Transcript PowerPoint - National Angus Conference & Tour

AMERICAN ANGUS ASSOCIATION
Back to Basics
Selection Tools for Beef Cattle Improvement
Sally L. Northcutt
Genetic Research Director
American Angus Association
The evolution of livestock measurement
AVERAGE DAILY GAIN
WITHIN HERD RATIOS
ESTIMATED BREEDING VALUE
EXPECTED PROGENY DIFFERENCES
$ VALUES: BIO-ECONOMIC INDEXES
Beef Improvement Records
9,112 herds
329,167 weaning wts
15 million pedigrees
14 million measures
Fiscal 2005
The Performance Life of an Angus Calf
• Breeding records
• Cow disposal information
• Pregnancy check results
• Calving data
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
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
Age in Days Calculator
Age in Days Calculator
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.
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.
ALL CONTEMPORARY GROUPS ARE NOT EQUAL
17 1st-Calf Heifers – Improved Pasture
20 Cows –
Sage Grass & Cedar Trees
50 Mature Cows – Native Grass
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
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
06/14/04
10/13/03
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
4
Weigh date and management codes were the same.
Bulls
1
3
21
American Angus Association 2006
...Decision
Making
Tools...
How are EPDs Calculated?
EPDs
Individual
Pedigree
Progeny
Traits That We Measure
Heritability Estimates
Reproduction
(low)
< .20
Growth
(moderate) .20 - .40
Carcass
(high)
> .40
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.
EPDs do not
predict actual
performance.
=
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?
Producer Questions
Birth weight EPD - Example
BULL A
BW EPD, lb
+0
BULL B
+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
Where do these EPDs come from?
6 pounds
Expected Difference In EPDs For Two Bulls
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
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.”
Heifer Calving Ease
Calving Ease Direct (CED)
Bull A
+10%
Bull B
+3%
Difference
+7%
Calving Ease Maternal (CEM)
Bull A
+8%
Bull B
+3%
Difference
+5%
• Higher EPDs are more favorable.
• Use as a tool in
choosing sires mated
to first-calf heifers.
• Increase the chance of
easier calving.
• Use as a tool to choose
sires of replacement
heifers.
• Increase first-calf
daughters easier
calving.
Producer Resources: Breed Averages
www.angus.org
Producer Resources: Percentile Rank
Producer Resources: Possible Change
National Cattle Evaluation (NCE)
New Data
Submitted
Breeder
Cutoff
AAA DATABASE
NCE EPDs
December
July
Interim EPDs ( I +25)
•Uses Animal Record, or
•Pedigree estimate
“Missing” EPDs
Calf EPDs
Calf has no individual wt
The Dam has Interim EPDs
• Cannot take Interims from
Interims
Sire EPDs
Dam EPDs
The calf needed a weight or measure submitted from
a proper contemporary group
...Decision
Making
Tools...
Solutions for Commercial Bull Buyers
• Bridges for the “Information Gap”
• Selection Tools, Commercial Programs,
Data Management
EPDs
Outputs
Inputs
Indexes
create
generate
Revenue
Expense
What are Indexes?
Simplicity
Convenience
Multi-Trait
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
AMERICAN ANGUS ASSOCIATION
$Value Indexes
Weaned Calf
$W
Cow Energy
$EN
Postweaning
$F $G $B
$QG, $YG
Weaned Calf Index ($W) …
Economic Impact
• Birth
• Weaning Direct
• Maternal Milk
• Mature Cow Size
Cow Energy Value ($EN) …
Energy Savings
Annual Savings
$/Cow/Year
Economic Impact
Energy Requirements
Lactation
&
Maintenance
Using $W and $EN …
Consider Feed Resources
Limited Feed
Higher $EN, then
select for $W
Abundant Feed
Higher $W, with
lower priority $EN
Feedlot Value ($F)
Key
Components
• WW and YW EPDs
and their
relationship
• Projected ADG
Value
Costs
• Feed Consumption
and Cost
Differences
Carcass Size
950 lb
Quality
550 lb
Fat
Muscling
Carcass Evaluation
 Initiated 1974
 83,331 progeny
records
 6,330 sires
Fall 2006
Ultrasound Evaluation
 Initiated 1998
 630,794 Records
Fall 2006 NCE
 53,950 Sires
 1,074,546 EPDs
Fall 2006
Key
Components
Grid Value ($G)
• End Product
Carcass EPDs
Ultrasound EPDs
• Quality Grade
• Yield Grade
American Angus Association 2005
Feedlot Value ($F)
Grid Value ($G)
Beef Value ($B)
$ per head difference
American Angus Association 2005
EPD/Pedigree Lookup Details
$Values
Wean
Feedlot
Grid
Quality
Yield
Beef
$EN
$W
$F
$G
$QG
$YG
$B
SM
American Angus Association 2005
AMERICAN ANGUS ASSOCIATION
Back to Basics
Selection Tools for Beef Cattle Improvement
Sally L. Northcutt
Genetic Research Director
American Angus Association