UTILIZING BEEF CATTLE SELECTION TO INCREASE MARBLING
Dr. Doug Parrett
Beef Cattle Extension Specialist, University of Illinois
The profit equation in the beef business encompasses many production stages. Cattle
must be low cost to maintain, reproduce with a high level of efficiency, grow rapidly, and
produce a palatable, high quality product consistently. American beef producers have an
advantage because historically they have been low cost producers of a high quality product. In
the 21st century it will be important for producers to develop cattle with the end product in mind.
Over 90% of the nation's beef producers have cow herds of less than 100 head. Beef
producers have cows primarily as a byproduct of land ownership. Many simply have cows
because they have forage lands that are not suitable for grain farming. As a result, these
producers are generally slow to adapt technological changes and are unwilling to devote a great
deal of management energy to their beef enterprise. The result for the beef industry has been
production of a commodity product that has limited predictability. Most cow/calf producers need
to realize that a weaned calf is not the finished product.
Committing to Selection for Improved Quality
Successful cattle breeding requires a long-term commitment. Selection decisions made in
2004 will be evaluated in 2006 or 2007. The improved heifer from a 2004 mating has her first
calf in 2007 with her offspring harvested in 2009. There is an urgency to be serious about your
cattle breeding and selection programs! Profitable cattle production is not a single trait
phenomenon. It requires a balance of production, feedlot, and carcass traits. It is not easier to
produce balanced trait animals. It requires disciplined breeding strategies over a long period of
time. In the past, breeders have often selected for a single trait and changed that trait rapidly.
However, that led to problems in other traits and producers who know how traits are related and
keep things in perspective have long-term success. First, a producer should identify what traits
need improvement within his herd to better meet market demands. Secondly, select sires to
improve those traits while keeping other production traits balanced.
We currently have the most genetic information available about beef cattle than at any
time in history. An Expected Progeny Difference (EPD) predicts the genetic transmitting ability
of an animal as a parent. The EPD is developed in genetic evaluation systems within a breed
based on the actual performance of an animal, plus it incorporates all of the performance
information of all of the relatives of an animal. EPDs are not new, having been utilized for over
20 years. Through the years, the amount of performance information available has increased
dramatically, resulting in improved accuracies of EPD estimates. EPDs reduce the risk in cattle
breeding. They allow a producer to identify the animals that can effectively produce beef with
the most market demand. Remember, no one EPD is best for all producers as each producer has a
unique production environment, labor resources, and marketing options.
Most purebred breed associations offer EPDs to predict marbling characteristics of parent
animals based on actual progeny carcass testing programs or from ultrasound evaluations of
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progeny. In the future, the use of ultrasound evaluations of marbling (intramuscular fat)
characteristics will greatly enhance the information base on carcass characteristics. Ultrasound
offers advantages over progeny testing programs because many more animals are evaluated and
certified technicians utilizing standardized evaluation procedures offer a high level of accuracy
to the program.
Selection for Improved Quality
Other discussion has addressed how marbling is manipulated by management and
environmental issues. In selection programs, marbling is primarily affected by the breeds utilized
in the program and the sires selected. Multiple studies have indicated that a combination of
British breeds and Continental breeds of cattle will result in market animals that combine for
optimum characteristics of lean growth, retail product yield, and carcass quality. Typically
though, the higher percentage of British breeding—the higher the marbling levels at given
weights or fat end points. Selecting sires that excel in the traits you want to improve (i.e.,
marbling) offers direct results in improving market cattle marbling characteristics. Selection is
defined as: "choosing animals to produce the next generation."
When selecting sires, a producer must first identify the base marbling and carcass
characteristics of their cow herd. Once a base production level is established, a producer should:
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gather EPD information on potential sires. Consider using AI to capitalize on high
accuracy, proven sires.
know the breed averages and percentile rankings for the traits you are evaluating
within a breed.
determine the priority for improving carcass traits as compared to other traits (i.e.,
calving ease, growth).
select bulls whose EPD profiles best match the traits are important for your selection
priorities.
purchase bulls whose phenotypes excel from the EPD acceptable bulls you identified.
produce uniform, moderate frame sized cattle. Large framed cattle have more lean
growth but marble at heavier weights. Produce cattle with extra growth but not
extremely large frame sizes.
be willing to pay for predictable genetics.
document the performance and carcass characteristics of your cattle.
There currently are genetic tools available to improve marbling characteristics in the
cattle populations. The measure of success for this goal will be determined by the level of
commitment by professional cattlemen to achieve this goal.
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