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Change Cattle Breeding Emphasis to Net Extra $75/
Head
"That
leads to the conclusion that the potential economic
value of genetic improvement of carcass traits
would be worth $40 to $75 per head..." |
7/9/01 BOZEMAN -- If you already have improved your
breeding cow genetics, changing your breeding to select
for improved carcass characteristics could net you an
additional $40 to $75 per calf, a Montana State University-Bozeman
researcher said Thursday.
"Twenty years ago, reproductive traits were 10
times more important than carcass traits for increasing
producer income," said Don Kress, a researcher
with MSU's Animal and Range Sciences Department."
By 1995, carcass traits were equal in importance to
growth traits and half as important as reproductive
traits due to both changes in the market and previous
maximization of the cow's reproductive potential."
This information was presented by Kress as part of
the Governor's Conference on the Cattle Industry Thursday
in Great Falls.
The National Beef Quality Audit estimated in 1995 that
there was a potential loss in value of $138 due to the
quality of the end product. Not all of that difference
in value is genetic. However, about 30 to 40 percent
of that should be due to genetics, because that is the
amount that carcass traits are inherited, said Kress.
That leads to the conclusion that the potential economic
value of genetic improvement of carcass traits would
be worth $40 to $75 per head, he added.
"In situations where the characteristics of the
cow do not optimize for both cow maternal performance
and target carcass traits, careful choice of the sire
can allow the genetics of the end product to be different
from the genetics of the cow herd," said Kress.
"In that case, the terminal sire should be chosen
using its EPD statistics to select for carcass traits.
EPDs refer to "expected progeny difference."
Target characteristics for sires would include a back
fat thickness of 0.35 inches, a ribeye area of 13.2
square inches, carcass weight of 750 pounds, a USDA
yield grade of 2.5, a quality grade of "choice"
with a tenderness index of under 8.
Kress also explained an alternative way of choosing
carcass trait targets based on premiums paid for various
yield grades and described a suitable crossbreeding
systems. (See complete details of Kress's presentation
on the web after Aug. 18 at:
http:
//www.montana.edu/~wwwpb/ag/kres_all.html).
"The key point to remember is that carcass traits
generally have a high heritability and respond rapidly
to selection," said Kress.
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