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West Central Iowa | Thank you for the links, but I have had registered Angus for 10 years and not only understand how they work, but also understand how producers are able to manipulate them to show what they want. Fat does not directly affect WW and YW EPDs, but feeding breeding bulls and replacement heifers like feedlot steers to achieve unrealistically high (and expensive) gains makes that animals EPDs look better becaus they gain faster.......and more pounds is what increases EPDs. Furhtermore, EPDs between herds ARE comparable whereas ratios are not. When looking at two bulls from different breeders, the WW & YW ratios cannot be used as a fair comparison because they are unique and specific to each herd. But when looking at two breeding bulls raised from different herds, the EPDs are comparable....that's why producers are encouraged to use them as a selection tool.
To illustrate my point that pushing for high performance affects EPDs, look at two Angus programs at each end of the spectrum. Pull up the Pharo Cattle Company (PCC) website and look at their WW and YW and the EPDs associated with those weights. Now bring up information on the seedstock offered by Schaff Angus Valley (SAV) and do the same. PCC is a low input "efficiency " type cattle that are smaller framed whereas SAV is a high input "performance" type cattle with moderate to large frame. Many of the WW posted by SAV are actually higher than some of the PCC YWs. I have even been told that SAV cooperator herds are required to feed silage to the cattle even during the summer months on pasture. If I were a gambling man, I would venture to guess that calves consuming silage, and creep feed from a cow who is being fed silage during the grazing months on pasture would have a "nutritional advantage" over cattle from PCC. I am not promoting or chastising either operation, just pointing out two extremes.
If after taking a few minutes to review information from these two herds, you can honestly tell yourself that the feed wagon is not the easiest way to "spike" EPDs, the only person you are kidding is yourself. | |
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Bull EPD Question
