Breeding animal selection

Beef cattle data categories

• Reproductive performance

• Mothering ability

• Growth rate

• Efficiency of gain

• Carcass merit

Cattle data-herd performance

In an efficient herd → 1 calf from each cow every 12 months

Performance measures (cattle)

%Calf crop= (# of calves weaned/# of cows exposed)*100

Weaning weight per cow exposed= (Average Actual WW X % Calf Crop)/100

• Indicative of reproduction rate, milking ability and preweaning growth rate

Individual performance-cattle

• Reproduction

• Calving intervals

  • # of days from calving until the next calf

  • 365 days

  • Breeding window

• Scrotal circumference

  • Bulls ability to produce sperm

  • Earlier onset of puberty

Cattle data-calf at weaning

• Weight is indicative of mothering ability/milk

• Need to be standardized by calf age (205)

• Weaned the same day but not born on the same day

• Weaning weight is pounds sold for the cow-calf producers

  • Earlier calving cows-heavier weight calves

Cattle data-birth weight

• Birth weight and calving ease

  • High birth weights → dystocia

  • Increased weaning and yearling weights

  • Select bull that has been tested for calving ease

  • Heifers

• Lighter calves are weaker

Cattle data-yearling weight

• Single most accurate of a calf’s economic value

• Combines preweaning growth with gain from weaning to a year

• Yearling weight heritability is moderately high

Cattle data-carcass characteristic

• Ribeye area

• Backfat

• Marbling

• Carcass weight

What data can be obtained through an ultrasound?

Ribeye area, backfat, marbling

Cattle Data-EPD and Economic Index

• EPDs-Expected progeny differences

  • Predictor of how future progeny should perform relative to others

• Economic Index

  • Multi-trait selection tool specific to a certain breeding objective

  • Express in $

Cattle data-Production EDPs

• Calving ease

• Birth weight

• Weaning weight

• Yearling weight

• Scrotal circumference

Cattle data-Maternal EDPs

• Heifer pregnancy

• Milk

• Mature weight

• Cow energy value

Cattle Data-Carcass EPDs

• Carcass weight

• Marbling

• Ribeye area

• Fat thickness

Cattle data-indexes

• Angus-on-Holstein

• Maternal weaned calf value

• Grid value

• Beef value

• Combined value

Beef improvement federation

• Formed in 1968

• Connects science and industry to improve beef cattle genetics

• Lots of resources for producers

• Across breed EPD adjustment tables

• US Meat Animal Research Center Genetic Program

Swine data-Sow productivity

• Wean to estrus

  • Time interval from the date of weaning until a sow returns to estrus 

• Litter size

  • Number of live pigs born per litter

• Litter weight (21 day)

  • Indicator of mothering/milking ability of sow

Swine data

• Days to 250

  • Can be actual days or an EPD

• Feed efficiency

  • Feed to gain ratio

  • Impacted by the environment, feed intake over maintenance, and composition of gain

    • Can improve FE by selecting for later maturing, leaner stock

Swine data-carcass

• Backfat

  • Scanned/actual data or EPD

• Loin Eye area

  • Scanned/actual Data or EPD

• Intramuscular Fat (IMF)

  • Marbling

Swine Data-index

Multi-trait selection tool, Maternal Line Index (MLI), Terminal Sire Index (TSI), Sow Productivity Index (SPI)

Maternal Line Index

• Emphasis on maternal traits; use when selecting replacement gilts or boars to makee replacement gilts

• Includes NBA, 21 day litter weight, days to 250, and backfat (adjusted for contemporary group)

Terminal Sire Index

• Growth and leanness

• Includes days to 250 and backfat (adjusted from contemporary group)

Sow productivity index

• Utilized to identify top producing sows

• Includes number of pigs born alive and 21 day litter weight (adjusted for CP)

c-reproductive efficiency

• Ewes that have lambed twins and triplets should be identified

  • BOGO (or BOG2)

• Early puberty

• Multiple births is a increased reproductive efficiency

  • Low heritability

Sheep performance data-Birth weight

• First indicator of growth rate, heavier birth weight lambs grow faster

• Might have lambing problems if too big

Sheep performance data-weaning weight

• Ewe’s milk producing ability ability and early indicator of growth potential

• 60d, 90d, 120d, is typical

  • 60d reflective of milk producing ewe (90 and 120d would also factor in growth potential)

