EBVs enable breeders to increase the genetic merit of their herd through the selection of individuals with better growth genetics. A recent project examining how well EBVs predicted the performance of progeny by sires in the ASBP, found that the EBVs of sires provided a reliable indication of their genetics for growth.
The difference between the average EBV of the highest and lowest 10 EBV sires for the 400 day weight EBV was on average 29.1 kg, across cohorts 5, 6 and 7. This equates to a predicted difference in the average weight of progeny between sire groups of 14.6 kg at 400 days of age. When weighed, the actual difference in the weight of progeny was 14.2 kg.
Check out the Lessons from the ASBP resources, available on the Angus Australia website for the other growth traits and the results from the earlier work examining cohorts 1, 2 and 3.
