Incoming newbie question

[Petercoates87]

So I'm looking at bulls well semen really. I don't understand what some of the stats mean.
CE BW WW YW MILK TM MCE SC CW STAY

FAT REA MARB

so I know BW WW YW means but I don't understand the numbers with them. Like it might something like BW 6.2. I get it if it said BW 85. The bull was 85 lbs when he was born.

 

[frieghttrain]

https://issuu.com/selectsiresbeef/docs/ ... ectory-low (PAGE 77 in THE Directory.) Hope this helps, Joe

 

[dun]

It depends on the breed. Each breed with a few exceptions have their own numbers for each trait

 

[Petercoates87]

Ok cool I understand the abbreviations more now. I still don't get the numbers. How r they rated on a 1-10 scale? Like what does a
BW 6.3 WW 67.8 YW 94.7
I'm just shooting numbers out of my ass but how is it rated. I was looking at one bull that it's YW 109.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but on the BW, WW, and YW the number represents pounds over breed average. So a 6.3 BW EPD means the actual birth weight would be 6.3 pounds higher than that particular breed's average birth weight. Most prefer the BW EPD to be close to 0 or a negative number, with the CE EPD to be on the plus side.

 

[Son of Butch]

Angus sires?

ce = calving ease
ce 6 = breed average
ce 16 top 2%
ce +1 bottom 15%

bw 1.2 breed average
bw -1.2 top 10% and calves average 2.4 lbs lower birth weight than breed average
bw 2.3 bottom 25% calves 1.1 lbs heavier than breed average
So 3.5 lb difference for top 10% lower bw vs bottom 25%

ww 49 breed average
ww 60 top 10% and calves average 11 lbs more than breed average at weaning
ww 43 bottom 25% calves 6 lbs lighter at weaning than average

I prefer using $W rather than ww
current breed average $W is $43
top 2% $68
bottom 15% $30

You need to know the breed average for each trait, for each breed to have realistic expectations

 

[Son of Butch]

I was looking at one bull that it's YW 109.

Angus Breed Average YW 87
so, IF you are looking at a black angus sire with YW 109
He would be in the top 6% of the breed and his calves weigh 22 lbs more at 12 months than the angus breed average

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

Thanks Butch for correcting me....I knew it had something to do with breed average.

 

[Petercoates87]

Ok now that makes more sense to me. This is all new to me n none of it made any sense. But thanks now it's looking clearer. I like hereford n that's what I'm looking at. When I'm looking at the stats I look at the BW WW YW does these stats matter more than the rest? Or is it just me

 

[dun]

This is for Red Angus but it explains about EPDs
http://assets.redangus.org/media/Docume ... s_2-15.pdf

 

[wbvs58]

Butch is correct in relating it to the breed average but my understanding is that when these statistics first started out the baseline was zero and then as genetic gain was measured these numbers progressively improved as the animals improved. If you look at the EPD's for a good bull 10- 15 years ago that hasn't been used recently his numbers will generally not be up to the current popular bulls due to genetic advancement.

My personal opinion is that the genetic gain represented by the figures is a lot higher than what the visual phenotype would suggest.

Ken

 

[Petercoates87]

It's funny u say that Ken I was looking at a bull last nite n his stats were pretty good but when I watched the youtube video I wasn't real impressed. I can't really tell what I didn't like but I just didn't like the look of him.

 

[Petercoates87]

And guys thanks so much for ur help. I am truly learning more about cattle than I ever thought existed. Here people are raising holestien steers or they got a cow that they just wants to get in calf. From what I know there's next to no one doin what everyone here talks about.