Scat_Right
Member
EPD's
Please explain
Please explain
EPD's
- Thread starter Scat_Right
- Start date
lakading
Well-known member
Expected Progeny Differences.
Indicated expected performance of a cow or bull's offspring as compared to that of another cow or bull. They're only meant for comparing specific animals.
Indicated expected performance of a cow or bull's offspring as compared to that of another cow or bull. They're only meant for comparing specific animals.
they just give you an idea of how the offspring might turn out. they can be way off or dead on. they mean very little on individual calves, but should be pretty close over a group of calves.
there is a lot more to EPDs, but i need a direction before i can go into detail.
what particular breed are you looking at and what type of operation do you have?
there is a lot more to EPDs, but i need a direction before i can go into detail.
what particular breed are you looking at and what type of operation do you have?
Scat_Right
Member
I have a very small operation, 4 cows.
I am looking for a bull, one that my farm can grow with.
I dream of having a Santa Gertrudis. All of the ads list the epd's. I knew it had to have something to do with a pedigree of some sorts. It lists stuff like -
BW
WW
YW
and others.
I assume this means birth weight, weaning weight, and yearling weight, but, they don't list a true weight. It will usually say something like 1.50 or 3. something.
I am looking for a bull, one that my farm can grow with.
I dream of having a Santa Gertrudis. All of the ads list the epd's. I knew it had to have something to do with a pedigree of some sorts. It lists stuff like -
BW
WW
YW
and others.
I assume this means birth weight, weaning weight, and yearling weight, but, they don't list a true weight. It will usually say something like 1.50 or 3. something.
EPDs allow you to compare one bull to another. If one bull has a birthweight (BW) EPD of 5, you would EXPECT his calves to weigh 5 more pounds at birth than if you bred those same cows under the same mangement conditions to a bull of the same breed with a BW EPD of 0. Weaning weight (WW) works the same, you would EXPECT a bull with a WW of 30 to sire calves that weigh 30 more pounds at WW than if you bred those cows to a bull with a WW EPD of 0 and so on with other EPDs. They're simply a means to compare bulls. They'll never tell you what a calf will weigh because they can't take into consideration the cow you'll be breeding to or your management. Lower BW EPDs will indicate easier calving. Higher WW EPDs will give you more pounds at weaning. I'd suggest finding the average EPDs for the breed you're interested in to try to figure out where the bull you're looking at fits into the breed. Is he better than average? If his WW is less than breed aveage, you might want to keep looking. Good luck....
lakading
Well-known member
Scat_Right":lalflpq2 said:
IMO, you would be better off hiring someone to A.I. your cows. You'll be money WAY ahead.
