|
Maine-Anjou Voice ::
Kyla
Nesheim / Jeana Sankey ::
204 Marshall Road :: PO Box
1100 :: Platte City MO 64079-1100
Phone - 816.858.9954 :: Fax - 816.858.9953 ::
E-mail:
voiceeditor@kc.rr.com |
|
March/April 2007 - Headquarters
|
Is the Fight Worth the
Battle?
by John Boddicker,
executive vice president |
At a recent set of
AMAA meetings, a long time Maine-Anjou
breeder made a few "head-turning"
comments with regard to EPDs.
Let me paraphrase some of the
comments: I have tried marketing
numbers with emphasis on low
birth EPDs. It didn’t work. My buying
clientele buys on look and
pedigree, not numbers. You tell
us we need numbers to better market
our registered cattle but I’m not
so sure. In some locals, and in
a large percentage of one customer’s
single bull sales, that is
probably the rule and not the
exception. Without a doubt the “look”
is a major contributor to the sale
of Maine-Anjou genetics.
However, if one was to talk to Dave
Steen, AMAA Commercial Marketing
Director or Maine-Anjou breeders
that have spring bull sales, the need
for documentation of
performance and carcass traits is a
strong component of their marketing
program. That is not to say
that all of their buyers require or
even want the information, but it is a
must for a growing portion of
potential buyers. When
commercial cattlemen who have been
buying bulls of another breed began to
look at Maine-Anjou genetics,
the EPD issue is definitely a
criterion before making the switch. If
Maine-Anjou breeders are going
to connect with these producers,
especially on a larger scale, we must
proceed at an even a faster pace in
the production of reliable numbers.
So yes, keep the fight going in
order to some day win the battle!
Why the variation in carcass EPDs from
birth year to birth year?
Two factors heavily influence the
variation observed in carcass
EPDs across birth years. One
reason is our database just
recently became large
enough to produce carcass EPDs,
and secondly we simply need
more carcass data (either ultrasound
or actual carcass) turned in
that has needed pedigree
information. Small samples of
progeny carcass or
ultrasound data from different
herds and sires results in variation
in birth year averages due to
sampling. Also, without proper sire
and dam information
reported, the data turned in is
of no real use in the production
of breed EPDs. Pedigree information
plays a key role in genetic
evaluation.
Why isn’t more
genetic change reflected in the
growth and maternal chart?
The fact is a majority of breeders
are not emphasizing a change in
a particular category. If milk
were a major issue to be changed and
enough bulls were purchased
that had high milk numbers,
eventually (through progeny and
grand progeny
reporting) you would see an
increase in breed average and an
upward movement of the graph. As
producers select for more
moderate sized mature females,
downward selection pressure is
placed on other growth traits like
weaning weight and yearling due to
the genetic relationship among
growth traits. The flat
genetic trend of growth traits
may be partially due to selection
of animals near breed average with
smaller mature size.
How can these numbers be more
meaningful?
A huge mistake that is made by
breeders when they only report
their "good ones." EPDs are
derived from animal’s adjusted
performance record difference
from contemporary group average.
Estimation of the contemporary group
average from the data reported
is critical. For example,
if I only report the "good
ones" in the same group, by definition
of average, half will have adjusted
records above the average
of the animal’s reported and half will be below “average.” Keep
in mind this is the “average” of the “good ones.” Relative to
the whole contemporary group, the average of the “good ones” is
higher. If I take the same set of “good ones” and include the
rest of the contemporary group (all calves) then the adjusted
records of all of the “good ones” will be above the contemporary
group average, in ratio terms, above 100. Breeders are doing a
disservice to their good calves, their dams and sires, and the
broader genetic evaluation system when not reporting a full
contemporary group.
In my MaineTainer program, how can I
incorporate another breed’s EPDs in the system?
If a registered bull or female is not in our system then a
registration number from that breed association needs to be
supplied to AMAA. Cost is $35 to add a registered bull of
another breed or $20 for a female. That animal must first go
through one of our evaluations (June or December) before its
breed average will be applied to progeny. If a sire has a number
of progeny in the genetic evaluation contributed by other
registries, he may have multibreed EPDs available, which will
then be reported to the AMAA for generation of pedigree estimate
EPDs. If no progeny are in the database, breed average for the
animal's birth year will be used in the evaluation. So, if you
are going to register spring born calves out of a registered
Angus bull then he must be on file prior to the December run in
order for his numbers to be of value to the spring born progeny.
That is assuming you will register before June. If not, have the
bull on file prior to the summer run and at fall registration
time, the sire's numbers will apply to the run.
Why don’t some of my Maine-Anjou or
MaineTainer progeny have EPDs?
Remember both parents must have EPDs and, depending on the time
of registration, birth weights and weaning weights must be
submitted on application. If any of these requirements are not
met, the calf will not receive EPDs. So, it is very important to
report each and every year and to report your full calf crop. |
As noted in the
recently published 2007 Sire Summary,
breed EPD averages are as follows.
(Click
to view PDF of this chart)
The genetic trend graphs show a
relative constant pattern in the
breed’s growth and maternal traits
while the carcass graphs illustrates
some variation from year to year.
Maine-Anjou Growth & Maternal
Traits Genetic Trend 1987 to 2006
(Click
to view PDF of this chart)
Maine-Anjou Carcass Traits
Genetic Trend
1987 to 2005
(Click
to view PDF of this chart)
MaineTainer Growth & Maternal
Traits Genetic Trend
1987 to 2006
(Click
to view PDF of this chart)
MaineTainer Carcass Traits
Genetic Trend
1987 to 2005
(Click
to view PDF of this chart)
| At the summer board
meetings, Wednesday, June 20,
2007, we will
again be discussing the whole herd
reporting issue. Please
feel free to share your
opinion with your regional
director or, if possible,
attend the scheduled committee
meeting. For your
printable version of the
2007 Maine-Anjou Sire Summary, visit
www.maine-anjou.org.
If you cannot print the
Sire Summary, feel free to
give us a call at (816)
431-9950 and request to
receive a copy. |
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