EPD 101 PredictingProfit… Red Angus – EPD 101

EPD 101 Members (Seedstock producers) succeed through enabling the success (profit) of their commercial customers. More Reliable EPDs for Seedstock producers result in more reliable genetic products (bulls) for commercial customers. RAAA Philosophy Commercial producer is our customerCommercial producer is our customer.

EPD 101 When the science exists to make a genetic prediction more precise, the science is implemented. Genetic Prediction overseen by technical committee – not elected boards… … EPDs are Science not Politics.

EPD Year Old Performance Registry50 Year Old Performance Registry Open AIOpen AI Performance Data in the Show RingPerformance Data in the Show Ring Total Herd Reporting (THR)Total Herd Reporting (THR) EPDs for Economic Relevance (ERTs)EPDs for Economic Relevance (ERTs) What’s ahead?What’s ahead? –Develop Tools to better serve our Commercial Customers

EPD 101 Red Angus was the industry’s first “performance registry” Since its inception in 1954, RAAA has required Weaning weights for registration

EPD THR Stayability EPD Carcass EPDs Carcass EPDs include Ultrasound Data Heifer Pregnancy EPD Calving Ease EPDs (Direct and Maternal) 2004 – Maintenance Energy Requirement EPD

EPD 101 EPD = Expected Progeny Difference

EPD 101 Sire A: BW EPD = -1.0Sire B: BW EPD = 3.5 EPDs predict differences in performance of average progeny of different sires EPDs do not predict actual performance (It doesn’t predict Sire A’s calves will weigh 72#) They predict relative performance. (Sire A’s calves will be on average 4.5 lbs lighter than Sire’s B’s Calves)

EPD 101 B.L.U.P. = Best Linear Unbiased Prediction Utilizes and weighs information from individual animals and their relatives. Pedigree/Relatives Individual Performance Progeny

EPD 101 The Bull is the Genetic Vector… …also maintains reproductive status of the cowherd

EPD 101 Genetic Change = Selection Differential x Heritability Selection Differential = Difference between existing cowherd and sire selection(s)

EPD 101 Avg. of Cowherd YW EPD = 30 Avg. of Sires Used on Cowherd YW EPD = 60 Selection Differential: Selection Differential = 30 lbs YW EPD Example:

EPD 101 Genetic Improvement Over Time = Selection Differential x Heritability x Generation Interval

EPD 101 Data and Information Systems Collect objective data from member breeders. Analyze the data in an unbiased manner. Provide information from the analysis in the form of genetic predictions. Make available decision support software to aid in the interpretation of the predictions.

EPD 101 A.Collect Objective Data From Member/Breeders A. Collect Objective Data From Member/Breeders Assumption – all breed associations work on the following base regulation: “All information furnished to the association as a basis for any action by the association shall be true and correct.”

EPD 101 Weights Adj. Wts Ratios EPDs What an animal weighs on a given day – cannot compare because calves are born on different days, and from dams of different ages Adjusts weights to a common age (205d or 365d) May also adjust for age of dam. Cannot compare across herds b/c of differences in environment, management, etc. Useful for comparing calves within the same contemporary group only. Can not compare across herds Useful for comparing across herds, as mating bias, environmental, and management differences are removed by B.L.U.P.

Contemporary Group A group of animals that have been exposed to the same environment and have been given equal opportunity to perform.

Why are proper contemporary groups so important? Ensures that comparisons between animals are fair and that EPD reflect genetic differences.

Contemporary Group Sorts: Ownership/workgroup Sex Age Weigh Date Mgt. Code Feed Code

EPD 101 Implemented in 1995 Requires Reporting on: Production of EVERY Red Angus cow annually Weaning Performance of EVERY Red Angus calf Avoids Selective Reporting of Data on “only calves good enough to Register”

EPD 101 THR ensures unbiased, reliable genetic predictions (EPDs). Eliminates Selection bias… …because it utilizes Complete Contemporary Group Reporting

EPD 101 Selective Reporting – Growth

EPD 101 Case study (Mallinckrodt et al., 1995) Complete EPDIncomplete EPD Sire ID Num Prog Progeny Average Number Reported Selected AvgWWMilkWW Milk

EPD 101

Accuracy Relationship between genetic prediction & true genetic value Relationship between genetic prediction & true genetic value Low Accuracy <.40 Low/Medium Accuracy Medium/High Accuracy High Accuracy>.80

EPD 101 Factors Affecting EPD Accuracy (Yearling Bulls) Accuracy of parental EPDsAccuracy of parental EPDs Individual data within contemporary groupIndividual data within contemporary group Number of contemporariesNumber of contemporaries Number/Accuracies of sires represented within contemporary groupNumber/Accuracies of sires represented within contemporary group

EPD 101 Factors Affecting EPD Accuracy (Proven Sires:) Number of ProgenyNumber of Progeny Number of Contemporary GroupsNumber of Contemporary Groups Size of Contemporary GroupsSize of Contemporary Groups Comparison of Progeny to Progeny of Proven Sires (within viable contemporary groups)Comparison of Progeny to Progeny of Proven Sires (within viable contemporary groups)

EPD 101 Accuracy is the tool to measure our confidence in a given EPD. Confidence Range shows expected range of true genetic value - not expected variation in a calf crop.

EPD 101 Med. accuracy sire High accuracy sire Low accuracy sire BW EPD

EPD 101 Low accuracy sire Med. accuracy sire High Accuracy sire YW EPD

EPD 101 Possible Change: We expect true genetic value to fall within one standard deviation (2/3) of the time The other third of the time, true genetic value will fall outside one standard deviation. The standard deviation varies with different traits and accuracies as presented in the “Possible Change” Table.

