Angus BW conversion to pounds

[Brute 23]

Can any one tell me what a 2.7+ bw converts to in pounds?

Thought I had a link for it but can't seem to find it.

 

[simme]

A BW EPD cannot be converted to actual pounds of birth weight. Actual BW is dependent on many things other than genetics/EPD's - mainly environment including dam's nutrition.

But the average Angus BW EPD is +1.2 pounds from the AAA site (half the bulls below and half the bulls above). So the 2.7 indicates that calves from this bull will (on average) be 1.5 pounds heavier bw than the average angus bull due to the genetic contribution of the bull. A bull with a 2.7 BW EPD is at the 80 percentile level - 80% of the angus bulls will sire lower bw and 20% will sire heavier bw. So, the bull is in the bottom 20% of the breed for birth weight epd.

 

[Nkline]

A BW EPD cannot be converted to actual pounds of birth weight. Actual BW is dependent on many things other than genetics/EPD's - mainly environment including dam's nutrition.

But the average Angus BW EPD is +1.2 pounds from the AAA site (half the bulls below and half the bulls above). So the 2.7 indicates that calves from this bull will (on average) be 1.5 pounds heavier bw than the average angus bull due to the genetic contribution of the bull. A bull with a 2.7 BW EPD is at the 80 percentile level - 80% of the angus bulls will sire lower bw and 20% will sire heavier bw. So, the bull is in the bottom 20% of the breed for birth weight epd.

What would be more useful to look at is CED(calving ease direct), as 1.5 pounds heavier than the average really doesn't matter, what really matter is calf shape and how many large calves (weigh distribution of calves) you get which should be better reflected by CED.

 

[Brute 23]

Here are the epds. We don't run big bulls. I generally like moderate frames, bw in in the 80s, etc. My understanding is this bull is a large, frame 9 kind of bull.

I could use him basically for terminal calves but I want to know what I'm in for so I don't cause problems for myself.

 

[Nkline]

Here are the epds. We don't run big bulls. I generally like moderate frames, bw in in the 80s, etc. My understanding is this bull is a large, frame 9 kind of bull.

I could use him basically for terminal calves but I want to know what I'm in for so I don't cause problems for myself.

View attachment 14973

He's unproven, very unproven if you look at the accuracies. I doubt the bull has an actual birth weight, weaning weight, or yearling weight turned in on him. If his CED and BW verified I would feel fine with him on heifers. Angus are a calving ease breed, but unproven bulls are just that when it comes to calving ease. I would definitely not be afraid of him on cows, but would pass on sub 6 frame heifers or heifers that might carry extra birthweight.

 

[simme]

Calving Ease Direct is near breed average at 55% (just a little below average). I am not an expert on the Angus EPD's or calculation methods, but here are my observations.

Percent accuracies on most of the EPD's are 5%. I assume no recorded progeny, so just calculated from sire and dam EPD averages with maybe some input from his own bw and delivery. Simmental EPD's for that situation would show accuracies of close to 20%. Both 5 and 20 are low accuracy, so not much confidence in the numbers at that level. For calving ease and bw, might be better to go by what the breeder says about the cow history and bw experience, if the breeder has a good reputation.

Yearling Height YH has a higher accuracy (39) and is in the top 3% of the breed. You mentioned a 9 frame. Mature hip height on a 9 frame bull is about 64 inches, if I remember correctly. That would certainly be larger than I would want. Milk epd is low accuracy, but is in the top 15% - high milk.

I agree with nkline comments. I would not put much stock in the epd numbers due to accuracy. I would evaluate based on appearance and input from the breeder. 9 frame (even 8 or 7) is sort of unheard of in angus now. That one item would be a no go for me.

 

[Ebenezer]

Just a guess but I would expect upper 80's and some 90's on that bull. Not bad but for cows.