If you knew then what you know now…
Would you buy that bull again?
by Larry Keenan, RAAA Director of Breed Improvement
As weaning time approaches for spring-calving herds, most commercial producers are
drawing conclusions on the success of their previous sire selection decisions. By now,
producers have a good assessment of the calving ease, survivability and performance in
calves sired by their new bulls. Even more critical to the long-term success of an
operation is the assessment of the first-calf heifers from each sire group. Did they calve
unassisted? Did they milk enough? Were they good mothers? And, most importantly,
did they rebreed?
Now think back to when you purchased those bulls. In making your selection decisions
you set the bar high. In order to have maximum accuracy in the EPDs on which you
based your selection decisions, you only considered seedstock producers who measured
all traits. You refreshed yourself on RAAA EPDs and used them in your selection
decisions instead of misleading adjusted weights or ratios.
Consider this: If you were given the opportunity to include the information gained from
the first calf crop in your selections, would it change your final selection decision? If you
knew then what you know now, would you still buy those bulls? Would you pay more
for those bulls because you have more information and therefore are more confident
that you are making the right decision?
While this may seem far-fetched, seedstock producers actually have the ability to
provide their customers with such information through the use of DNA tests for genetic
merit. Often referred to as 50K or 80K tests, these genetic merit DNA tests simply
provide data that is incorporated into EPD calculations. The end result: EPDs on nonparent bulls that contain as much information as that from their future calf crop.
Through use of such genetic merit tests, producers can have more confidence that their
heifer bull prospect is truly a calving-ease specialist, or the cowherd-building bull
prospect will produce sustained profit-generating females.
“Using bulls that are 50K tested is a huge resource to us,” said Shawn Claymore of
McLaughlin, S.D. “It’s a great insurance policy that a 50K-tested bull will produce
according to his EPDs and that makes him more valuable to me.”
Claymore ranches in north-central South Dakota in the rough terrain west of the
Missouri River and markets both FCCP-tagged feeder calves and commercial
replacement heifers.
Likewise, Mike Coffey of Mass City, Mich., seeks every opportunity to add value to his
calves. He said using bulls that are 50K tested gives his operation an advantage in
improving their genetics and adding profitability.
“I am a firm believer in genetic testing,” said Coffey. ”The cow-calf production cycle is a
long process and bulls cost a lot of money. Purchasing bulls that are 50K tested gives us
a better way to get those genetics on the ground faster.”
Seedstock producers who provide their customers with next-generation EPDs that
include data from genetic merit DNA tests can have confidence that their customers are
given the maximum amount of information to include in their selection decisions, thus,
increasing customer satisfaction.
“I think the 50K test will differentiate seedstock producers,” said Eric Christensen of
Weldona, Colo. “Those that are willing to spend the extra money to 50K test their bulls
will be able to offer animals with truer, more accurate EPDs. It’s important to our
operation to know what we are purchasing. It will make a difference in the bulls we
purchase and the amount we are willing to spend on those bulls.”
Christensen and his family own a cow-calf and feeder operation, and feed cattle to a
finished weight. They have won multiple Grid Master awards.
Animals whose EPDs are reinforced by DNA genetic merit data are often denoted as
such in sale catalogs. RAAA also displays this information on the “Animal Search” results
accessible through RedAngus.org.
Producers interested in acquiring valuable genetic information through a DNA test can
do so conveniently through RAAA. Submitted samples are processed at GeneSeek, who
is RAAA’s genomic partner and a leader in the DNA industry. Alternatively, producers
can submit samples to Zoetis, who has its own genetic merit test. While there are
differences between the two DNA tests, both are incorporated into the tested animal’s
EPD calculations.
While DNA tests are perceived to be a new technology in the cattle industry, producers
should realize the science of DNA testing has been proven to be accurate by the
scientific community. Additionally, the process of incorporating the DNA test data into
RAAA EPDs has been evaluated and approved by RAAA’s Technical Committee. Because
these important steps have been taken, producers can have confidence that EPDs
supercharged with genomic data provides the most informative data to use in selection
decisions.
“As a commercial producer I am going to choose sound science and always purchase a
50K-tested bull over a non-50K tested bull,” said Claymore.
Talk to your bull supplier today to see if they are providing you with EPDs that are
backed by all available data (calving ease score, birth weight, weaning weight, yearling
weight, ultrasound carcass data, actual carcass data, mature weight and body condition
score of dam at weaning, heifer exposure/pregnancy data, etc.) and DNA genetic test
results.
Cutlines:
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By 50K DNA testing, the EPD accuracies on a young sire can be increased to the
equivalent of including data from his first calf crop.
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If you were given the opportunity to include the information gained from the first calf
crop in your selections, would it change your final selection decisions?
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“I think the 50K test will differentiate seedstock producers,” said Eric Christensen of
Weldona, Colo. “Those that are willing to spend the extra money to 50K test their bulls
will be able to offer animals with truer, more accurate EPDs.”