Page 30 - Gustin's Diamond D Gelbvieh Bull and Bred Heifer Sale – Feb. 18, 2021

GUSTIN’S DIAMOND D GELBVIEH

EPD DEFINITIONS

Listed below are the defi nitions of American Gelbvieh Association EPDs and the Effi ciency Traits
units in which they are published. The EPDs with an asterisk (*) next to the name
are available to members only. Dry matter intake (DMI): Represents the average daily dry matter intake per day
consumed in pounds. A negative, or lesser value, is more favorable. For example,
Maternal traits Bull A has a DMI EPD of .15 and Bull B has a DMI EPD of -.20, so the progeny of
Calving ease direct (CE): Percent of unassisted births of a bull’s calves when he is Bull B consume, on average, .35 pound less dry matter per day than progeny from
used on heifers. A higher number is favorable, meaning better calving ease. This Bull A.
EPD can be vital to a rancher looking to decrease the amount of calves pulled in his
herd. *Average daily gain (ADG): Difference in average daily gain in pounds based on an
animal’s performance during a feed intake test period.
Milk (Milk): The genetic ability of a sire’s daughters to produce milk expressed in
pounds of weaning weight. *Residual feed intake (RFI): Defi ned as the difference between an animal’s actual
daily feed intake and its predicted daily intake based on growth rate and body
Calving ease maternal (CEM): Represented as percent of unassisted births in a size. Animals with a positive RFI value are deemed more ineffi cient because
sire’s fi rst-calving daughters. A higher number represents more favorable calving they consume more than expected while animals with a negative RFI value are
ease. This EPD is important to a rancher’s bottom line because it predicts which considered more effi cient because they consume less than expected.
animals produce daughters with a genetic pre-disposition to calve unassisted as
heifers.
What is an Index?
Stayability (ST): Predicts the genetic difference, in terms of percent probability, that Indexes are tools that allow you to select for several EPDs at once, making
a bull’s daughters will stay productive within a herd to at least six year of age. The selections more effi cient than selecting on one trait at a time. Indexes weigh traits
stayability EPD is one of the best measures currently available to compare a bull’s based on their importance to a producer’s bottom line by using a trait’s economic
ability to produce females with reproductive longevity. and genetic value. Indexes are a good way to put selection emphasis on traits that
are economically relevant.
Scrotal circumference (SC): Predicts the difference, in centimeters, of scrotal Total maternal (TM): An index that combines growth and milk information as a
circumference of an animal’s male offspring at yearling compared to the SC of other prediction of the weaning weight performance of calves from a sire’s daughters. As
animals’ male offspring. an index, this value is not reported with an accompanying accuracy. A greater TM
Growth traits value means a mother that returns comparatively higher weaning weights on her
Birth weight (BW): Predicts the difference, in pounds, for birth weight of the calf. calves. TM Index = MK EPD + ½ WW EPD.
Weaning weight (WW): Predicts the difference, in pounds, for weaning weight Feeder profi t index (FPI): An economic selection index designed to aid producers in
(adjusted to age of dam and a standard 205 days of age). This is an indicator of selecting sires whose progeny will perform in the feedlot and are sold on grade and
growth from birth to weaning. yield. Well ranking sires for FPI have higher marbling and carcass weight than their
contemporaries.
Yearling weight (YW): Predicts the expected difference, in pounds, for yearling
weight (adjusted to a standard 365 days of age). This is an indicator of growth from As a terminal index, little emphasis is put on maternal traits such as stayability and
birth to yearling. calving ease.
Mature weight EPD (MW): Predicts the average difference in pounds of mature Effi ciency profi t index (EPI): An economic selection index developed to aid
weight of a sire’s progeny compared to their contemporaries. producers in selecting for more feed effi cient cattle that still have acceptable
amounts of gain. The EPI provides slight negative pressure on intake, while keeping
Carcass traits gain at a constant value. By selecting on this index, producers will be able to fi nd
Yield grade (YG): Differences in yield grade score, which is a predictor of percent those animals that gain the same amount as their contemporaries while eating less.
retail product. Smaller values suggest that progeny will have a better lean to fat
ratio.
Carcass weight (CW): Differences in pounds of hot carcass weight, adjusted to an
industry standard age endpoint.
Ribeye area (REA): Differences in ribeye area in inches between the 12th and 13th
rib. Greater ribeye areas are preferable.
Marbling (MB): Predicts the differences in the degree of marbling within the ribeye
as expressed in marbling score units. Greater marbling numbers are preferable and
are an indicator of higher carcass quality grades.

Fat (FT): Differences for fat thickness, in inches, for a carcass over the 12th rib,
smaller numbers of fat thickness are preferable as excess fat can be detrimental to
yield grade.

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