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A good read for beginners.
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<blockquote data-quote="S.R.R." data-source="post: 221688" data-attributes="member: 1442"><p>EPD Tidbits…</p><p>Many of the promoters of bigger and</p><p>bigger EPD numbers seem to believe you can get</p><p>extra pounds of beef simply by using bulls with</p><p>bigger EPD numbers. Cowboy logic, however,</p><p>plainly tells me you can't get something for</p><p>nothing. Extra pounds of beef require an energy</p><p>input, and energy is NOT free. Your ranch and</p><p>your environment can only support so much milk,</p><p>growth and size without reducing stocking rates</p><p>and/or increasing feed expenses.</p><p>Many PCC customers are telling us they</p><p>get as much or more growth from our bulls as</p><p>they did from the high-growth bulls they used to</p><p>use. How can that be? Their environment could</p><p>not support the high-growth genetics they used to</p><p>use. It's like trying to shoot a 30 caliber bullet</p><p>out of a 22 caliber rifle. It ain't gonna work!</p><p>James Kinnear, from Texas, sent me an</p><p>email that said, "I thought your last newsletter</p><p>with the EPD articles was one of your best." He</p><p>went on to say, "Records are only meant to be</p><p>broken in sports." That is a very profound</p><p>statement — and observation. Breaking EPD</p><p>records is precisely what the mainstream beef</p><p>industry has been trying to do for decades. We</p><p>all know that bigger is not always better, and yet</p><p>there continues to be a mad push to produce</p><p>animals with more and more extreme EPDs.</p><p>Don't allow yourself to get caught up in</p><p>this mindless pursuit of extreme EPDs. If you</p><p>have already been pulled into the race, get out</p><p>and readjust your course. There is an optimum</p><p>level for every trait we select for in beef</p><p>production, and it will seldom, if ever, be found</p><p>near the extremes. There are antagonisms</p><p>between many traits that make it impossible for</p><p>animals with extreme EPDs to function long-term</p><p>in a real-world, ranch environment.</p><p>What are the best EPDs? As I said in</p><p>our last newsletter, the answer to this question can</p><p>usually be found in a set of old, unpampered cows</p><p>that reside in your area. I'm referring to cows</p><p>that have done everything right, without missing,</p><p>for 10 or more years. When you find those good</p><p>old grandma cows, check out their pedigrees and</p><p>see what kind of EPDs they have. I'll guarantee</p><p>their EPDs won't be very impressive — but they</p><p>have exactly what works best for their environment.</p><p>Breeding the right kind of cattle is easy</p><p>once you know what to select for.</p><p>THE</p><p>PHARO CATTLE COMPANY</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="S.R.R., post: 221688, member: 1442"] EPD Tidbits… Many of the promoters of bigger and bigger EPD numbers seem to believe you can get extra pounds of beef simply by using bulls with bigger EPD numbers. Cowboy logic, however, plainly tells me you can't get something for nothing. Extra pounds of beef require an energy input, and energy is NOT free. Your ranch and your environment can only support so much milk, growth and size without reducing stocking rates and/or increasing feed expenses. Many PCC customers are telling us they get as much or more growth from our bulls as they did from the high-growth bulls they used to use. How can that be? Their environment could not support the high-growth genetics they used to use. It's like trying to shoot a 30 caliber bullet out of a 22 caliber rifle. It ain't gonna work! James Kinnear, from Texas, sent me an email that said, “I thought your last newsletter with the EPD articles was one of your best.” He went on to say, “Records are only meant to be broken in sports.” That is a very profound statement — and observation. Breaking EPD records is precisely what the mainstream beef industry has been trying to do for decades. We all know that bigger is not always better, and yet there continues to be a mad push to produce animals with more and more extreme EPDs. Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in this mindless pursuit of extreme EPDs. If you have already been pulled into the race, get out and readjust your course. There is an optimum level for every trait we select for in beef production, and it will seldom, if ever, be found near the extremes. There are antagonisms between many traits that make it impossible for animals with extreme EPDs to function long-term in a real-world, ranch environment. What are the best EPDs? As I said in our last newsletter, the answer to this question can usually be found in a set of old, unpampered cows that reside in your area. I’m referring to cows that have done everything right, without missing, for 10 or more years. When you find those good old grandma cows, check out their pedigrees and see what kind of EPDs they have. I’ll guarantee their EPDs won’t be very impressive — but they have exactly what works best for their environment. Breeding the right kind of cattle is easy once you know what to select for. THE PHARO CATTLE COMPANY [/QUOTE]
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