farmerboy777":2ngagvza said:
I am starting over from scratch with my beef herd. I would like to know what all of these abbreviations stand for and the relative numbers. Which ones should I pay attention to as I am planning on sell the offspring as hanging weight not through a sale barn. I am still unclear as which bred or cross bred I plan on going with. CED, BW, WW, YW, MILK, MG, CEM, SC, FAT, RIB EYE, IMF%, BMI, CEZ, BII, CHB. Thanks
This should help!
Just search the interent, using search word"How to Use EPD's" and you will get more information than you care for.
Accuracy (ACC), is the reliability that can be placed on the EPD. An accuracy of close to 1.0 indicates higher reliability. Accuracy is impacted by the number of progeny and ancestral records included in the analysis.
$Value Indexes, are multi-trait selection indexes, expressed in dollars per head, to assist beef producers by adding simplicity to genetic selection decisions. The $Value is an estimate of how future progeny of each sire are expected to perform, on average, compared to progeny of other sires in the database if the sires were randomly mated to cows and if calves were exposed to the same environment.
PRODUCTION
Calving Ease Direct (CED), is expressed as a difference in percentage of unassisted births, with a higher value indicating greater calving ease in first-calf heifers. It predicts the average difference in ease with which an sire's calves will be born when he is bred to first-calf heifers.
Birth Weight EPD (BW), expressed in pounds, is a predictor of a sire's ability to transmit birth weight to his progeny compared to that of other sires.
Weaning Weight EPD (WW), expressed in pounds, is a predictor of a sire's ability to transmit weaning growth to his progeny compared to that of other sires.
Yearling Weight EPD (YW), expressed in pounds, is a predictor of a sire's ability to transmit yearling growth to his progeny compared to that of other sires.
Yearling Height EPD (YH), is a predictor of a sire's ability to transmit yearling height, expressed in inches, compared to the that of other sires.
Scrotal Circumference EPD (SC), expressed in centimeters, is a predictor of the difference in transmitting ability for scrotal size compared to that of other sires.
MATERNAL
Calving Ease Maternal (CEM), is expressed as a difference in percentage of unassisted births with a higher value indicating greater calving ease in first-calf daughters. It predicts the average ease with which a sire's daughters will calve as first-calf heifers when compared to daughters of other sires.
Maternal Milk EPD (Milk), is a predictor of a sire's genetic merit for milk and mothering ability as expressed in his daughters compared to daughters of other sires. In other words, it is that part of a calf's weaning weight attributed to milk and mothering ability.
Herds (MkH) indicate the number of herds from which daughters are reported.
Daughters (MkD) reflects the number of daughters that have progeny weaning weight records included in the analysis.
Mature Weight EPD (MW), expressed in pounds, is a predictor of the difference in mature weight of daughters of a sire compared to the daughters of other sires.
Mature Height EPD (MH),expressed in inches, is a predictor of the difference in mature height of a sire's daughters compared to daughters of other sires.
Cow Energy Value ($EN), expressed in dollars savings per cow per year, assesses differences in cow energy requirements as an expected dollar savings difference in daughters of sires. A larger value is more favorable when comparing two animals (more dollars saved on feed energy expenses). Components for computing the cow $EN savings difference include lactation energy requirements and energy costs associated with differences in mature cow size.
CARCASS
Carcass Weight EPD (CW), expressed in pounds is a predictor of the differences in hot carcass weight of a sire's progeny compared to progeny of other sires.
Marbling EPD (Marb), expressed as a fraction of the difference in USDA marbling score of a sire's progeny compared to progeny of other sires.
Ribeye Area EPD (RE), expressed in square inches, is a predictor of the difference in ribeye area of a sire's progeny compared to progeny of other sires.
Fat Thickness EPD (Fat), expressed in inches, is a predictor of the differences in external fat thickness at the 12th rib (as measured between the 12th and 13th ribs) of a sire's progeny compared to progeny of other sires.
Group/progeny (Grp/Pg) reflects the number of contemporary groups and the number of carcasses for each sire included in the analysis.
ULTRASOUND
Intramuscular Fat EPD (%IMF), is a predictor of the difference in a sire's progeny for percent intramuscular fat in the ribeye muscle compared to other sires.
Ribeye Area EPD (RE), is a predictor of the difference in square inches of ultrasound ribeye area of a sire's progeny compared to the progeny of other sires.
Fat Thickness EPD (FAT),expressed in inches, is a predictor of the difference in ultrasound fat thickness at the 12th rib of a sire's progeny compared to the progeny of other sires. It includes the weighted average of 60% of the rib fat measurement and 40% of the rump fat measurement.
Group/progeny (GP/PG) is the number of contemporary groups and number of progeny considered in this analysis.
$VALUE INDEXES
$Value indexes are multi-trait selection indexes, expressed in dollars per head, to assist beef producers by adding simplicity to genetic selection decisions. The $Value is an estimate of how future progeny of each sire are expected to perform, on average, compared to progeny of other sires in the database if the sires were randomly mated to cows and if calves were exposed to the same environment. More Info
Weaned Calf Value ($W), an index value expressed in dollars per head, is the expected average difference in future progeny performance for preweaning merit. $W includes both revenue and cost adjustments associated with differences in birth weight, weaning direct growth, maternal milk, and mature cow size.
Feedlot Value ($F), an index value expressed in dollars per head, is the expected average difference in future progeny performance for postweaning merit compared to progeny of other sires.
Grid Value ($G), an index value expressed in dollars per head, is the expected average difference in future progeny performance for carcass grid merit compared to progeny of other sires.
Beef Value ($B), an index value expressed in dollars per head, is the expected average difference in future progeny performance for postweaning and carcass value compared to progeny of other sires.
