Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Miles City, Montana » Livestock and Range Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #123455
Title: HOW ARE MILK PRODUCTION AND MILK EPD RELATED?

Author
item Macneil, Michael

Submitted to: Montana State University Beef Newsletter
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2001
Publication Date: 8/1/2001
Citation: MACNEIL, M.D. HOW ARE MILK PRODUCTION AND MILK EPD RELATED?. MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY BEEF NEWSLETTER. 2001. v. 6(4). p. 2.

Interpretive Summary: Many breeders of registered beef cattle do not trust the genetic evaluation for maternal weaning weight or milk EPD. This research sought to validate the milk EPD using actual milk production records from Line 1 Hereford cattle at Miles City, MT. Data were collected using the weigh-suckleBweigh technique and related to genetic evaluations for maternal weaning weight from the national evaluation of Hereford cattle. A one-pound increase in the milk EPD was associated with a 24-pound increase in milk production per lactation. Breeders are advised maximum milk production may not be optimal. Too little milk may compromise growth of the calf. Too much milk may unnecessarily increase feed costs or compromise reductive efficiency of the cowherd.

Technical Abstract: Many breeders of registered beef cattle do not trust the genetic evaluation for maternal weaning weight or milk EPD. This research sought to validate the milk EPD using actual milk production records from Line 1 Hereford cattle at Miles City, MT. Data were collected using the weigh-suckleBweigh technique and related to genetic evaluations for maternal weaning weight from the national evaluation of Hereford cattle. A one-pound increase in the milk EPD was associated with a 24-pound increase in milk production per lactation. Breeders are advised maximum milk production may not be optimal. Too little milk may compromise growth of the calf. Too much milk may unnecessarily increase feed costs or compromise reductive efficiency of the cowherd.