economically relevant traits
DESCRIPTION
Economically Relevant Traits. Mark Enns Colorado State University. Beef Producers’ Motivation. Hobby Property tax reduction Profit. Two basic tools of animal breeding. Selection EPD Mating Mate allocation Crossbreeding. Birth Weight Weaning Weight Milk Total Maternal - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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
0
20
40
60
80
70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92
Year of birth
Mea
n E
BV
, lb
Mature Slaughter
-200
20406080
100
76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92
Year of birth
Mea
n E
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