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.