Economically Relevant Traits Mark Enns Colorado State University

Beef Producers’ Motivation Hobby Property tax reduction Profit

Two basic tools of animal breeding Selection –EPD Mating –Mate allocation –Crossbreeding

4 Typical Genetic Evaluation Birth Weight Weaning Weight Milk Total Maternal Yearling Weight Carcass Traits –Actual REA, BF, etc –Ultrasound REA, BF, et Calving Ease Mix of others… If you can measure it, we can produce an EPD for it

Typical Genetic Evaluation Proven Accepted Well-used Assumption: –More EPD allow us to better characterize the genetic potential of animals –Should be able to make more profitable selection decisions But …

Sire Summary of the Future? Birth direct Birth maternal Weaning direct Weaning maternal Total maternal Yearling direct 600 d direct Calving direct Calving maternal Carcass wt Rib fat Rump fat LMA Marb score Quality grade % Retail yield Lbs (kg) retail yield Yield grade Us LMA US rib fat Us % IMF Fat percentage Condition score Gestation length Days to calving Calving interval Stayability Heifer pregnancy rate Rebreeding rate Calf weaned/cow exposed Scrotal circumference Pelvic area Frame score Muscle score Udder score Docility Tick score Parasite egg count Mature weight Maintenance energy Feed efficiency Drop weight Type score Uterine score Tooth score Precocity score Feedlot feed consumption Feedlot surv. Pre-wean surv. Serving capacity Serving proportion Semen volume Hip height Leg score Length productive life Doing ability Grand-maternal weaning Twinning rate Days to 11mm BF Days to 75% Choice Days to carc wt. Hair whorl score Average daily gain Wt. /day of age Liver weight Resting heart rate Pulmonary arteriole pressure Brisket disease rate Bravery Aggression

Proliferation of EPD –An ever-increasing list of traits –Many EPD indirectly related to economic goals Methods for using EPD to make financially sound selection decisions

EPD and Profitability We can combine genetic evaluation to make –Genetic progress in multiple traits simultaneously –Increase profitability

Genetic Trends Economic Breeding Objective

Goal Produce tools that can make the producer more profitable

Terminology Economically Relevant Traits: traits that are directly associated with a revenue stream or cost of production of a commercial operation.

Indicator Traits: traits that add accuracy to the prediction of ERT by pleiotropy (e.g. genetic correlation).

ERT Does selecting on a trait directly effect your income or cost?

Economically Relevant: Probability Of Calving Ease Indicators: –Birth Weight –Pelvic Area –Gestation Length –Calving Ease Score ?

Practically Sire A –Average birth weight of calves is 80 pounds Sire B –Average birth weight of calves is 90 pounds Is there a difference, if all offspring are born unassisted?

Double counting Birth weight vs Calving Ease EPD Getting rid of animals that are better calving than you expect for their birth weight How do we make sense of these EPD to increase profitability?

Indicators: –Scrotal circumference –Pregnancy observations ? Economically Relevant: Heifer Pregnancy

Unexpected results B.L. Golden Indirect = indicatordirect = ERT

Relationships between Carcass and Ultrasound Information Observed Carcass Data Observed Ultrasound Data Ultrasound EPD Carcass EPD True Carcass Attribute Carcass Attributes of Progeny

Our desire is that producers use EPDs objectively in the context of their business goal(s) Profit = Income – Expense

In our vision… Have EPD for ERT that allow producers to better associate value/cost with genetic improvement

In the Current Situation Must distinguish between traits that are economically relevant (ERT) and traits that are indicators –Focus on ERTs for valuing animals –Use indicator EPD to support ERTs Need decision support models to allow us to objectively interpret ERTs in a system context

Examples Application (under development) Charolais Sire Selector

EPDs For The Future Weaning Direct Weaning Milk Yearling Weight Carcass Weight Mature Weight Cow Maintenance Feed Requirement Docility Stayability (LPL) Prob of Heifer Pregnancy Prob of Calving Ease Calving Ease Maternal Days to Finish Target

Different approaches for development of ERT for the finishing phase Universal (constant) target endpoint –Predetermined data adjustment prior to calculation of EPD Different (variable) target endpoints –Random Regression –No predetermined endpoint (different endpoints can be constructed for different circumstances using the same st of random regression EPD)

Why Days to Finish? Accounts for costs –Time value of money –Yardage –Cost of feed ? Can use existing carcass data In concert with a value at finish EPD, will account for revenue and therefore overall profit

Final System Decision Support Center Genetic Evaluation Feedlot system Background And Stocker system Cow/Calf System Web Delivered Flexibility in the system –Not limited to one target endpoint Feeding program Marketing program Evaluation of profitability Prediction of phenotypic outcomes Producer Producer

Web-based 58% of all farmers have access to a computer (Drover’s and USDA-NASS) Greater flexibility