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ARS Home » Plains Area » Miles City, Montana » Livestock and Range Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #153725
Title: VALIDATION OF EPDS

Author
item Macneil, Michael

Submitted to: Research Update for Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2002
Publication Date: 1/15/2003
Citation: MACNEIL, M.D. VALIDATION OF EPDS. RESEARCH UPDATE FOR FORT KEOGH LIVESTOCK AND RANGE RESEARCH LABORATORY. p. 70-72. 2003.

Interpretive Summary: Influential breeders sometimes express the opinion that 'EPDs are not accurate enough for us to use as a selection tool.' Even more often someone will ask, 'Does a milk EPD really predict differences in milk production'? Or, 'Will the calves of a low birth weight EPD bull really have light birth weights'. Data were generated for this research by progeny testing 26 Hereford bulls mated to crossbred commercial cows, and by weigh-suckle-weigh measurement of milk production by Hereford cows. EPDs were from this American Hereford Association National Cattle Evaluation. A close relationship exists between differences in EPD and differences in actual performance. To the extent that breeders wish to select replacements based on performance criteria, they are encouraged to use EPDs for this purpose.

Technical Abstract: Influential breeders sometimes express the opinion that 'EPDs are not accurate enough for us to use as a selection tool.' Even more often someone will ask, 'Does a milk EPD really predict differences in milk production'? Or, 'Will the calves of a low birth weight EPD bull really have light birth weights'. Data were generated for this research by progeny testing 26 Hereford bulls mated to crossbred commercial cows, and by weigh-suckle-weigh measurement of milk production by Hereford cows. EPDs were from this American Hereford Association National Cattle Evaluation. A close relationship exists between differences in EPD and differences in actual performance. To the extent that breeders wish to select replacements based on performance criteria, they are encouraged to use EPDs for this purpose.