Maternal Calving Ease - attn: Aero

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

In another thread Aero commented:

i just dont get how it can be good that his MCE is half of his CE. it doesnt sound sustainable. why is it the SM always have a lot lower MCE that CE?

Here's an article I just received from the American Simmental Assn:
"Multi-breed calving ease EPDs on the horizon: Calving ease, both direct and maternal, and stayability have never been multi-breed traits. ASA has only had the technology to evaluate these traits on a single-breed basis because they are complicated by both heterosis and other-breed-base EPDs. Dr. Shafer has spent considerable time working on the development of multi-breed CE and MCE, and we are hoping to present the first CE and MCE EPDs resulting from our next genetic evaluation in June.

Before you make A.I. matings this spring, you might consider reviewing the CE and MCE EPDs and percentile ranks of other breeds you may be using. For example, Angus CE and MCE EPDs range from approximately zero to +12 or +13, and average 6 for CE and 7 for MCE. The U.S. MARC research and ASA's Heifer Calving Ease Programs would "translate" these Angus averages to approximately +14 ASA CE and -5 ASA MCE. Therefore, if you have been using average Angus bulls for CE and MCE the resulting SimAngus progeny may be well above average Simmental CE and significantly below average Simmental MCE.

The point of this is to encourage you to be just as vigilant searching for superior traits in other breeds, as you are when you select outstanding Simmental sires for CE and MCE EPDs. The new multi-breed CE and MCE EPDs will reflect the quality of genes you brought in from other breeds. We encourage you to "do your homework" before you make the matings. "

I will never say I totally understand EPD's but I do strongly believe in using them.
So, at the present, the Simmental MCE AVERAGE is +2.3 and looks like the Angus average is about +7 - but, this article indicates the +2.3 is supposed to be easier calving than the Angus +7.

So, the point is, you have to USE the EPD's according to your own breed.
The Simmental direct CE average is +6.5, and if a bull has a +10 CE, ASA recommends him to be used on British heifers. So, like I said, you need to know your EPD's for your own breed.

 

[edrsimms]

In Simmental ----- MCE reflects the individuals Dams' Calving ease (since 2.5 is avg you would want above 2.5 for that category)
CE or Calving Ease Direct represents the individual. (since 6.5 is avg you would want above 6.5 in this category)


CE BW WW YW MCE MK MWW STAY CWT YG MARB BF WBS API TI PB SIMM
6.5 1.3 32.4 57.6 2.5 4.4 20.6 18.3 -2 0.00 0.13 0.01 -0.08 101 61 AVERAGE


You can look up an animal that is not a Simmental on ASA like Blue Moon 4407 M who is an Angus Sire and get his numbers in ASA format.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

In Simmental ----- MCE reflects the individuals Dams' Calving ease (since 2.5 is avg you would want above 2.5 for that category)
CE or Calving Ease Direct represents the individual. (since 6.5 is avg you would want above 6.5 in this category)


CE BW WW YW MCE MK MWW STAY CWT YG MARB BF WBS API TI PB SIMM
6.5 1.3 32.4 57.6 2.5 4.4 20.6 18.3 -2 0.00 0.13 0.01 -0.08 101 61 AVERAGE


You can look up an animal that is not a Simmental on ASA like Blue Moon 4407 M who is an Angus Sire and get his numbers in ASA format.

edr - I think you are confused on the MCE - MCE is the OFFSPRINGS' calving ease - not the DAM.
We (as a breed) have been working on those two traits - which are antaganistic traits.
Used to be said you should NEVER keep a replacement heifer out of a heifer. But, that was because old timers used to breed a little pud calving ease bull to their heifers. Than the offspring would be "puds" and would be too small for easy calving.
Now, you can find a good number of bulls with great CE - AND, great MCE.

 

[Aero]

this is interesting and i appreciate you bringing to my attention because it really does drive me crazy (apparently for no reason). i dont have time right now to think too much, but i will stew on it.

thank you.