Carcass EPD:Where are we, and

where are we going?

Dan W. MoserDan W. Moser

Dept. of Animal Sciences and Dept. of Animal Sciences and IndustryIndustry

Kansas State UniversityKansas State University

Carcass EPD

Genetics of carcass compositionGenetics of carcass composition Ultrasound-Carcass relationshipsUltrasound-Carcass relationships How is ultrasound data How is ultrasound data

incorporated into carcass EPD?incorporated into carcass EPD? How much progress are we How much progress are we

making?making? Is standardization needed?Is standardization needed?

Genetics of Carcass Composition

Good news!Good news! Carcass traits are among the Carcass traits are among the

most highly heritablemost highly heritable When carcass data is available When carcass data is available

for use in selection, change can for use in selection, change can rapidly occurrapidly occur

Genetics of Carcass Composition

Bad news!Bad news! All animals with carcass data All animals with carcass data

collected are dead!collected are dead! Progeny testing for carcass Progeny testing for carcass

traits is no trivial tasktraits is no trivial taskCostCostIdentityIdentityTimeTime

Genetics of Carcass Composition

Very little carcass data is being Very little carcass data is being submitted to association databasessubmitted to association databases

Could Could instrument gradinginstrument grading along along with with national animal IDnational animal ID result in result in greater amounts of carcass data greater amounts of carcass data reported?reported?

Ultrasound

Ultrasound can estimate body Ultrasound can estimate body composition in live animalscomposition in live animals

Ultrasound measurements in Ultrasound measurements in yearlings have fairly strong genetic yearlings have fairly strong genetic correlations with carcass traitscorrelations with carcass traits Genetic correlation is the Genetic correlation is the

correlation in EPD for the pair of correlation in EPD for the pair of traitstraits

How strong?TraitTrait Genetic Genetic

CorrelationCorrelation

FatFat About 0.70About 0.70

Marbling/IMFMarbling/IMF About 0.70About 0.70

0.50 in one breed0.50 in one breed

Ribeye areaRibeye area 0.70 to 0.900.70 to 0.90

Yearling wt/Carcass Yearling wt/Carcass wtwt

About 0.70About 0.70

Why just 0.70?

Age / developmental differencesAge / developmental differences Steers vs. bullsSteers vs. bulls Position of measurementPosition of measurement Measurement precisionMeasurement precision

Ultrasound IMF is good, not perfectUltrasound IMF is good, not perfect Carcass fat is good, not perfectCarcass fat is good, not perfect

Seventy percent of something is better Seventy percent of something is better than one-hundred percent of nothingthan one-hundred percent of nothing

Unbiasedness

Ultrasound data has less Ultrasound data has less opportunity for biasopportunity for bias Data submitted by non-ownersData submitted by non-owners Identity is much less of an issueIdentity is much less of an issue Maternal genetics are Maternal genetics are

documenteddocumented

Carcass EPD

Carcass data only (no ultrasound)Carcass data only (no ultrasound) BrahmanBrahman GelbviehGelbvieh ShorthornShorthorn

All are collecting ultrasound All are collecting ultrasound datadata

Carcass EPD

Ultrasound onlyUltrasound only Canadian AngusCanadian Angus SenepolSenepol Many breeds in AustraliaMany breeds in Australia

Carcass EPD

Separate Carcass and Ultrasound Separate Carcass and Ultrasound EPDEPD AngusAngus

Combining Carcass and Ultrasound

Carcass and Ultrasound measures can Carcass and Ultrasound measures can be jointly evaluated as be jointly evaluated as correlated traitscorrelated traits Like weaning and yearling weightsLike weaning and yearling weights Generates both carcass and Generates both carcass and

ultrasound EPDultrasound EPD Both types of data affect both EPDBoth types of data affect both EPD

Which to print?

CarcassCarcass Economically relevant traitEconomically relevant trait Units consistent with grid Units consistent with grid

marketingmarketing

Which to print?

UltrasoundUltrasound Overwhelming majority of dataOverwhelming majority of data Gives a higher accuracy value in Gives a higher accuracy value in

most casesmost cases Breeder familiarity with valuesBreeder familiarity with values Less subject to misidentification, Less subject to misidentification,

biasbias

Accuracy

Animals with ultrasound progeny, Animals with ultrasound progeny, but no carcass progeny, can but no carcass progeny, can achieve only limited levels of achieve only limited levels of accuracy for a true carcass EPDaccuracy for a true carcass EPD

Carcass EPD

Use both types of data, print carcass:Use both types of data, print carcass: BraunviehBraunvieh CharolaisCharolais ChianinaChianina LimousinLimousin Maine-AnjouMaine-Anjou Red AngusRed Angus SalersSalers SimmentalSimmental

Carcass EPD

Use both types of data, print Use both types of data, print ultrasound:ultrasound: BrangusBrangus HerefordHereford

Retail Product Percentage

Many equations have been Many equations have been developed to predict true retail developed to predict true retail product percentage from typical product percentage from typical carcass measurementscarcass measurements

Several breeds combine fat, ribeye, Several breeds combine fat, ribeye, weight EPD into a retail product weight EPD into a retail product percentage or yield grade EPDpercentage or yield grade EPD Using carcass, ultrasound, or bothUsing carcass, ultrasound, or both

Retail Product Percentage

Percent retail product EPD Percent retail product EPD

(higher values favorable):(higher values favorable): Canadian AngusCanadian Angus ChianinaChianina Maine-AnjouMaine-Anjou SalersSalers

Retail Product Percentage

Yield Grade EPD Yield Grade EPD (lower values favorable):(lower values favorable): LimousinLimousin SimmentalSimmental

Yield Grade dollars EPDYield Grade dollars EPD(higher values favorable)(higher values favorable) AngusAngus

Economic Indexes

Any economic selection indexes or Any economic selection indexes or decision support tools will utilize decision support tools will utilize information on carcass quality and information on carcass quality and cutabilitycutability

Tenderness

Three breeds have published Three breeds have published Warner-Bratzler shear force EPD:Warner-Bratzler shear force EPD: SimmentalSimmental

Updated, includes Calpain 316 Updated, includes Calpain 316 genotypesgenotypes

HerefordHereford ShorthornShorthorn

-0.15

-0.1

-0.05

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003

UFAT

UREA

IMF

U%RP

Angus Carcass Genetic Trend

Hereford Carcass Genetic Trend

-0.15

-0.1

-0.05

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003

FAT

REA

IMF

Limousin Carcass Genetic Trend

-0.1

-0.05

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

1985198819911994199720002003

REA

Marb

YG

Gelbvieh Carcass Genetic Trend

Progress?

Most breeds are increasing ribeye Most breeds are increasing ribeye areaarea Correlated with growthCorrelated with growth

Only Angus and Red Angus seem to Only Angus and Red Angus seem to be increasing marbling very muchbe increasing marbling very much Vast majority of IMF scans are Vast majority of IMF scans are

AngusAngus

Closing Thought

Is standardization needed?Is standardization needed? Printing carcass EPD on carcass Printing carcass EPD on carcass

vs. ultrasound scalevs. ultrasound scale Various retail product equationsVarious retail product equations