Gelbvieh Stay

[Prairiegrass]

Looking for comments on the Gelbvieh Stay EPD. Because I feel longevity is an important cow trait, I try and not use sires with any stay below the breed average (5). It seems that many of my recent Gelbvieh sire interests have below average Stay EPDs (0-4) and I wonder how accurate/helpful this EPD really is. Thanks.

 

[UG]

I too feel that stayability (longevity) is a very important trait. Stayability indicates an animal's daughters potential to stay in the herd for at least six years. Consequently, bulls are generally old (and often dead) by the time they have enough daughters old enough to be at least six years and thus add much accuracy to the sire's stayability EPD. So, when considering younger bulls, I don't put a lot of selection pressure on the stayability EPD; especially if the bull in question is also out of a sire that is low for stayability.

The American Gelbvieh Association changed EPD providers for their most recent run of EPDs in January. If I remember correctly, the stayability EPD was not generated in the most recent run. It may be awhile before they release it again.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

I too feel that stayability (longevity) is a very important trait. Stayability indicates an animal's daughters potential to stay in the herd for at least six years. Consequently, bulls are generally old (and often dead) by the time they have enough daughters old enough to be at least six years and thus add much accuracy to the sire's stayability EPD. So, when considering younger bulls, I don't put a lot of selection pressure on the stayability EPD; especially if the bull in question is also out of a sire that is low for stayability.

The American Gelbvieh Association changed EPD providers for their most recent run of EPDs in January. If I remember correctly, the stayability EPD was not generated in the most recent run. It may be awhile before they release it again.

UG-

UG-

Your post is a well articulated comment on Stayability EPD's! Ideally, it behoves every serious breeder to focus carefully on the quintessential factors of the majority of Growth, Maternal, Carcass, and $Value EPD's particularly after analyzing the various degrees of importance they portray, AND the highest reliability of the Accuracies pertaining to those characteristics. As you said, UG, question the reliability of individuals whose sires and dams are suspect.

DOC HARRIS

 

[Prairiegrass]

Thanks for the comments.
What does "changed EPD providers" and "the stayability EPD was not generated in the most recent run" mean?

 

[double v]

These new gelbvieh EPD's are taking a little adjustment period even though producers are developing the same cattle. Don't get sucker by the new numbers, i have seen cattle in the old epd's have below breed average go to above on the new numbers. Keep producing breed standards and the numbers will take care of them self. It might take a while to get the stay number more accurate.

 

[UG]

Prairiegrass,

The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) used to have most of their EPDs generated by AGI, a division of the American Angus Association. However, they recently switched to having the American Simmental Association generate most of their EPDs. I believe that Colorado State Un. is still generating a couple of the EPDs for AGA as well.

When EPDs first came on the scene, most of them were generated by a few universities including Cornell, Un of Georgia, and Colorado State. Initially much of the funding for generating EPDs came from govenment money, however as funds became tighter, most of the universities choose to get out of the EPD business, which may have prompted ASA, AGI, and a few others to go into the EPD business themselves.

When AGA made the switch from AGI to ASA for the EPDs, I thought that I heard that the Stayability EPD was not going to be generated for a while. However, I must be incorrect because I just looked up some current EPDs and see that Stayability is still being reported.

 

[Prairiegrass]

Thank you UG and double V for the help.