Experiences with the Implementation of Stayability EPD

1
Experiences with the Implementation of
Stayability EPD
Wade Shafer American Simmental Association Bozeman
, MT
2
Traits Impacting Stayability

• Fertility
• Survivability
• Structural Soundness
• Disposition
• Productivity

IT s In There!
3
Does Increasing the Stayability of Your Cowherd
Improve Your Bottom Line?
Environment
Genetics
Maybe
Yes
4
What is the Most Effective Way to Genetically
Improve Stayability?
Crossbreed!!!!
5
The Biology of Crossbreeding
Stayability

• Breed A

A x B
Carcass
Breed B
Non-additive gene action
Additive gene action

• Heterosis

• EPDs

6
Does a Stayability EPD Have Value?
Yes!
Improving the additive component of Stayability
is like adding icing to the cake
7
The Biology of Crossbreeding
Stayability

• Breed A

A x B
Breed B
Non-additive gene action
Additive gene action

• Heterosis

• EPDs

8
The Biology of Crossbreeding
Stayability

• Breed A

A x B
Breed B
Non-additive gene action
Additive gene action

• Heterosis

• EPDs

9
The Biology of Crossbreeding
Stayability

• Breed A

A x B
Breed B
Non-additive gene action
Additive gene action

• Heterosis

• EPDs

10
The Biology of Crossbreeding
Stayability

• Breed A

A x B
Breed B
Non-additive gene action
Additive gene action

• Heterosis

• EPDs

11
Does a Stayability EPD Have Value?
ASAs All-Purpose Index

• Bred to all-aged females
• Retain replacements
• Culls sold grade and Yield
• Straightbred AN cowherd
• Prices and costs based on 5-yr CattleFax average

LOTS!
Using a sire two standard deviations better for
Stayability (bottom to top third) improves your
profitability by 45/cow exposed
12
Stayability EPD Checklist

• Is it an economically relevant trait?

• Yes VERY!

• Can it be selected for?

• Yes but

13
Challenges with Stayability

• Stayability is a lowly heritable trait expressed
  late in life

• Breed association data tends to be less than
  ideal for calculating Stay EPD

14
Challenges with Stay low heritability trait
expressed late in life
I dont need an EPD to make progress in
stayability. I just send all my problem cows
to town.
15
Challenges with Stay low heritability trait
expressed late in life
Without EPDs little if any progress is made in
low-heritability traits
Stayability
Phenotypes
16
Challenges with Stay low heritability trait
expressed late in life
Without EPDs little if any progress is made in
low-heritability traits
Stayability
low/med-acc EPD
17
Challenges with Stay low heritability trait
expressed late in life
Without EPDs little if any progress is made in
low-heritability traits
Stayability
high-acc EPD
18
Challenges with Stay low heritability trait
expressed late in life
What good is an EPD that doesnt have much
accuracy until a sire is dead and gone?
Good Question!
19
Challenges with Stay low heritability trait
expressed late in life
Current options

• Use the sure-bet old man
• Use several promising young bucks

Future developments

• Use all available information
• Move away from pass/fail grading
• Add indicator traits to model
• Gene markers

20
Challenges with Stayability

• Breed association data tends to be less than
  ideal for calculating Stay EPD

• Sketchypotentially biased

• May not be reflective of commercial culling

21
(No Transcript)
22
Traits Impacting Stayability

• Fertility
• Survivability
• Structural Soundness
• Disposition
• Productivity

• Color Pattern
• Polled/horned
• Popularity???

Its ALL in there!
23
Challenges with Stay breed assoc. data tends to
be less than ideal
Current options

• Use common sense
• Use a few sure-bet old men
• Use several promising young bucks

Future developments

• Inventory-based reporting systems
• User-defined stayability

24
Do Challenges Warrant Ignoring Stay?
I Dont Think So
The icing may need work, but it still adds a lot
to the cake