Page 8 - Red Hill Farms Annual Bull Sale – March 16, 2024

RED ANGUS GUIDE TO EPDS

ProS ..... Profitability and Sustainability is an all-purpose index that predicts average economic differences in
all segments in the beef supply chain. This index is a combination of the breeding objectives modeled in the
HerdBuilder and GridMaster selection indexes. In this index, replacement heifers are retained from within the
herd and all remaining progeny are fed out to slaughter and sold on a quality-based grid. Traits included in
this index include calving ease, growth, HPG, STAY, Mature Weight, Dry Matter Intake and carcass traits. The
resulting index is expressed in dollars per head born (Index/High Value).
HB ....... HerdBuilder is a maternal selection index that predicts the economic differences of animals for traits
that are important from conception through weaning. Expressed as dollars per head born, HB is calculated
based on the scenario that bulls are mated to heifers and cows, replacement heifers are retained and all
remaining progeny are marketed at weaning. Traits included in the HB index include Calving Ease Direct,
Calving Ease Maternal, Weaning Weight, Milk, Mature Weight, Heifer Pregnancy and Stayability (Index/High
Value).
GM....... GridMaster is a selection index that predicts the average economic difference of non-replacement
calves through the post-weaning phase of production. GM places selection pressure on growth, feedyard
performance and carcass traits. Expressed as dollars per head born, GM is calculated based on the scenario that
progeny are fed out to slaughter and marketed on a quality-based carcass grid. Traits included in GM include
Average Daily Gain, Carcass Weight, Dry Matter Intake, Marbling, Back Fat and Rib Eye Area (Index/High Value).
CED ...... Calving Ease Direct predicts differences in CEM ..... Calving Ease Maternal predicts differences
the percent of calves born unassisted out of 2-year- in the percent of daughters who are able to calve
old dams. (Percent/High Value) unassisted as 2-year-old heifers. (Percent/High
Value)
BW....... Birth Weight predicts differences in actual
birth weight of progeny. (Pounds/Low Value) STAY..... Stayability predicts differences in the
ability of an animals’ retained daughters to remain
WW ...... Weaning Weight predicts differences in
205-day weaning weight. (Pounds/High Value) productive in the herd – calve every year – through 6
years of age. (Percent/High Value)
YW....... Yearling Weight predicts differences in
365-day yearling weight. (Pounds/High Value) MARB ... Marbling predicts differences in marbling
score – amount of intramuscular fat measured at the
ADG...... Average Daily Gain predicts differences 13th rib. (Marbling Score Units/High Value)
in weight gain between 205 and 365 days of age.
(Pounds/High Value) YG ....... Yield Grade predicts differences in USDA
Yield Grade, which is calculated using CW, REA and
DMI ...... Dry Matter Intake predicts differences in Fat. (Yield Grade Units/Low Value)
daily feed intake as measured in a feedlot during the
post-weaning period. (Pounds/Low Value) CW....... Carcass Weight predicts differences in
actual hot carcass weight. (Pounds/High Value)
MILK .... Milk predicts differences in weaning
weight attributed to the milking ability of the animal’s REA ...... Ribeye Area predicts differences in square
daughters. (Pounds/High Value) inches of ribeye area measured at the 13th rib.
(Square Inches/High Value)
ME ....... Maintenance Energy predicts the difference
in maintence energy requirements. (Mcal per Month/ FAT ...... Fat predicts differences in the depth of
Low Value) backfat measured between the 12th and 13th ribs.
(Inches/Low Value)
HPG...... Heifer Pregnancy predicts differences in
the percent of daughters who are able to conceive
and calve at 2 years of age following exposure to
breeding. (Percent/High Value)
6 – Red Hill Farms