support the lack of full understanding. Arithmetic is not everyone’s forte.
Enter the learning curve split combined with human nature. After general
acceptance of a new principle within the industry, my experience has been
producers are reluctant to admit they may not understand how to do the
arithmetic or apply the numbers to their bull buying techniques. As is human
nature, they simply follow along in general agreement with the concept of EPDs.
EPDs are genetic keys--the keys to beef cattle production success. As the
bull buying season moves into high speed, this reminder of needed arithmetic or
numbers is always relevant. In most cases, buying the bull is not nearly as
difficult as designing the breeding program.
Several types of programs exist today, creating dilemmas for beef producers.
Early cattle were domesticated from the wild--and they came with no records. The
color was probably a wild fawn or brown color with protective markings.
In recent history, purebred cattle evolved and a producer simply picked a
breed. Founders of the cattle business may have only utilized one breed. Today
we have access to breeds from all over the world, but also the knowledge to
cross and re-cross the breeds as we choose. One of the best ways for producers
to use EPD numbers is to relate the numbers for specific breeds to where
producers are at within a designed beef program.
At the Dickinson Research Extension Center, we try to develop and maintain
Angus and Hereford cross cows as the basis for the mother cow herd. These black
baldies--and the F1 or initial cross--are made by breeding a purebred Hereford
to a purebred Angus. Within the herd, the proportion of Hereford or Angus varies
but is steered by performance.
The bred heifers sired by Angus bulls weighed 955 pounds this summer, 1081
pounds in December and 1108 pounds in January. The average Angus EPD values for
the sires of these bred heifers were 63 pounds for yearling weight and 22 pounds
for milk, above the breed average of 62 pounds and 17 pounds, respectively.
The Hereford-sired bred heifers weighed 949 pounds this summer, 1085 pounds
in December and 1118 pounds in January. The average EPD values for the sires of
these bred heifers were 63 pounds for yearling weight and 19 pounds for milk,
above the Hereford breed average of 60 pounds and 13 pounds respectively.
The Center needs a cow balanced for growth and milk production. By selecting
appropriate sires, the cows are designed to meet our needs. How is your cow
design? Are the numbers right?
May you find all your ear tags.
Your comments are always welcome at www.BeefTalk.com.
For more information, contact the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement
Association, 1133 State Avenue, Dickinson, ND 58601 or go to www.CHAPS2000.COM
on the Internet. In correspondence about this column, refer to BT0076.
###
Source: Kris Ringwall, (701) 483-2427, kringwal@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Click here for a printable PDF version of this graphic.
(5KB b&w graph)
Click here for a printable EPS version of this graphic.
(76KB b&w graph)
Click here for a EPS file of the BeefTalk logo suitable for
printing.
(100KB b&w logo)
Performance Related to EPDs for
Angus and Herford Cross Bred Heifers
NDSU Dickinson Research Extension Center
------------------------------------------------------
EPD for
Yearling Weight EPD for Milk
------------------------------------------------------
Angus Breed Average 62 pounds 17 pounds
DREC Angus Sires 63 pounds 22 pounds
Hereford Breed Average 60 pounds 13 pounds
DREC Hereford Sires 63 pounds 19 pounds
Weights of Bred Heifers
July 23 December 12 January 17
------------------------------------------------------
Angus Sired 955 pounds 1081 pounds 1108 pounds
Hereford Sired 949 pounds 1085 pounds 1118 pounds
------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
|