EPD 101 Objectively describe reproduction, growth, maintenance & carcass traits… …utilizing the fewest EPDs possible.

EPD 101 Economically Relevant TraitsEconomically Relevant Traits –have direct economic impact on producer –can be easily quantified in economic terms

EPD 101 Goal : To objectively describe seedstock cattle for E conomically R elevant T raits. Red Angus EPDs

EPD 101 Red Angus Genetic Predictions (EPDs) Growth Birth Weight Birth Weight Weaning Weight Weaning Weight Milk Milk Total Maternal Total Maternal Yearling Weight Yearling Weight Carcass Marbling Marbling RibEye Area RibEye Area BackFat BackFat Maintenance Maintenance Energy Maintenance Energy Requirement Requirement Reproduction Calving Ease (CED) Calving Ease (CED) Heifer Pregnancy Heifer Pregnancy Daughters Calving Daughters Calving(CEM) Stayability (STAY) Stayability (STAY)

EPD 101 Indicator Calving Records Scrotal Circumference B.W. & Calving Ease Score B.F. & R.E.A. Mature Weight, Milk & BCSERT Stayability Heifer Pregnancy Rate Calving Ease % Retail Product Cow Maintenance Energy Requirement

EPD 101 Focus on Reproduction

…to make a great beef cow It takes more than milk…

EPD 101 Beef Replacement Requirements 1. Be Born Unassisted 2. Get Bred to Calve as a 2-yr-Old 3. Have Her 1 st Calf Without Assistance 4. Rebreed to Calve Again in 365 Days 5. Complete Steps 1-4 without extra feed or TLC 6. Wean a valuable calf 7. Pass on added value Traits to Offspring 8. Repeat Steps 1-7 on an annual basis.

EPD 101 Production is the last word in Reproduction…

EPD 101 Calving Ease Direct (CED) – Ability of a calf to be born unassisted Heifer Pregnancy (HPG) –Ability to become pregnant to calve as a two year old Calving Ease Total Maternal (CEM) –Ability to have a calf unassisted Stayability (STAY) –Ability to remain in the herd producing

EPD 101 All Red Angus Reproductive EPDs are based on Categorical Measures Continuous –vs- Categorical Continuous –Can take on any value within reason Categorical –Measure one of two possible outcomes Success or Failure Yes or No

EPD 101 Inactive at 6Active with progeny at 6 Stayability OpenPregnantHeifer Pregnancy Assisted Calving Unassisted Calving Calving Ease CED, CEM Failure Measure Success Measure Trait

EPD 101 Calving Ease Direct Percent difference of calves unassisted at birth CED

EPD 101 Heifer Pregnancy Percent difference of daughters conceiving to calve at two years of age. HPG

EPD 101 Heifer Fertility Scrotal Circumference

EPD 101 Heifer Fertility Scrotal Circumference Age at Puberty

EPD 101 Heifer Fertility Scrotal Circumference Age at Puberty Heifer Pregnancy

EPD 101 Heifer Fertility Scrotal Circumference Age at Puberty Heifer Pregnancy SC EPD

EPD 101 Heifer Fertility Scrotal Circumference Age at Puberty Heifer Pregnancy SC EPD HPG EPD BIF 2001 Trash

EPD 101 Calving Ease Maternal Percent difference of daughters calving unassistedPercent difference of daughters calving unassisted CEM

EPD 101 Calving Ease Maternal (CEM) (1/2) CED EPD + Maternal EPD = CEM EPD Messmer Julian (CED) + -3 (CEM) =1 (CEM) Not published

EPD 101Stayability Percent difference of daughters staying productive within a herd until six years of age Stay

EPD 101 Growth Traits Birth Weight BW Weaning Weight WW Yearling Weight YW Milk Total Maternal TM

EPD 101 Birth Weight (BW) – Weight of calf at birth Weaning Weight (WW) –205-day weight of calf at weaning Yearling Weight (YW) –365-day weight of calf Milk (MILK) –205-day weight due to daughter’s milk Total Maternal (TM) –205-day weight of daughter’s calves

EPD 101 Red Angus Genetic Trends

EPD 101

Challenges Balancing increased Revenue with Expense of Producing it.

EPD 101 …vs. Maintenance Energy Requirements

EPD 101 Marketing = Environment: Background & sell as yearlings? Calf Feds? Retained Ownership Replacement Females

EPD 101 Maintenance Energy Requirement The seedstock industry’s First Look at the expense side of ranchers’ profit equation. ME

EPD 101 What is Maintenance Energy? The energy required to sustain body tissues with no net change in body tissues Feed required to maintain body weight

EPD 101 Mature Cow Maintenance Energy An average of 70% of feed inputs are used for maintenance energy requirements Cost of feed inputs represent 40 to 60% of the average annual cow cost NRC (1996), McGrann (1999), Hughes (1999)

EPD 101 Components of ME EPD Mature Weight Milk Production Body Condition Score (BCS)

EPD 101 Growth Mature Size Maintenance Energy Requirements Milk Visceral Organ Mass Growth & Milk Represent Revenue (lbs to sell)… …but antagonisms exist

EPD 101

First Mature Weight Data Collection

EPD 101 Benefits of ME EPD Select animals that are better able to maintain body condition score Lower annual cost of production Improve selection of animals for their production environment

EPD 101 Marbling Units: marbling score Carcass EPDs: Carcass EPDs: Ribeye Area Units: square inches Fat Thickness Units: inches

EPD 101 Red Angus combines both real-time ultrasound and traditional carcass data into the calculations of carcass EPDs

EPD 101