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Breeding / Calving Issues
Beef cow efficiency (New Mexico State University)
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<blockquote data-quote="cotton1" data-source="post: 1303864" data-attributes="member: 14689"><p>The article is supported by older research, but makes some good points. I know that very high milking cows require more feed stuff available in some fashion.I have noted this in my own pastures. I have been known to use some high milk, high maternal EPD blood lines. I used to select for cattle in this priority: 1. CED 2. BW 3.MCE 4.Milk 5.WW 6. YW as far as EPDs are concerned. Sometimes the cow will have a better or similar EPD than another at a sale or in a catalog, both with lower WW/YW EPD but one will have a 700lb calf and the other maybe a 500lb calf. I cant help but believe that the available feed was either not as nutritious or not as abundant. Today I am very satisfied with a cows EPD at or slightly above breed average. I am finding that there is a type of cow out there that is smaller and easy keeping that will milk well enough-and breed back.Outside of the box selection is required for that.</p><p>With today's efforts in science, i keep hoping that an EPD becomes available for feed efficiency. Seems like the eye test is most reliable again. So, I take away a little smaller, easier keeper with mid range milk is ideal in respect to produce given per input used per cow. And as a bonus, that type will be more fertile adding even more value. So where does this information leave a producer who is looking at purchasing a new bull? Or maybe just AI bull selection? I also don't understand how to correlate carcass EPDs to performance in the pasture.</p><p>Looks to me that everything in moderation is best.Outside the box here I think means selecting for median range on most EPDs. Doubt if many folks look for the average bull at the sale. From what I see folks want the gusto on WW and Milk. My opinion is that is the reason cattle today are larger in general than they used to be.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="cotton1, post: 1303864, member: 14689"] The article is supported by older research, but makes some good points. I know that very high milking cows require more feed stuff available in some fashion.I have noted this in my own pastures. I have been known to use some high milk, high maternal EPD blood lines. I used to select for cattle in this priority: 1. CED 2. BW 3.MCE 4.Milk 5.WW 6. YW as far as EPDs are concerned. Sometimes the cow will have a better or similar EPD than another at a sale or in a catalog, both with lower WW/YW EPD but one will have a 700lb calf and the other maybe a 500lb calf. I cant help but believe that the available feed was either not as nutritious or not as abundant. Today I am very satisfied with a cows EPD at or slightly above breed average. I am finding that there is a type of cow out there that is smaller and easy keeping that will milk well enough-and breed back.Outside of the box selection is required for that. With today's efforts in science, i keep hoping that an EPD becomes available for feed efficiency. Seems like the eye test is most reliable again. So, I take away a little smaller, easier keeper with mid range milk is ideal in respect to produce given per input used per cow. And as a bonus, that type will be more fertile adding even more value. So where does this information leave a producer who is looking at purchasing a new bull? Or maybe just AI bull selection? I also don't understand how to correlate carcass EPDs to performance in the pasture. Looks to me that everything in moderation is best.Outside the box here I think means selecting for median range on most EPDs. Doubt if many folks look for the average bull at the sale. From what I see folks want the gusto on WW and Milk. My opinion is that is the reason cattle today are larger in general than they used to be. [/QUOTE]
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