translating EPD's

[Anonymous]

ok, all these numbers i see, and i can even read them... let alone know what they mean. can SOMEONE please just tell me what are the MOST ideal EPD numbers for a bull to breed a first time heifer, she is an angus. i need a pure calf. what is the best epd numbers.. im sorry this is my first heifer and i am thouoghly confused. thank you all for tolerating me! meg

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[Anonymous]

I'm not sure what the breed averages are now, but they shoudl be in the neighborhood of: BW 2.8, WW 31, Milk 15, YW 57, CW 7, MARB .07, REA .14, Fat .00, %RP 0.1, SC .10 For BW I like +2.0 or less, maybe even into the minus side. If I was not going to keep any heifers from this bull I would disregard MILK and SC and look for everything ese to be breed average or better. Depending on when the calf would be sold WW or YW becomes more important. However, I don't like (for heifers) a bull that is very much above the average for WW, it can really put a stress on the heifer trying to produce as much milk as she is capable of and if not enough the calf tends to look rather rangy and sorry at weaning and will be really cobbered at the salebarn. Just my opinion

> ok, all these numbers i see, and i
> can even read them... let alone
> know what they mean. can SOMEONE
> please just tell me what are the
> MOST ideal EPD numbers for a bull
> to breed a first time heifer, she
> is an angus. i need a pure calf.
> what is the best epd numbers.. im
> sorry this is my first heifer and
> i am thouoghly confused. thank you
> all for tolerating me! meg

 

[Anonymous]

As a general rule, the American Angus Assn. suggests you use a bull with a BW EPD of less than 3 on first calf heifers. Does she have a BW EPD? If it's above 4, you might want to look at a bull with a negative BW EPD. Good luck...

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[Anonymous]

I'm sorry. I should have added to use bulls with high accuracy EPDs. There are many Angus bulls with .99 accuracy BW EPDs. The more actual birth weights that have been reported on the bull's calves, the higher that accuracy will be, and the more reliable the EPD will be.

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[Anonymous]

Hey, One important note about EPD's, you must not over look the degree of accuracy. A lot of bulls are unproven or have very little progeny data to truly measure. May I suggest EXT. he is number 1 for a reason. Do not listen to anyone that tells you he has a bad disposition. When you are #1 they have to find something wrong with you, and crazy is the lable he's been taged with. Garden's Prime Time, would be my second choice. Trust Me on this One!
> ok, all these numbers i see, and i
> can even read them... let alone
> know what they mean. can SOMEONE
> please just tell me what are the
> MOST ideal EPD numbers for a bull
> to breed a first time heifer, she
> is an angus. i need a pure calf.
> what is the best epd numbers.. im
> sorry this is my first heifer and
> i am thouoghly confused. thank you
> all for tolerating me! meg

 

[Anonymous]

>The following is from the American Angus Association: EPD (Expected Progeny Difference) is the estimate of how future progeny of each sire are expected to perform in each of the traits listed. EPD is expressed in pounds, either plus or minus. EXAMPLE: If bull "A" has a weaning EPD of +33 pounds, and bull "B" has a weaning EPD of +25 pounds, Bull "A"'s calves should outweigh Bull "B"'s calves by 8 pounds at weaning time.

Go online and logon to: <A HREF="http://www.angus.org/sireeval/howto.html" TARGET="_blank">www.angus.org/sireeval/howto.html</A> This will explain quite a bit on EPD's. The EPD averages for current Angus sires are: BW (Birth weight) +2.7, WW (Weaning weight) +33, MM (Maternal milk) +16, YW (Yearling weight) +61, YH (Yearling height) +0.5, MWT (Mature daughter weight) +11.4, MHT (Mature daughter height +1.0, SC (Scrotal circumference +.13, CWT (Carcass weight) +6, MARB. (Marbling) +.06, REA (Ribeye area) +.15, Fat (Fat thickness) -.005, %RP (Percent retail product) +.14, %IMF (Intramuscular fat) +.00 Keep your birth EPD's LOW, especially on first calf heifers. Look for good milk EPD's. Milk is VERY IMPORTANT. Hope this helps out a little.

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[Anonymous]

i'm absorbing info like a sponge! thanks again!!! -meg

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