  BeefTalk:
Why Not Indicators for Beef Bulls?
By Kris Ringwall, Extension Beef Specialist,
NDSU Extension Service
"Why should I use EPDs when I select bulls?" As the bull buying
season heats up, I wish again I had a dollar for every time I was asked that
question. Even 50 cents would make me rich.
The beef industry moved to the EPD concept more than a decade ago, but
producers still struggle with the idea. As noted last week, the learning curve
for any concept is steep and usually splits on the way up. (As was noted by a
local editor, I even forgot to define what the letters EPD stand for–a
definite indicator of a break in the learning curve.)
Expected Progeny Difference is commonly abbreviated as EPD. Some producers
understand and utilize the concept, some never understand the concept but use it
anyway and some fail to adapt.
To show the value of the comparative numbers that EPDs bring to bull buying,
let’s use an analogy from the motor vehicle industry. I have little knowledge
about motorized vehicles but I can utilize printed information when purchasing a
pickup.
For example, I may be interested in two pickups, both with acceptable body
appearances. I may ask the dealer the basic engine type, valve train,
bore/stroke in inches, displacement in cubic inches or cubic centimeters,
compression ratio, horsepower at a set rpm and conclude with a discussion of
gear and transfer case ratios.
Then I would need to ask myself how the pickup would be used. Pulling full
stock trailers of cattle across tough terrain versus scenic highway miles would
greatly impact the need to pick the correct vehicle. One pickup could have an
exceptional engine with more power and a transmission designed for tough pulls.
The other pickup could look identical to the first but have an engine for
highway driving.
The point is, the automotive industry has developed numbers to help describe
each particular vehicle, including the power unseen by the naked eye. Most
people don’t question the numbers, they simply accept and use the numbers to
assure a better purchase for the desired need.
Another analogy would be livestock gates, fences or panels, common purchases
by beef producers. As you visit fellow producers’ operations, how often do you
see a bent panel or gate? At the Dickinson Research Extension Center, we have a
few of our own. Why does one producer have more bent panels than the next
producer? Yes, there may a difference in the temperament of their cattle, but in
reality all fencing materials are not the same.
The North Dakota State University Dickinson Research Extension Center sought
a bid for continuous fence. I thought this would be a simple procedure, but I
was in for a surprise. Fences come in all shapes and strengths, and guess what,
the industry assigns number to various characteristics of fence so the consumers
(you and I) can better match our needs to the product we are buying.
Fences, gates and panels have various outside diameters (OD), various steel
types, various gauges, yield strengths and weight per foot of fence. The product
we purchased to meet our needs was a 1.66 OD, 1010 steel, 14 gauge, 42,000
pounds per square inch (psi) tensile and 10.5 pounds per foot of fence with six
bars. In a nutshell, the calves bounce off the fence when they hit--and the
fence will not bend. I don’t need to be a steel expert, but with a little
reading and understanding, I have confidence in the comparative value of the
numbers. The center selected a fence that would meet our needs within the
appropriate price.
Now, back to bulls and EPDs. The same is true when buying bulls. A bull buyer
cannot know what’s "under the hood" of each bull, but the purebred
beef industry has made it simple: compare the appropriate trait EPD value
between bulls and buy the one that fits your needs.
Don’t question the numbers. If you need horsepower, check the window
sticker, if you need pipe strength, check the label, and if you need calf growth
check the EPD. A bull with a yearling weight EPD of 50 has 10 more pounds of
growth potential than a bull with a yearling weight EPD of 40. It works in
pickups, it works for fence, and it works for bulls. 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 BT0077.
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Source: Kris Ringwall, (701) 483-2427, kringwal@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu
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Simply Put -- Comparing the Value of EPDs
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Bull One Bull Two
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Yearling Weight EPD Value 50 pounds 40 pounds
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As yearlings, Bull One's calves are expected to be
10 pounds heavier than Bull Two's calves.
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