Understanding Management Groups
Breeding values allow breeders to compare the genetic merit of animals raised in potentially very different environmental conditions. These environmental factors are not genetic and so cannot benefit a breeding program through the progeny.
Collecting Mature Cow Weights
Mature cow weight has been a topical trait in 2020 and whether your breeding program aims to increase, decrease or remain constant the genetic merit of the herd for the trait,
Common performance recording problems
The term “rubbish in – rubbish out” is often used when discussing the requirements of performance recording with the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation (TACE). In other words, the reliability of the Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) that are produced for the animals in a seedstock herd is a direct reflection of the reliability (or quality) of the information that is submitted to Angus Australia.
Measuring docility to improve it
Docility measurements are typically taken at weaning, which has the advantage of all calves having had minimal handling and so can express variation in their temperament. This variation is important because a big part of the temperament we see in animals is the result of their past handling.
Understand what the EBV means in real terms
If I set a threshold of +4.0kg for birth weight and won’t use bulls with EBVs above this, then we will get a set of bulls that reflect this and any other EBV cut offs put in place.
Take care when setting EBV thresholds
The use of set thresholds when making breeding decisions is an important component of utilising EBVs within a breeding program, however if the thresholds are too tight they can impact the potential gains of the program.
Understanding the scale and the trait is paramount
Another common mistake when interpreting EBVs is not understanding what the trait is describing in the performance of the progeny.
Once we understand the trait and what it describes,
EBVs describe the average of a parent’s progeny
Any discussion which tries to relate a bull’s EBVs to his own physical appearance or performance is fundamentally flawed. In essence, you are using the temperature gauge to tell how fast the car is going.
Breeding values add value
Gaining a true assessment of a bull’s potential value and the direction he could take the herd can be hard when relying only on physical traits and performance, because of the large impact environmental conditions have.
