After reading some of these post on EPD's and paper breeding. I'm wondering how much of a percentage do you as a seed stock buyer put into;
A) Phenotype, which includes breed traits such as eye and scrotal pigmentation in Herfs for example.
B) Pedigree, which includes dam and sire traits and history
C) EPD's assuming acc's are decent and sire and dam's acc are good.
So for example; when buying, do you give all A,B and C 33% of the decision? or does A get more weight? Does a prospect have to have all A,B and C good? Or if A is good and B or C is good, does having all 3 matter too much?
I left out do-ability in your environment, assuming you know how the line will do from others or your willing to take the chance... another example; my M326 stock seem to be very easy fleshing and easy keepers in my environment (Kansas breed lines), as will as Call 100 stock (high desert poor pastures unless irrigated).... but my Moler daughter just melted away into an decent looking cow, by no means as easy of keeper as most of my others.... but it could be the dams side. I'm in a area with lush green pastures for 8 months a year then field grass hay, but cold and lots of rain and mud in winter and fall.... and everywhere they and I walk is uphill, I'm sure there is no down hill walking at all :lol: . My M326 bred stock seem to do fine in it.
Please feel free to add any other things I may have missed.
Thanks,
Alan
A) Phenotype, which includes breed traits such as eye and scrotal pigmentation in Herfs for example.
B) Pedigree, which includes dam and sire traits and history
C) EPD's assuming acc's are decent and sire and dam's acc are good.
So for example; when buying, do you give all A,B and C 33% of the decision? or does A get more weight? Does a prospect have to have all A,B and C good? Or if A is good and B or C is good, does having all 3 matter too much?
I left out do-ability in your environment, assuming you know how the line will do from others or your willing to take the chance... another example; my M326 stock seem to be very easy fleshing and easy keepers in my environment (Kansas breed lines), as will as Call 100 stock (high desert poor pastures unless irrigated).... but my Moler daughter just melted away into an decent looking cow, by no means as easy of keeper as most of my others.... but it could be the dams side. I'm in a area with lush green pastures for 8 months a year then field grass hay, but cold and lots of rain and mud in winter and fall.... and everywhere they and I walk is uphill, I'm sure there is no down hill walking at all :lol: . My M326 bred stock seem to do fine in it.
Please feel free to add any other things I may have missed.
Thanks,
Alan