Make SLS your homepage!
Home → Articles → Genetics & Performance
If you are looking for information about genetics, performance, EPD’s, Ultrasound, sexed semen, and other issues in these fields, this section has everything you need.
Understanding beef sire summaries
published: March 30th 2023 by: Heather Schlesser source: Southern Livestock Standard
Selecting a herd bull is one of the most important decisions a producer must make. The decision of selecting what bull to mate to each cow or heifer has long lasting genetics effects in the herd. Sire summaries have been developed to aid producers in this decision....
Sire selection FAQs
published: March 9th 2023 by: Drew LaKamp
1. I keep my own replacement heifers but also retain ownership on cattle through the feedyard. How can I keep cow weight down but ensure that hot carcass weights do not go down? Balancing maternal and terminal characteristics can be tricky....
Cattle health impacts carcass traits
published: February 17th 2023 by: Kansas Beef Institute source: Southern Livestock Standard
It is important for everyone involved in beef cattle production, including seedstock producers, cow-calf producers, backgrounders and stocker operators, feedlot managers, packers, retailers, feed suppliers, and veterinarians to remember that all the money distributed among the many participants is generated by the sale of beef to consumers....
Making EPDs understandable
published: December 9th 2022 by: Jason Duggin, Dylan Davis and Pedro Font source: University of Georgia
Making EPDs understandable Jason Duggin, Dylan Davis and Pedro Fontes , University of Georgia Beef Team Expected progeny differences (EPD) are essential tools in the beef industry....
Single Trait EPDs vs. EPD Indexes vs. Production Ratios
published: November 11th 2022 by: Hannah Smith source: Southern Livestock Standard
The numerous tools to aid in genetic selection allow for expedited progress toward breeding objectives. However, there are variations in how values are calculated and the units they are reported in. Single Trait Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs), EPD Indexes, and Production Ratios are typical of reported data and can provide guidance towards breeding objectives when applied as they are intended....
Mud reduces beef cattle performance
published: March 29th 2019 by: Alvaro Garcia source: Igrow
Every late winter and early spring beef producers usually face the same problem. Whether it is pooled water resulting from melting snow or excessive rainfall, they both lead to mud accumulation. Walking through deep mud to take care of cattle requires additional effort by the rancher....
The snowball effect of combing genomic selection with advanced reproduction technologies
published: November 12th 2018 by: Dr. Justin Rhinehart source: University of Tennessee Extension
Most of the articles I write focus on technologies that apply to a wide scope of cattle producers. I usually have the commercial cow-calf sector in mind even when I write about technologies that are used predominantly in seedstock production....
Genetic selection for calving ease
published: August 23rd 2018 source: Beef Cattle Browsing
The most important factor affecting calving difficulty is birth weight of the calf in relation to size of the dam. Genetics influences birth weight. Birth weight was one of the four traits (along with weaning weight, yearling weight, and maternal ability which is often called “milk”) originally evaluated with Expected Progeny Difference (EPD), an estimate of genetic transmitting potential....
NCBA Cattlemen’s Genetics Webinar Series scheduled
published: January 4th 2018 source: A Steak in Genomics
Cattle genetics will be the focus of a new set of webinars to help cattlemen and women better use the tool in their operations. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is teaming up with six genetics specialists from across the country to offer the NCBA Cattlemen’s Genetics Webinar Series, which will kick off Jan....
Genetic testing for finishing cattle now being conducted
published: December 20th 2017 source: Texas A&M Beef CAttle Browsing Newsletter
Genomics is being increasingly used in selection of breeding stock. It is best used in that application to enhance accuracy of Expected Progeny Difference (EPD). The technology can also be used for such things as identification of parentage, some coat colors, horns or polled, some genetic defects, and others....
Comparing across breed EPDs
published: December 13th 2017 by: Robert Wells source: Noble Research Institute
How to Compare EPDs Across Breeds Have you ever wondered which bull breed you should use in your operation? How do you make the right choice that will align best with the type of cow you own and your goals? These are common questions from producers....
Putting the E in EPD
published: October 5th 2017 by: Jared Decker source: University of Missouri Extension
Summary: Why are EPDs imprecise for young animals? How can genomics be used to track the random shuffle of genes? Even though expected progeny differences (EPDs) have been used by the beef industry for over 40 years, many misconceptions still exist....
Where are we going with genomics and genetic improvement?
published: June 5th 2017 by: Matt Spangler/Alison Van Eenennaam source: BIF 2017
Where are we going with genomics and genetic improvement Early DNA tests with one or two markers had little predictive ability. As tests improved, more markers were added. Eventually there was a switch to genomic predictions....
As DNA tests become more common, researchers rapidly add equipment to keep up
published: April 25th 2017 by: Kathleen Phillips source: Texas Agrilife Today
(Editors: April 25 is National DNA Day commemorating the day in 1953 when scientists published papers in the journal Nature on the structure of DNA. Now, 64 years later, the concept is much more familiar to the average person....
Can you compare EPDs across breeds?
published: February 3rd 2017 by: Matt Spangler/Larry Kuehn source: University of Nebraska Extension
Expected Progeny Differences published by one breed are inherently not comparable to those published by another breed. This is due to several factors including differences in arbitrary base adjustments used by each breed, the lack of data from comparisons among animals of different breeds, and differences in selection emphasis for a specific trait in one breed compared to another....
Hair shedding scores: A tool to select heat tolerant cattle
published: January 31st 2017 by: James E. Decker and Jane Parish source: University of Missouri and Mississippi State University
Hair shedding scores are an easy and effective way to measure cattle’s ability to cope with heat stress. In this fact sheet, learn the how, when, and why of hair shedding scores. Responsible beef breeding requires matching cattle genetics to production environment....
New cost - effective DNA test available to beef seedstock industry
published: October 17th 2016 source: Neogen GeneSeek
Neogen GeneSeek is introducing a new, highly affordable genomic profiling test for seedstock production. “The new GeneSeek® Genomic Profiler™Ultra-Low Density (GGP uLD) will provide ample power for predicting traits that beef seedstock will pass along to their progeny....
Description of a Simbrah
published: August 26th 2016 source: American Simmental Association
Simbrah is a composite breed. Animals containing 5/8 Simmental blood and 3/8 Brahman or Zebu blood are designated as purebred. A sixteenth of other breeds is allowed making it easy to incorporate traits, such as polled or other characteristics, for specific purposes into the purebred....
Gene editing research increases
published: June 20th 2016 source: Genus
British animal genetics firm Genus is diving deeper into the hot area of gene editing, in a move Chief Executive Karim Bitar says will bring long-term gains at the cost of a hefty hike in research spending....
Zoetis and Angus compete world’s largest genomic calibration for GE-EPDs
published: May 19th 2016 source: Zoetis
Zoetis and Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI) announced the completion of the world’s largest and most comprehensive genomic calibration for beef cattle and associated integration into genomic-enhanced expected progeny differences (GE-EPDs)....
next page of Genetics & Performance →
Site: Home Publications Market Reports Sale Reports Sale Calendar Cattle & Service Directory Full Commodities Report Services About Us Contact Us
Article Categories: All Industry News Herd Health Feed & Nutrition Pastures & Forages Reproduction Marketing Columnists Production Genetics & Performance Weather Forecast Breed News Producer Feature Stories Items of Interest New Products Recipes
User: Login Logout Register/Profile Submit Market Report Submit Sale Report
© 1989–2023 Southern Livestock Publishing. All rights reserved.