MT. VERNON -- Beef cow-calf producers are the genetic base for the cattle industry, according to Eldon Cole, livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
"Beef-cow producers are the persons who make genetic decisions that affect the performance of their calves in the feedlot, on-the-rail and ultimately in the meat case," said Cole. "Keep that in mind as you choose the bulls you use naturally or artificially."
Cole recommends that producers study available data in bull and semen catalogs. Then use that data to complement the strengths and weaknesses of cows in the herd.
Most seedstock suppliers share with cow-calf folks genetic information in the form of expected progeny differences (EPD) and genomic data. Unfortunately, that information may confuse some buyers and they question the validity of this method of making bull selections.
"If you're in the market for one or several bulls or semen this fall I suggest you give the numbers game a chance as you invest in improving your future calf crop," said Cole.
PERFORMANCE BULL SALE
A good opportunity to do this is at the Southwest Missouri Beef Cattle Improvement Association's 88th all-breed performance evaluated bull sale at 7 p.m. on Oct. 31 at the Springfield Livestock Marketing Center.
The catalog for this sale of 66 bulls is available from sale manager, Pam Naylor, Buffalo, phone 417-345-8330 or 417-880-6039. They are also available at many southwest region extension centers or on-line at www.swmobcia.com.
UNDERSTANDING THE DATA
Cole says data on the bulls is not as complete as you'll find in some catalogs. The primary data includes calving ease direct, weaning weight, yearling weight, daughters milk, intramuscular fat, ribeye area, $Wean and $Beef. These latter two $ index values combine several trait EPD's and current cattle industry economic trends.
"Feeder calf producers who do not retain ownership of calves much past weaning should study $Wean closely," said Cole.
If a producer retains ownership all the way to the packing plant $Beef is a helpful tool. The $Beef index includes post-weaning feedlot performance and carcass value. It does not include the $W items like birth and weaning weight as well as maternal milk and cow size.
The BCIA's catalog lists an accuracy value for each EPD. Accuracy merely gives an estimate of the amount of change that could occur in a bull's actual offspring. The range runs from 0 to .99. This sale offering has young, non-parent bulls so the highest accuracy shown is around 0.4.
"One aid you'll find in the catalog ranks each bull on a percent basis relative to other non-parent bulls in their breed. This percentile rank runs from 1% to 100%. A bull with a 1% of the breed for a trait. Should a bull have a rank of 99% that means 99% of the bulls in his breed are superior to him relative to that trait," said Cole.
Thirty-seven percent of the offering does have genomic (DNA) information that improves their accuracy and paints a clearer picture of their EPD for certain traits. Some will have genomic data on their bulls available by sale time.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
Questions regarding EPD's and other objective information will be addressed in a program called "Using EPDs," starting at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 in the sale ring.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information, contact any of the MU Extension livestock specialists in southwest Missouri: Eldon Cole in Lawrence County, (417) 466-3102; Andy McCorkill in Dallas County at (417) 345-7551; Dr. Randy Wiedmeier, in Douglas County at (417) 679-3525; or Dr. Patrick Davis in Cedar County at (417) 276-3313.
General News on 10/20/2016