Monday, February 22, 2021

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

 

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