Economically Relevant Economically Relevant TraitsTraits

Mark EnnsMark Enns

Colorado State UniversityColorado State University

Beef Producers’ MotivationBeef Producers’ Motivation

• Hobby• Property tax reduction• Profit

Two basic tools of animal Two basic tools of animal breedingbreeding

• Selection– EPD

• Mating– Mate allocation– Crossbreeding

44

Typical Genetic EvaluationTypical Genetic Evaluation• Birth Weight• Weaning Weight• Milk• Total Maternal• Yearling Weight

• Carcass Traits– Actual REA, BF, etc– Ultrasound REA, BF,

et

• Calving Ease• Mix of others…

If you can measure it, we can produce an EPD for it

Typical Genetic EvaluationTypical Genetic Evaluation

• Proven• Accepted• Well-used

• Assumption:– More EPD allow us to better characterize the

genetic potential of animals– Should be able to make more profitable selection

decisions

• But …

Sire Summary of the Future?Sire Summary of the Future?Birth directBirth maternalWeaning directWeaning maternalTotal maternalYearling direct600 d directCalving directCalving maternalCarcass wtRib fatRump fatLMAMarb scoreQuality grade% Retail yieldLbs (kg) retail yieldYield gradeUs LMAUS rib fatUs % IMFFat percentageCondition score

Gestation lengthDays to calvingCalving intervalStayabilityHeifer pregnancy rateRebreeding rateCalf weaned/cow exposedScrotal circumferencePelvic areaFrame scoreMuscle scoreUdder scoreDocilityTick scoreParasite egg countMature weightMaintenance energyFeed efficiencyDrop weightType scoreUterine scoreTooth scorePrecocity score

Feedlot feed consumptionFeedlot surv.Pre-wean surv.Serving capacityServing proportionSemen volumeHip heightLeg scoreLength productive lifeDoing abilityGrand-maternal weaningTwinning rateDays to 11mm BFDays to 75% ChoiceDays to carc wt.Hair whorl scoreAverage daily gainWt. /day of ageLiver weightResting heart ratePulmonary arteriole pressureBrisket disease rateBraveryAggression

• Proliferation of EPD– An ever-increasing list of traits– Many EPD indirectly related to economic

goals

• Methods for using EPD to make financially sound selection decisions

EPD and ProfitabilityEPD and Profitability

• We can combine genetic evaluation to make – Genetic progress in multiple traits

simultaneously– Increase profitability

Genetic TrendsGenetic TrendsEconomic Breeding ObjectiveEconomic Breeding Objective

-5

5

15

25

35

70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92

Year of birth

Mea

n E

BV

, lb

Direct Milk Yearling

-20

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20

40

60

80

70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92

Year of birth

Mea

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, lb

Mature Slaughter

-200

20406080

100

76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92

Year of birth

Mea

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BV

, NZ

$ (1

976)

$4.32/yearMDMF

PDLH($) 06.)18.4(53.

GoalGoal

• Produce tools that can make the producer more profitable

TerminologyTerminology

•Economically Relevant Traits: traits that are directly associated with a revenue stream or cost of production of a

commercial operation.

Indicator Traits:Indicator Traits: traits that add accuracy to the traits that add accuracy to the

prediction of ERT by pleiotropy prediction of ERT by pleiotropy (e.g. genetic correlation).(e.g. genetic correlation).

ERTERT

• Does selecting on a trait directly effect your income or cost?

Economically Relevant:Economically Relevant:Probability Of Calving EaseProbability Of Calving Ease

• Indicators:– Birth Weight– Pelvic Area– Gestation Length– Calving Ease Score

?

PracticallyPractically

• Sire A– Average birth weight of calves is 80 pounds

• Sire B– Average birth weight of calves is 90 pounds

• Is there a difference, if all offspring are born unassisted?

Double countingDouble counting

Birth weight vs Calving Ease EPD

Getting rid of animals that are better calving than you expect for their birth weight

How do we make sense of these EPD to increase profitability?

• Indicators:– Scrotal circumference– Pregnancy observations

?

Economically Relevant:Economically Relevant:Heifer PregnancyHeifer Pregnancy

Unexpected resultsUnexpected results

B.L. Golden

Indirect = indicator direct = ERT

Relationships between Carcass and Relationships between Carcass and Ultrasound InformationUltrasound Information

Observed Carcass Data

Observed Ultrasound Data Ultrasound EPD

Carcass EPD

True Carcass AttributeTrue Carcass Attribute

Carcass

Attributes

of Progeny

Our desire is that Our desire is that producers use EPDs producers use EPDs

objectively in the context objectively in the context of their business goal(s)of their business goal(s)

Profit = Income – ExpenseProfit = Income – Expense

In our vision…In our vision…

• Have EPD for ERT that allow producers to better associate value/cost with genetic improvement

In the Current SituationIn the Current Situation

• Must distinguish between traits that are economically relevant (ERT) and traits that are indicators– Focus on ERTs for valuing animals– Use indicator EPD to support ERTs

• Need decision support models to allow us to objectively interpret ERTs in a system context

ExamplesExamples

• Application (under development)

• Charolais Sire Selector

EPDs For The FutureEPDs For The Future

• Weaning Direct• Weaning Milk• Yearling Weight• Carcass Weight• Mature Weight• Cow Maintenance

Feed Requirement• Docility

• Stayability (LPL)• Prob of Heifer

Pregnancy• Prob of Calving Ease• Calving Ease

Maternal• Days to Finish Target

Different approaches for development of Different approaches for development of ERT for the finishing phaseERT for the finishing phase

• Universal (constant) target endpoint– Predetermined data adjustment prior to calculation of

EPD

• Different (variable) target endpoints– Random Regression – No predetermined endpoint (different endpoints can

be constructed for different circumstances using the same st of random regression EPD)

Why Days to Finish?Why Days to Finish?

• Accounts for costs – Time value of money– Yardage– Cost of feed ?

• Can use existing carcass data• In concert with a value at finish EPD, will

account for revenue and therefore overall profit

Final SystemFinal System

Cow/Calf System

Cow/Calf System

BackgroundAnd

Stocker system

BackgroundAnd

Stocker system

Feedlot system

Feedlot system

Genetic Evaluation

Genetic Evaluation

Decision SupportCenter

Decision SupportCenter

• Web Delivered• Flexibility in the system

– Not limited to one target endpoint

• Feeding program• Marketing program• Evaluation of profitability• Prediction of phenotypic

outcomes

Producer

Producer

Web-basedWeb-based

• 58% of all farmers have access to a computer (Drover’s and USDA-NASS)

• Greater flexibility