It’s the bull-buying season, and
there’s often nothing more fun than talking genetics. While
everyone has their own opinion, Colorado-based cattleman Lee
Leachman recently shared what he sees as the most common genetic
selection mistakes made by commercial cow-calf producers.
What’s the most common mistake made in selecting a herd sire?
Thinking more is better when it comes to EPDs, says Leachman. He
explains, “We can all do the math, a 100 lb. yearling weight EPD
is bigger than a 90 lb. EPD and 30 lbs. of milk is more than 20
lbs.” But he says producers need to recognize that “more” comes
with a cost.
“The mistake that is made is the assumption that these EPDs are
also predictors of profitability – when in fact they are not.
They are just predictions of the output – the production – you
are hoping to get,” qualifies Leachman. “Unfortunately, more
output almost always comes from more inputs, which is usually
more feed.”He continues,
“To predict profit, we need to look at the cost side. And, none
of the growth EPDs that we commonly look at in any of the breeds
characterize the cost associated with that increased output.”
He also cautions that focusing on
higher output cattle can impact fertility because of the higher
risk for reproductive failure.
Leachman says, “More is not
better. There are optimums for all traits.” He says his optimum
on the Angus EPD base is a yearling weight EPD of about 80 and a
milk EPD ranging from 15-25.
Along with this, he cautions
producers against putting too much stock in the $B Angus index.
This is a great tool if you own a feedlot, says Leachman. But,
because it does not consider any of the traits before weaning,
he doesn’t believe it is an index that commercial producers who
sell calves at weaning should put too much emphasis on when
selecting bulls.
“It doesn’t include calving ease,
fertility, weaning and milk, cow size or cow cost – and those
are the traits most important to commercial operations,” says
Leachman.
Instead, he believes the $W value is a better index for
commercial cow calf producers who sell calves at weaning time to
consider. But again, he cautions that it doesn’t take into
account fertility or the milk-fertility interaction.
What is another common selection mistake?
Leachman says it is wrong to have a sole focus on marbling.
Leachman says there is a common perception that high marbling
cattle earn more money. While he agrees that aiming to produce
quality is a noble goal, he says producers must also recognize
that it can come with a cost. Namely that high marbling cattle
can have cutability issues.
Moreover, Leachman says, “The
Choice-Select spread is volatile and has been under $10/cwt.
most of the year.” He notes that the historical average between
the Choice-Select spread is about $7/cwt.
That said, Leachman points out
that conversion and carcass weight can also influence profit –
and sometimes more so than marbling. He estimates both
conversion and carcass weight are worth about $50/head.
Therefore, he suggests feed
conversion and carcass weight should be considered as important
factors that are balanced with marbling. “Marbling is important,
but don’t sacrifice the other two. Again, it is a balance and
producers need to think about the optimum,” says Leachman.
What’s your view on heifer bulls?
Here again, Leachman says cattleman often fall into the trap of
using low birth weight bulls on cows. Sure, producers want to
avoid calving difficulty, says Leachman. But that should not
mean they must use heifer bulls on cows, he says.
“A negative birth weight EPD
heifer bull gives up too much growth, muscle and bone. Plus,
they cost more,” says Leachman.
Instead, Leachman says a cow
should easily be able to handle a bull that sires calves in the
mid-80 lb. range. He adds that if the calving data from the
breeder you are buying your bull from has reported his data
accurately, there shouldn’t be any calving difficulties with
those type of bulls.
What other comments do you have about the cowherd?
There is a misconception that efficient cows must be belly
draggers, Leachman says. He notes the trend toward easy-fleshing
cows. But he cautions, “There is a difference between
deep-ribbed and over conditioned.”
Leachman says efficiency should
be sought in genetics, but he believes it is nearly impossible
to determine efficiency based on phenotype alone. “The only way
to determine efficiency is to measure feed consumption and
compare it with output,” he says.
To that end, Leachman says, “Selecting for efficiency can
decrease the amount of feed a cow eats and not have an adverse
effect on fertility, calving interval or production at weaning.”
He advises producers to follow the efficiency data that is
beginning to be collected in the industry and utilize it in
their genetic selection decisions.
Along with this, he also cautions
against trying to improve the genetics of your herd by culling
cows. “This is a great idea, but it is hard to make it work
unless you sell a substantial amount of the herd,” says Leachman.
He notes that even if you cull 10% of your cows, you are still
left with 90% of the same genetics.
Instead, Leachman says, “The only
meaningful selection pressure you have to improve genetics in
your herd is through the selection of your bulls.” For instance,
Leachman says that on average over four years, most herds will
have a 100% turnover in the bull genetics they use.
Leachman concludes, “Culling a
cow costs you money, and my father used to say, ‘It is a
decision that should be made based on economics, not on
genetics.’”
Have Continental breeds gotten a bad wrap?
Leachman thinks so. Leachman says there is a misconception that
Continental breeds have too much birth weight, size and milk for
today’s cowherds.
But Leachman says, “The reality
is that today’s moderate Continental genetics are no more milky
or large in size than Angus.” Thus they should be sought for
opportunities to crossbreed, believes Leachman.
“Wisely selected
Continental-Angus hybrid composites can add to your program,”
says Leachman. He cites the advantages including more muscle and
cutability, hybrid vigor for fertility and longevity, and added
selection pressure without the risks of inbreeding. As well, he
says crossbreeding can maintain uniformity within the herd
similar to that of using a single breed.
Lastly, Leachman tells producers
to avoid picking oranges from an apple tree. To explain this,
Leachman says cattle producers must understand that one of the
fundamental “rules” of animal selection is that animals tend
toward their breed average. Likewise, animals from an
established herd tend toward their herd average.
By understanding this, Leachman
says producers should recognize that breed and breeder are very
important when buying genetics.
For example, if you are seeking a
trait like marbling, you’d look to the Angus breed because that
ranks high for their breed average. If you want to buy a heifer
bull, buy a bull from a low birth weight herd – not a low birth
weight bull from a herd with a high birth weight average. The
same could be said for carcass traits. If that is your focus,
pick from a reputable carcass trait herd.
That said, Leachman concludes,
“When it comes time to shop for bulls, first pick a breed [that
offers the traits you are seeking] and second pick a breeder
based on the average genetic merit of their herd.”
The audio of Lee Leachman’s full
comments are archived online at
DVAuction.com
under the Leachman Seminars. Click on the Oct. 16 session to
listen to his presentation. |
