slick4591
Well-known member
Did my first and was wondering if anyone else was doing them? If you are, how much confidence do you have in their numbers? A few of my numbers make no sense to me and makes me doubt the validity.
Igenity Profiles
- Thread starter slick4591
- Start date
Son of Butch
Well-known member
Care to post them for public ridicule?
OP
OP
slick4591
Well-known member
Igenity production Index: 5.45
Igenity Maternal Index: 6.20
BW: 6
CED: 4
CEM: 7
HPR: 6
Milk: 8
STAY: 7
Doc: 7
WW: 5
ADG: 2
YW: 4
RFI: 4
Marb: 3
REA: 3
Fat: 3
Tend: 7
HCW: 2
Tend, Marb and Fat makes sense to me, but the adg blows me away because by their example I'm reading where that's a half pound a day. Just by looking at him you can see he's doing better than that.
Igenity Maternal Index: 6.20
BW: 6
CED: 4
CEM: 7
HPR: 6
Milk: 8
STAY: 7
Doc: 7
WW: 5
ADG: 2
YW: 4
RFI: 4
Marb: 3
REA: 3
Fat: 3
Tend: 7
HCW: 2
Tend, Marb and Fat makes sense to me, but the adg blows me away because by their example I'm reading where that's a half pound a day. Just by looking at him you can see he's doing better than that.
Katpau
Well-known member
I had DNA samples on most of my registered cows, so I began by doing profiles on my oldest cows. This included some cows that are no longer in the herd but had enough descendants to provide plenty of actual data. I did this as an experiment to see how accurate the tests were. I use the Geneseek, a test that was developed specifically for Angus. It scores from 1 to 100 with lower numbers meaning the animal tested in the top percentile for that trait. For example a 10 for Birth weight and weaning weight would mean the animal should have calves that average smaller than 90% of calves at birth and average larger than 90% at weaning.
In my opinion, the most recent Geneseek & Zoetis tests are very accurate on Angus cows for the traits that are easiest to measure. The improvement in accuracy in just the last couple of years is huge. I know there has not been anywhere near the amount of actual data collected on other breeds for use in calibrating those genetic profiles, so I would expect those tests are not as accurate.
I also do my bulls. In my opinion that can be especially helpful. Without genomics, EPDs are based on the animals actual data turned in and the EPDs of their parents. The real production of that animal can be very different. We have all had bulls with EPDs that seem to make them heifer bulls, but who produce large calves. Genomics can help.
I have two bulls right now that I selected a few years back. One came from a calving ease line. He had an actual birth weight of 70 pounds and weaned at 98% of the average. He was to be my heifer bull. The other bull had a 99 pound birth weight and weaned at 106% of the average. He was put on cows with the hope of getting some big weaning weights to sell as feeders. Many of those cows already had a tendency for heavy birth weights, but there were no calving issues, so I was not worried. Over the next few years, we weighed and measured quite a few calves by both, but I was not seeing what I expected. Both bulls were having calves that averaged less birth weight than some of the low birth weight AI bulls I was using and the “heifer” bulls calves were weaning slightly heavier on average than the “cow” bull. I did genomic profiles on both and they both had scores for BW that put them in the top percentile for small calves, but the 99 pound actual birth weight bull had a score indicating he would have the lightest calves, which was what was happening. Neither bull scored in the top 50% for weaning weights, but the heifer bull had a genomic score of 62 which was 11 points higher than the bull I had chosen to give me heavy weaning weights. The heifer bull’s calves averaged slightly heavier weaning weights than my bull selected by initial EPDs and actual performance for that purpose.
I am firmly convinced of the value of Genomics.
In my opinion, the most recent Geneseek & Zoetis tests are very accurate on Angus cows for the traits that are easiest to measure. The improvement in accuracy in just the last couple of years is huge. I know there has not been anywhere near the amount of actual data collected on other breeds for use in calibrating those genetic profiles, so I would expect those tests are not as accurate.
I also do my bulls. In my opinion that can be especially helpful. Without genomics, EPDs are based on the animals actual data turned in and the EPDs of their parents. The real production of that animal can be very different. We have all had bulls with EPDs that seem to make them heifer bulls, but who produce large calves. Genomics can help.
I have two bulls right now that I selected a few years back. One came from a calving ease line. He had an actual birth weight of 70 pounds and weaned at 98% of the average. He was to be my heifer bull. The other bull had a 99 pound birth weight and weaned at 106% of the average. He was put on cows with the hope of getting some big weaning weights to sell as feeders. Many of those cows already had a tendency for heavy birth weights, but there were no calving issues, so I was not worried. Over the next few years, we weighed and measured quite a few calves by both, but I was not seeing what I expected. Both bulls were having calves that averaged less birth weight than some of the low birth weight AI bulls I was using and the “heifer” bulls calves were weaning slightly heavier on average than the “cow” bull. I did genomic profiles on both and they both had scores for BW that put them in the top percentile for small calves, but the 99 pound actual birth weight bull had a score indicating he would have the lightest calves, which was what was happening. Neither bull scored in the top 50% for weaning weights, but the heifer bull had a genomic score of 62 which was 11 points higher than the bull I had chosen to give me heavy weaning weights. The heifer bull’s calves averaged slightly heavier weaning weights than my bull selected by initial EPDs and actual performance for that purpose.
I am firmly convinced of the value of Genomics.
