EPD -- February 22, 2021

From a reader who grew up on a ranch in North Dakota

Our poster child has grown up (;>)

So - Herbster has EPD's on the little black bull's calves.

That's Expected Progeny Differences

Under "Production", his calves have higher birth weights, weaning weights and yearling weights - those are the 2nd, 3rd and 4th categories.  People make more money off calves that are heavier at weaning and yearling ages, but they actually don't like a bigger birth weight because it makes it tougher on the momma cows.  There is a specific demand for a bull that will produce a low birth-weight calf (of course they don't want to sacrifice much weight as he grows).  Those bulls are bought to breed heifers with the idea that the first calf a cow delivers should be smaller.

Then there's a maternal section off to the right - all I know there is that more milk is better.

Ah - I just saw a link on the very bottom right that translates the abbreviations - I'll read it later.

The ones I know for carcass weignt (lower left section), are obviously carcass weight, rib eye (the highest $ value retail cuts ... more rib eye =more money), marbling (desireable) and fat (I think that's fat external to the meat, and although I know that's a good thing for taste, most housewives don't want to pay for fat, so the butcher trims it, losing money)

This whole EPD thing came along after I left the ranch, so I'm not well-versed in it.  It'll be fun to read the "Cliff Notes" - I'll learn something about the modern beef industry.

https://www.angus.org/Animal/EpdPedDtl.aspx?aid=FAAAABPQc%2bW90%2bKqNTOYFxREg1LK4TWk3LydN%2fiFbmtM3Okk&time=LAAAAOT9rnlaX%2bx41Romwffwy8n0%2fZeYvzYqsMBZvnYblOe6%2bSEOa1DVeb5CD7a5j48z4g%3d%3d

 

About Them Cowboys -- February 20, 2021

See: "about them cowboys."

 

From a reader:

I was drunk, the day my Mom got out of prison

(In Williston, North Dakota, a small town where the quality of life has been destroyed by the fracking boom)

And I went to pick her up in the rain

(Insert global warming, climate change, tree-hugging, whale-saving, polar ice cap melting mantras here)

But, before I could get her in my brand new pickup truck

(A stylish Tesla bought with EV credits)

She got run over by a damned old train

(Warren Buffet's a sly old fox to have bought BN and Barrack O.  He hauls shale oil at a higher price than a DAPL pipeline - oh and it's more dangerous)

So, I'll hang around as long as you will let me

(Jerry Jones never paid that kind of money - did you see the contract Tatis Jr. signed?  $300 million for a shortstop, for Gawd's sake)

I never minded standing in the rain

(Deadly acid rain - but not as deadly as a mild weekend in Chicago)

You don't have to call me darlin', darlin'

You never even called me by my name.

 

Political Correctness -- February 11, 2021

Link here.

Sometimes I post things for my benefit only, to come back to later, to save for the archives.

Perhaps I should add some Ayn Rand interviews.