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Bull Question..........
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<blockquote data-quote="Anonymous" data-source="post: 4076"><p>From my observations of RobertMac's posts over the years, it seems he doesn't understand EPDs very well and doesn't want to understand EPDs. When he says EPDs have nothing to do with reproductive efficiency, he's just wrong. While you should never select for extremes, daughters of bulls with larger scrotal measurements reach puberty at an earlier age than those sired by bulls with small scrotal measurements. Heifers that calve as two year olds will be more profitable than those calving as three year olds. Paying attention to Mature Height & Weight EPDs will help you keep your cow size where you want it. Retaining daughters of bulls with moderate birth weight EPDs will build a herd of easy calving cows. A cow that is able to have her calf unassisted is more likely to get it up and nursing more quickly than one that has a prolonged, difficult labor. And she'll breed back sooner, thus more likely to stay in the herd for a longer period of time. My cows work pretty hard to raise their calves on native grass so I try to keep the herd milk EPD at less than 15. But if you have improved grass and lots of rain, you might want a bull whose daughters will be high milking cows. Heavy milking cows need more feed than low milking cows, but they wean more pounds of calf. So use a bull whose Milk EPD fits your environment. I am most familiar with Angus EPDs, but other breeds have included more direct EPDs for maternal traits. Red Angus has a Fertility EPD; Simmental has a Calving Ease EPD, Limousin has a Gestation Length EPD. There's a lot of information in EPDs on maternal traits. I've posted a link to a list of Angus breeders in Kentucky, including Keeney Angus. Good luck…</p><p></p><p><A HREF="http://www.angus.org/links/memlinks.html#KY" TARGET="_blank">http://www.angus.org/links/memlinks.html#KY</A></p><p></p><p> <a href="mailto:frankie@cattle-today.com">frankie@cattle-today.com</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Anonymous, post: 4076"] From my observations of RobertMac’s posts over the years, it seems he doesn’t understand EPDs very well and doesn’t want to understand EPDs. When he says EPDs have nothing to do with reproductive efficiency, he’s just wrong. While you should never select for extremes, daughters of bulls with larger scrotal measurements reach puberty at an earlier age than those sired by bulls with small scrotal measurements. Heifers that calve as two year olds will be more profitable than those calving as three year olds. Paying attention to Mature Height & Weight EPDs will help you keep your cow size where you want it. Retaining daughters of bulls with moderate birth weight EPDs will build a herd of easy calving cows. A cow that is able to have her calf unassisted is more likely to get it up and nursing more quickly than one that has a prolonged, difficult labor. And she’ll breed back sooner, thus more likely to stay in the herd for a longer period of time. My cows work pretty hard to raise their calves on native grass so I try to keep the herd milk EPD at less than 15. But if you have improved grass and lots of rain, you might want a bull whose daughters will be high milking cows. Heavy milking cows need more feed than low milking cows, but they wean more pounds of calf. So use a bull whose Milk EPD fits your environment. I am most familiar with Angus EPDs, but other breeds have included more direct EPDs for maternal traits. Red Angus has a Fertility EPD; Simmental has a Calving Ease EPD, Limousin has a Gestation Length EPD. There’s a lot of information in EPDs on maternal traits. I’ve posted a link to a list of Angus breeders in Kentucky, including Keeney Angus. Good luck… <A HREF="http://www.angus.org/links/memlinks.html#KY" TARGET="_blank">http://www.angus.org/links/memlinks.html#KY</A> [email=frankie@cattle-today.com]frankie@cattle-today.com[/email] [/QUOTE]
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