Page 27 - DK Red Angus Production Sale Bulls, Yearling Heifers Charolais Composite – March 3, 2018
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Commercial Heifers


           Commercial Females                                   Rancher’s Guide to EPDs


                                                               HB ...... HerdBuilder Index – Need bulls for developing a profi table
           10                                                  cowherd and maximizing the value of marketed progeny? Select a bull
           10  Red Angus Commercial Replacement
                   Heifers                                     with a high HB value.
                    _______________________________            GM ...... GridMaster Index – If you market all of your calf crop and want
                                                               to increase the value of that calf crop, select a bull with a high GM value
                    _______________________________            to maximize your profi t.
                    _______________________________            CED ..... Calving Ease Direct – Breeding Heifers? Select bulls with
                                                               a high CED to increase the probability that the heifers will calve
                    _______________________________            unassisted.

                                                               BW...... Birth Weight – Predicts differences in birth weight. BW is
           4       Bred Commercial Red Angus Heifers           included in the CED EPD, so simplify your decisions by selecting bulls
                   from Tofte Ranch                            based on CED instead of BW.

                    _______________________________            WW ..... Weaning Weight and YW ....Yearling Weight – Predicts
                                                               differences in weight at weaning and yearling. While selection based
                    _______________________________            on these growth measures can increase your payweight, be cautious of
                                                               what the bull’s other EPDs are.
                    _______________________________
                                                               Milk .... Milk – Predicts differences in weaning weight of daughter’s
                    _______________________________            progeny due to milk production.
                                                               ME ...... Maintenance Energy – Selecting bulls with a lower ME EPD will
           5       Red Angus Yearling Heifers from the         decrease the amount of feed his daughters will require to maintain body
                   Guenther Ranch                              weight.

                                                               HPG..... Heifer Pregnancy – Retaining heifers? Select bulls with a high
                    _______________________________
                                                               HPG to increase the percentage of exposures that result in a calving
                    _______________________________            observation.
                                                               CEM .... Calving Ease Maternal – Another number to pay attention to if
                    _______________________________
                                                               you are retaining heifers. Selecting bulls with a high CEM will increase
                    _______________________________            the probability of those daughters calving unassisted.
                                                               STAY.... Stayability – The most important trait if your goal is developing
           5       Red Angus Yearling Heifers from the         cows that stay productive, thus increasing your profi tability. Bulls
                   Drawbond Ranch                              that have a high Stay EPD are expected to sire daughters that remain
                                                               productive in the herd until at least 6 years of age.
                    _______________________________
                                                               MARB .. Marbling Score – Select bulls with high MARB EPD to increase

                    _______________________________            the number of progeny that grade Choice or Prime.
                                                               YG ...... Yield Grade – Marketing calves on a grid? Placing selection
                    _______________________________            pressure on YG EPD will decrease the number of YG discounts on grid-

                    _______________________________            marketed progeny.
                                                               CW...... Carcasss Weight – Selecting bulls with a high CW EPD will
                                                               increase the weight of the hanging carcass, which directly impacts
                                                               revenue.

                                                               REA ..... Rib Eye Area – Need to add muscle? Select bulls with a high
                                                               REA EPD to increase rib eye area, which favorably increases Yield
                                                               Grade.
                                                               FAT ..... Backfat – Need to reduce waste in carcasses? Select bulls with a
                                                               low FAT EPD to reduce backfat, which favorably increases Yield Grade.
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