LSUAgCenterBeefCattleFactSheet “EPDsforImprovedGeneticsandProfitIncrease”

TimG.Page,Ph.D.

Expectedprogenydifferences(EPDs)provideestimatesofthegeneticvalueofananimalasasireordam.ThedifferenceinEPDsbetweentwoanimalsofthesamebreedcanpredictdifferencesinperformancebetweentheirfutureoffspring.SomeoftheEPDsareforbirth,growth,maternal,andcarcasstraits.EPDsmaybedirectlycomparedonlybetweencattleofthesamebreed.EPDsareexpressedinunitsofmeasureforthetrait,eitherplusorminus.YoucannotcompareAngusEPDstoHerefordEPDs.EPDAccuracyreferstothereliabilitythatcanbeplacedontheEPD.Anaccuracycloseto1.0indicateshigherreliability.Accuracyisimpactedbythenumberofprogenyandancestralrecordsincludedintheanalysis.Themorecalvesthatabullhasproduced,thehighertheaccuracyforthoseEPDs.Ayoungbullwillhaverelativelylowaccuracycomparedtoolderbullsthathaveproducedcalves.ItisimportantthatyouremembertoonlypurchasevirginbullstopreventintroducingSTDsintoyourherd.Eventhoughthevirginbullswillnothavehighaccuracy,theirEPDsstillarecriticalinselectionandpurchaseofnewbulls.Ifyouuseartificialinseminationonyouroperation,thenyoucanselectsemenfromolderbullsthathavehigheraccuracyfortheirEPDs.Nomatterwhatyourobjectivesareforyourcattleoperation,thefollowingEPDsshouldbeconsideredwhenpurchasingnewgenetics.SomeofthemoreimportantproductionEPDsareCalvingEaseDirect(CED),BirthWeight(BW),WeaningWeight(WW),YearlingWeight(YW),ScrotalCircumference(SC),andDocility(DOC).MaternalEPDsthatneedtobeconsideredareCalvingEaseMaternal(CEM),MaternalMilk(MM,milkandmotheringability),andHeiferPregnancy(HP).SomecarcassEPDsareMarbling(Marb),RibeyeArea(RE),and

FatThickness(Fat).Thereare$ValueIndexEPDsaswell.Theseindexestakeintoconsiderationseveraltraitstoestablishadollarperheadvalue.Therearemanytoolsproducerscanuseintheselectionofnewgeneticssuchasvisualappraisal,pedigree,performancetesting,DNAtechnology,ultrasoundandEPDs.Allofthesetoolscanhelpmakeyouabettermanagerofyourcattleoperation.Useasmanyasyoupossiblycantomakeyourevaluations.Intoday’sindustryusingthesetechnologiesinadditiontovisualappraisalaretrulyimportant.TheLSUAgriculturalCenterisastatewidecampusoftheLSUSystemandprovidesequalopportunitiesinprogramsandemployment.