Page 7 - Flittie, Schnabel & Lazy J Bar Ranch Bull Sale – Feb. 15, 2025

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BULL BUYER’S QUICK GUIDE TO ASA EPDS AND $ INDEXES

Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs): EPDs are the most Explanation of How to Utilize API and TI Indexes
accurate and effective tool available for comparing genetic levels.
In using EPDs, the difference between two sires’ EPDs represents First, determine which index to use; if you’re keeping replacements
the unit difference expected in the performance of their progeny. use API, if not, TI. Then, just as with EPDs, zero in on the unit dif-
For example, if sires A and B have EPDs of +10 and -5, a 15-unit ference between bulls. (As described to the left, index units are in
difference would be expected in their progeny (moving from -5 dollars per cow exposed.) The difference can be used to determine
to +10 yields 15 units). Key to using EPDs is knowing what units how much a bull is worth compared to another. Or, put another
they are expressed in. For example, if the above case referred to way, how much you can pay for one bull compared to another. For
weaning weight EPDs, A would be expected to sire 15-percent example, when buying an all-purpose-type sire, you can quickly
more unassisted births in first-calf heifers; in other words, if B figure a bull scoring +100 for API is worth an extra $6,000 over
sired 30 assists in a group of 100 heifers, we’d expect A to require a $50 bull if both are exposed to 30 cows over 4 years ($50 diff.
15 assists. x hd. x 4 yr. = $6,000). A percentile-ranking chart is required to
determine where a bull’s index value ranks him relative to other
A percentile-ranking chart is required to determine where a bull’s bulls in the breed. For more information, visit www.simmental.org.
EPDs rank him relative to other bulls in the breed. For percentile
rankings or more detailed information about EPDs and $ indexes Definitions of Terms
visit www.simmental.org. Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs): EPDs are the most
accurate and effective tool available for comparing genetic levels.
$ Indexes: Though EPDs allow for the comparison of genetic levels
for many economically important traits, they only provide a piece Back Fat (BF): Inches of backfat.
of the economic puzzle. That’s where $ indexes come in. Through Birth Weight (BW): Pounds of birth weight.
well-conceived, rigorous mathematical computation,$ indexes
blend EPDs and economics to estimate an animal’s overall impact Calving Ease (CE): Percent of unassisted births when used on
on your bottom line. The same technology that led to the dramatic heifers.
progress in swine, poultry and dairy genetics over the last several Carcass Weight (CW): Pounds of carcass weight.
decades was used to develop the following $ indexes:
Maternal Calving Ease (MCE): Percent of unassisted births in
All-Purpose Index (API): Evaluates sires for use on the entire first-calving daughters.
cow herd (bred to both Angus first-calf heifers and mature cows) Milk (MLK): Pounds of weaning weight due to milk.
with the portion of their daughters required to maintain herd size
retained and the remaining heifers and steers put on feed and sold Marbling (MRB): Marbling score.
grade and yield. Maternal Weaning Weight (MWW): Pounds of weaning weight
due to milk and growth.
Terminal Index (TI): Evaluates sire for use on mature Angus cows
with all offspring put on feed and sold grade and yield. Ribeye Area (REA): Square inches of ribeye.
Warner-Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF): Pounds of force
Using API and TI: First, determine which index to use; if you’re required to shear a steak.
keeping replacements use API, if not, TI. Then just as with EPDs,
zero in on the unit difference between bulls. (As described above, Stayability (STAY): Percent of daughters remaining in the cowherd
index units are in dollars per cow exposed.) The difference can be at 6 years of age.
used to determine how much a bull is worth compared to another. Terminal Index (TI): Dollars per cow exposed under a terminal-
Or, put another way, how much you can pay for one bull compared sire scenario.
to another. For example, when buying an all-purpose-type sire,
you can quickly figure a bull scoring +100 for API is worth an extra Weaning Weight (WW): Pounds of weaning weight.
$6,000 over a $50 bull if both are exposed to 30 cows over 4 years
($50 diff. x 30 hd. x 4 yr. = $6,000). A percentile-ranking chart is Yearling Weight (YW): Pounds of yearling weight.
required to determine where a bull’s index value ranks him relative
to other bulls in the breed. For percentile rankings or more detailed Yield Grade (YG): Yield grade score.
information about EPDs and $ indexes visit www.simmental.org.

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