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By Lance Bauer, Director of Breed Improvement & Western Field Representative
As discussed in the previous article EPDs are Expected Progeny Differences, and the calculation of EPDs was discussed. In order to effectively use EPDs as a tool you must understand how to use them correctly, you wouldn’t use a screw driver instead of a hammer to put in a nail. EPDs are to be used as a tool to compare animals to each other or to compare against an average. EPDs are an estimate, based on pedigree and performance, of how an animal’s progeny should perform on average when compared to the progeny of another animal or against a breed average. They offer a quick and efficient way to compare how an animal’s progeny should perform because of genetics. They are not the only tool that you need to use in cattle evaluation, but they [...]
Current Isa president, Lorenzo Lasater, represents the [...]
By Lance Bauer, Director of Breed Improvement & Western Field Representative
The past articles in this series have all been leading up to this, a basic overview of Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs): what they are and how they are calculated. EPDs are designed to be used to show differences in the genetic potential of an animal when compared to another animal or to an average. EPD calculations take into account an animal’s individual performance, the performance of related animals and the estimated relatedness of animals. The environment is factored out of an EPD because of the manner in which they are calculated. The calculation of EPDs is based on C.R. Henderson’s Mixed Model Equations, which utilize a method called Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP). The key word in BLUP is unbiased, an EPD is an unbiased prediction based on the information that is used in the genetic evaluation.
The first part of [...]
By Lance Bauer, Director of Breed Improvement & Western Field Representative
Starting with this article I will discuss the other factors that go into the calculation of EPDs, other than the measured traits that have been mentioned previously. These factors are what allow us to take out environment and estimate relatedness, in order to calculate EPDs. The first factor that I will discuss is contemporary groups, and basically a contemporary group are animals of approximately the same age and sex that have been managed the same. By properly forming contemporary groups the environmental effects can be taken out in the calculation of EPDs. In the calculation of EPDs the difference of the measured trait against contemporaries is what is important. For example, if there is a 50 pound difference between weaning weights of two animals it does not matter if the weights are 550 pounds and 600 pounds, or 750 [...]
Modern day Lonesome Dove happens twice a year, just outside the quiet fishing town of Matagorda, Texas. Can you picture it? It is a sight straight out of the Old West, but with a 21st century spin; iPhones in the shirt pockets belonging to sweaty cowboys and motorboats assisting swimming calves. Even with modern technology, this century-old tradition still takes place for the Huebner Brothers Cattle Company of Bay City, Texas. For over 100 years, this ranch has been driving its cattle from their winter pastures located on the 30-mile Matagorda peninsula, which runs from the mouth of the Colorado River in Matagorda to the Port O’Connor ship channel, to their summer pastures located at the Huebner headquarters south of Bay City. The ranch runs approximately 700 cows, primarily Beefmaster and Beefmaster influenced cows that are bred to registered Beefmaster bulls.
Keith Meyer, a member of the Huebner family and an [...]
The Breed Improvement Committee discussed different measures of fertility that could be measured and used to help producers make selection decisions. One of the traits that was discussed was heifer pregnancy. Heifer pregnancy is a measure that many breeders already take and can be even more informative in the form of an EPD. To look at heifer pregnancy is simple, the animals are recorded and a all that is needed is a simple bred or open call. To get even more in depth an AI date and bull turn out date, as well as a calving date can be recorded to help calculate an EPD for days to calving.
If you have any of this data collected historically it would be helpful in calculating these reproductive EPDs, which will help us in developing and improving our $M index to be the best index in the industry. Please download the form below [...]
SFA Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce that we will host their heifer and bull development program again this fall. Weaned heifers weighing between 400-700 lb will be accepted into the program beginning mid-October with a start date of November 1st. The bull development program is scheduled to begin January 11th. It’s not too early to start planning for fall weaning.
Producers needing to deliver cattle at an earlier date may do so by contacting farm manager Dustin Black. Information on the programs along with the signup sheets are available for download below.
SFA Heifer Development Program 2018
SFA Spring 2019 Bull Development Program
For more information contact Dustin Black (281)750-6270 or (936)468-6948 or Dr. Erin Brown (936)468-4433.
Beefmaster Breeders and Members,
First we want to thank the task force for its time and work on reaching a decision that all members felt was in the best interest of the Beefmaster breed and the association’s members moving forward. The BBU Board of Directors received the following recommendations on the 2018 Color Policy from the appointed task force and has acted to accept those recommendations. 1.) The board of directors has voted to rescind the 2018 Color Policy as previously passed in the June meetings. 2.) The board of directors has voted to set a goal of reaching a more uniform breed identity in 15 years; through a voluntary pathway described as a Uniformity Initiative.
Beefmaster Uniformity Initiative
In the endeavor to further advance the position of Beefmaster cattle in the commercial beef industry, BBU recognizes the need to create a more consistent and uniform Beefmaster animal to enhance breed identity. A [...]
BOERNE, TEXAS – More than 200 Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association (JBBA) members gathered the week of July 15-21, 2018, at the Four States Fairgrounds and Holiday Inn Convention Center in Texarkana, Ark., for a fun-filled week at the 2018 JBBA National Show and Convention.
In addition to the cattle shows, the event also included contests, leadership training, engaging speakers, a live and silent auction fundraiser, family fun night, the annual awards banquet and dance and other exciting activities.
Bonnie Ramirez, JBBA Coordinator, said if she had to describe the week-long event in a few words they would be “An Awesome Experience.”
“Though it was a long, hot and tiring week; the fellowship, fun and comradery experienced was one like no other,” Ramirez said. “I am so proud of the Beefmaster youth. They did great participating in contests, showing their animals, meeting and making new friends, and working. It takes a village to execute [...]
By Lance Bauer, Director of Breed Improvement & Western Field Representative
The end goal of the cattle industry is to produce beef to feed a growing population. At harvest there are many measurements that are taken to determine the value of a carcass. Some of these traits are; rib eye area, marbling and fat thickness. These traits are all higher in their heritability (0.4-0.6) than many of the other weight and production traits that are measured (0.1-0.4). This means that you can make fairly rapid genetic progress for carcass traits. However, it is hard to measure carcass traits without harvesting an animal, so we use ultrasound to estimate REA, intramuscular fat (IMF), as well as rib and rump fat. The ultrasound will have to be done by a certified ultrasound technician and should be done between 320 and 550 days of age for the data to be included in the genetic [...]