Most important EPD for birthing?

[brandonm_13]

What do you guys(and girls) consider to be the most important EPD factor when considering a bull for heifers/small cows, or just piece of mind when you know you can't be around for much of the birthings?

BW, CED, or birthweight of the bull being used? Or a combination of 2 or 3?

 

[cowperson]

I look at the BW, CED and GL if available. Also check the the accuracy of the EPD's if the accuracy is high than the EPD is more reliable. I also look up the bull using his registration number and check out his pedigree to see if there are any sires or dams that have high BW. Of course even after all that investigating you could have a cow that would have a problem but you can be assured that you did everything you could to put a bull in with cows that should throw lower birth weight calves and reduce the odds of having calving problems. Good luck.

 

[brandonm_13]

Ok. You got me. I'm not familiar with GL, and the only catalog I have with me is a Limousin catalog and I don't see that term.

 

[Frankie]

What do you guys(and girls) consider to be the most important EPD factor when considering a bull for heifers/small cows, or just piece of mind when you know you can't be around for much of the birthings?

BW, CED, or birthweight of the bull being used? Or a combination of 2 or 3?

We mostly use the BW EPD. The Angus CED EPD is still fairly new and we just haven't made the shift to it yet, though I generally do look at it when we're talking heifer bulls.

 

[Frankie]

Ok. You got me. I'm not familiar with GL, and the only catalog I have with me is a Limousin catalog and I don't see that term.

Huh. I though the Limi breed started the Gestation Length EPD? Or am I totally off base?

 

[brandonm_13]

I've got the 08 LimiGene catalog and I don't see the gestation length anywhere.

Does it bother anyone else that you look at a bull with a high CED score and a low BW score, but the bull's own birthweight was high? I know nutrition can play a part in this, but that still scares me a little. I don't know if I would feel comfortable using a bull like that on heifers or small frame cows.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

What bulls you looking at? If you have questions just give Herman or any of the great people at LimiGene and they will anwser any questions you have. Herman failed to put the GL in the directory this time. I use CED and BW mostly try to look at CED the hardest.

 

[jfranseen]

If you are looking at using a Limousin bull look for CED mostly then BW. GL is no longer useed since the Limousin breed has started with the Calving Ease Direct epd. They do factor gestation length in when calculating the CED epd however. As was mentioned before use bulls with high accuracies on heifers. There are bulls out there with higher actual birth weights that have very proven cavling ease epds. Cole Wulf Hunt (85lbs) and OKLF Linebacker(90lbs) are two examples. Proven epds usually don't lie. Usually.

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

I thought GL was created by the Gelbvieh breed

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Does it bother anyone else that you look at a bull with a high CED score and a low BW score, but the bull's own birthweight was high? I know nutrition can play a part in this, but that still scares me a little. I don't know if I would feel comfortable using a bull like that on heifers or small frame cows.

No, and it shouldn't bother you either. Phenotype of the calf is the single most important trait when determining calving ease, NOT birthweight as the jackrabbit breeders would have you believe. I've had small calves that had to be pulled because they were built like blocks, but then watched the same cow the following year birth a 40 lb heavier calf unassisted because the calf had properly shaped shoulders and was long.

When you pick your bull, you need to look at phenotype FIRST, then look at BW and BW EPDs. The blockier the bull, the lower you need to see those birthweight scores. And in essence, that is exactly what the CED EPD is trying to emulate.

Rod

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I look at phenotype of the actual bull first. Than look at paper work.
The BW epd is actually figured into the CE epd, so CE is the MOST IMPORTANT.
Actually, the Simmental breed is considering dropping the BW epd and only list CE.