• Can be expressed as ratio

Sheep performance data-growth rate

• Post-weaning weight

• Typically around 240 days of age

Sheep performance data-carcass characteristics

• Cutability

• Scanned data

National Sheep Improvement Federation

Developed to provide sheep producers with a way of genetically evaluating their animals for maternal, growth, and wool traits within flocks

FEPD

Flock expected progeny differences

Traits

• Number of lambs born per lambing

• Pounds of lamb weaned per ewe exposed

• 30, 60, 90, 120, and 240 day weights

• Wool production traits

Cattle evaluation-beef selection

• Much more important than other species

  • Longest gestation interval more time to make improvements

• Cattle are $$$

  • Need them to have longevity to make money back

What are factors to consider?

• Structural correctness

• Size and scale

• Muscle

• Body condition 

• Capacity

Cattle evaluation-structural correctness

• How are cattle meeting their nutritional requirements

• Lame cattle won’t make it

• Level designed, smooth blending, balanced cattle with correct shoulder and hind leg sets

Structural correctness cattle (images)

Cattle evaluation-capacity

Spring and depth of rib; associated with higher performing cattle

Cattle evaluation-structural red flags

• Restricted Mobility

  • Straight shouldered/hock

  • Over in knee

• Too much hind leg set

  • Better than too straight

• Big coarse shoulders

Cattle evaluation-size and scale

• Increased frame=later maturing, faster growing cattle

  • Finish at heavier weights

  • Calving issues and reach puberty later

  • Greater mature weights → require more feed for maintenance

• Use moderate framed cattle but potentially bred to a larger bull to increase growth of calves sold at weaning

Cattle evaluation-muscle

• Too little or too much muscle is undesirable

• Light muscled cattle aren’t as valuable

• Heavy muscled cattle that are too extreme may have calving difficulties

Cattle evaluation-BCS

Body condition (BCS): Indicator or the amount of fat on an animal

Cattle Evaluation-Too fat

• Low cutability carcasses

• Problems with reproductive performance

• Decreased milk production

• Waste of resources/money

Cattle evaluation-too thin

• Required more time to begin cycling after calving

• Lower conception rates

Swine gestation length

115 days, quick turnaround time to make improvements through selection

Swine evaluation-items to consider

• Skeletal correctness

• Size and scale

• Capacity

• Muscle

• Leanness

• Underlines

Skeletal correctness-Swine evaluation

• Important for longevity

• When on concrete, issues are magnified

Ideal skeletal characteristics-Swine

• Level top/spine

• Level hip with a higher tail set

• Relaxed shoulder blade

• Legs and feet go “straight down”

• Cushion in pasterns

• Even toe shape

What happens if the hind leg is too steep or straight

They can lock when breeding and cause restricted movement

Swine skeletal issues-High Spine

Forward in shoulder blade; extra pressure on knees

Swine skeletal issues-rigid/straight pastern

Restricted movement

Swine skeletal issues-image

Swine evaluation-size and scale

• Long bodied, large scaled hogs have greater ability to gain faster and more efficiently to heavy weights

• Later maturing

• Growth curves

Swine evaluation-capacity

• Volume and dimension

• Rib and center body

• Three dimensional: width, depth, length

• Adequate breeding and feeding capacity

• Pay attention to fat and waste (deposit in same area)

Swine evaluation-muscle

• Market hogs need to be muscular

• Muscle is highly heritable and easy to see on live animal

• Avoid extremes

Swine evaluation-Leanness

• Need lean hogs → FFL

• Fat is not efficient to produce or economical to trim off

• Leanness is highly heritable

• Check fat indicators

Swine evaluation-underlines

• Highly heritable

• Acceptable underline has at least 6 functional, evenly spaced nipples on each side

• Room for pigs to nurse

Sheep evaluation-factors to consider

• Skeletal correctness

• Body capacity

• Body composition

• Mouths

Sheep evaluation-skeletal correctness

• Level

• Limbs in line

• Even toe placement

• Long, free easy stride

• Smooth shoulder

Sheep evaluation-Capacity

• Bold sprung rib

  • Greater foundation for muscle growth

• Wide constructed

• Body composition

  • Heavy muscled and minimal fat

    • Specifically in leg and loin

  • Trim in breast, middle, flank, and and twist

Sheep evaluation-mouths

• Overbite and underbite

  • Issues with eating and getting enough nutrients