The Brown Bagger

Beef Cattle Adaptability

Current Tools of Assessment

John L. Evans

Oklahoma State University

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Challenge

Production of profitable cattle– Higher revenue– Lower production cost

Sustainable and adaptable Competitive

– Domestic and international markets

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“A reasonable goal for the beef industry is to produce low-cost, high-profit cattle that yield competitively priced, highly palatable, lean products; while conserving and improving the resources utilized.”

T. Field, BIF (2003)

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Expected Progeny Differences

Typical trait categories– Growth and maternal

Birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight Milk

– Reproduction Scrotal circumference

– End product Ribeye area

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How Many EPD Are There?

23 breeds conducting a genetic evaluation 21 different traits Recent addition of several new traits and

indexes

Colorado State Univ., CGEL, 2002

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Adaptability--Example

Pulmonary arterial pressure EPD– Indicator trait for brisket disease in beef

cattle– Symptoms of pulmonary edema– Observed at high altitude (>5000 ft)– EPD related to survival and specific to high

mountain regions

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Adaptability Are producers able to identify and

develop highly adaptable cattle with the current set of EPD?

Industry Segments– Commercial– Seedstock– Stocker/Feedlot– Packer– Retail

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Adaptability

Current EPD– Difficult to assess adaptability– Effective at genetic change– Tools are limited or non-existent with

respect to development of a producers breeding objectives

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Economically Relevant Traits

Focus on profitability and sustainability– Expenses– Revenue

Achieve genetic improvement instead of genetic change

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Garrick and Enns, BIF (2003)

Typical Current Typical Current Genetic Genetic Evaluation EPD EPD

Birth weight Weaning weight Milk Total maternal Yearling weight

Carcass Calving ease

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Potential Sire Summary of the Future Birth direct Birth maternal Weaning direct Weaning maternal Total Maternal Yearling direct Calving direct Calving maternal Carcass wt Rib fat Rump fat Ribeye area Marbing score Quality grade Ultrasound Ribeye area Ultrasound Rib fat Ultrasound marbling Fat percentage Condition score

Gestation length Days to calving Calving interval Stayability Heifer Pregnancy Scrotal Circumference Pelvic area Frame score Muscle score Udder score Docility Tick score Parasite egg count Mature weight Maintenance energy Feed efficiency Gut weight Type score

B.L. Golden

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Current Direction

Proliferation of EPD– EPD indirectly related to economic goals– Increasing list of traits

Producer frustration

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Economically Relevant Trait-Goal

Producers should use EPDs objectively in the context of their business goals

Profit = Income –Expense

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Garrick and Enns, NBCEC Brown Bagger (2002)

Heifer Pregnancy

Indicators:– Scrotal circumference– Age at puberty– Pregnancy observations

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Economically Relevant Traits Traits

Proposed list – Sale weight– Probability of calving ease– Cow maintenance energy requirements– Heifer pregnancy rate– Stayability– Days to finish (weight, fat, or marbling)

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Golden, et al. (2000), BIF Wichita, KS

Mature Cow Maintenance Energy

An average of 70% of feed inputs are used for maintenance energy requirements

Cost of feed inputs represent 40 to 60% of the average annual cow cost

NRC (1996), McGrann (1999), Hughes (1999)

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Maintenance Energy EPD

Why develop a maintenance EPD over using mature weight?

– Uses multiple indicator traits to generate one EPD

Mature weight Milk (maternal weaning weight) Body condition

– Easier to determine the value of the prediction on profit

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Maintenance Energy EPDDevelopment

Apply current research

– Maintenance energy genetic prediction

– Milk production and milk EPD

– Body condition related to weight change

MEm = MEm*(MWT) + 0.10*(MEp)

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Maintenance Energy EPD--Example

Sire A EPD = 0 Mcal/yr

Sire B EPD = 200 Mcal/yr

Outcome

Daughters from sire B would require 200 Mcal/yr more energy for maintenance requirements than daughters from Sire A

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Benefits of Maintenance Energy EPD

Select animals that are more feed efficient

Lower annual cost of production Improve selection of animals for

production environment Insurance against poor feed conditions

2020

Breed Index Charolais Association Terminal Sire

Profitability Index Angus Association

– Grid market– Feedlot– Combination

Gelbvieh Association– Grid merit – Feedlot merit

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Simulation Decision Evaluator for the Cattle Industry-

DECI– Bioeconomic simulation model (Bourdon, 1998)

– Assist with management decisions

– http://www.marc.usda.gov/

Cornell Value Discovery System (Fox et al. 2002)– Determine feed requirements for animals fed in

groups

– Prediction of individual performance

– http://www.cncps.cornell.edu/cvds/main.htm

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Mating Systems Systems

Crossbreeding– Terminal– Rotational– Combination– Composite

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Heterosis / Hybrid Vigor

An increase in the performance of hybrids over that of purebreds for measured traits, most noticeably in traits like fertility and survivability

Bourdon, 2000

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Breed Complementarity

An improvement in the overall performance of crossbred offspring resulting from crossing breeds of different but complementary biological types

Bourdon, 2000

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Rotational System2626

Useful Useful Information & Tools & Tools USDA Meat Animal Research Center

– Breed evaluation program

– Across breed EPD

Genetic parameter estimates– Estimates of heritability and correlation

– Assist management of antagonisms between traits

Multiple breed EPD Financial records & Standardized Performance

Analysis (SPA)

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Producer Comments Question 1. Are current Expected

Progeny Differences (EPD) effective for the identification of adaptable cattle?

Question 2.What traits are important in your selection program?

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Future Potential

Research and development of traits related to adaptability and profitability

Research and development of decision support software

Cooperation with other scientific disciplines

Evaluation and regular assessment of available tools

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What Does the Future Hold?

Working group on cattle adaptability Group focus:

– Explore and develop ideas related to beef cattle adaptability

– Develop guidelines and make recommendations to improve adaptability for genetic evaluations

– Represents a cooperative effort between industry and the National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium

– Stay Tuned!

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Questions

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