Evaluating Longevity: 10 Years of Using Stayability EPD

Larry KeenanResearch & Special Projects

Coordinator, RAAA

Outline

History of RAAA EPD PhilosophyHistory of RAAA EPD Philosophy Stayability Stayability

CalculationCalculation Breeders’ ViewBreeders’ View StrengthsStrengths WeaknessesWeaknesses

Next GenerationNext Generation

Strategic Plan 2000Strategic Plan 2000

Developed in 1993 Developed in 1993 Actions:Actions:

Increase number of EPDs available to 20 Increase number of EPDs available to 20 by the year 2000by the year 2000

Implement Total Herd Reporting (THR)Implement Total Herd Reporting (THR)

RAAA EPDs

19941994 BWBW WW WW YWYW MilkMilk TMTM

20002000 BWBW WWWW YWYW MilkMilk TMTM STAYSTAY MARBMARB REAREA FATFAT

Did we fail?

NO, the goal changed!

RAAA PhilosophyRAAA Philosophy Commercial producers are our customersCommercial producers are our customers

> 95% of Red Angus bulls are sold to commercial > 95% of Red Angus bulls are sold to commercial producersproducers

Members (seedstock producers) succeed Members (seedstock producers) succeed through enabling the success (profit) of their through enabling the success (profit) of their commercial customerscommercial customers

What does the commercial producer need to What does the commercial producer need to succeed?succeed?

Commercial Producer’s Requirements for Replacement

Females11. . Be Born UnassistedBe Born Unassisted

2. Get Bred to Calve as a 2. Get Bred to Calve as a 2-yr-old2-yr-old

3. Have 13. Have 1stst Calf Without Calf Without AssistanceAssistance

4. Rebreed to Calve Again 4. Rebreed to Calve Again in 365 Daysin 365 Days

5. Complete Steps 2-4 5. Complete Steps 2-4 Without Extra Feed or Without Extra Feed or TLCTLC

6. Wean a Heavy Calf6. Wean a Heavy Calf

7. Pass on Added Value 7. Pass on Added Value Traits to OffspringTraits to Offspring

8. Repeat Steps 1-7 for 8. Repeat Steps 1-7 for Many YearsMany Years

RAAA EPD Philosophy

Accurately describe animals using the Accurately describe animals using the fewest genetic predictions possiblefewest genetic predictions possible

Concept driven by Economically Concept driven by Economically Relevant Traits (ERT)Relevant Traits (ERT)

Why ERTs?

IndicatorIndicatorScrotal CircumferenceScrotal Circumference

B.W. & Calving Ease ScoreB.W. & Calving Ease Score

Mature Weight, Milk & BCSMature Weight, Milk & BCS

Calving RecordsCalving Records

ERTERTHeifer Pregnancy RateHeifer Pregnancy Rate

Calving EaseCalving Ease

Cow Maintenance Energy Cow Maintenance Energy Requirement Requirement

StayabilityStayability

Commercial Producer’s Requirements for Replacement Females

1. Be Born Unassisted

2. Get Bred to Calve as a 2-yr-old

3. Have 1st Calf Without Assistance

4. Rebreed to Calve Again in 365 Days

5. Complete Steps 2-4 Without Extra Feed or TLC

6. Wean a Heavy Calf

7. Pass on Added Value Traits to Offspring

8. Repeat Steps 1-7 for Many Years

CED

HPG

CETM (1/2 CED + CE Maternal)

ME

TM

STAY

Stayability

Expected difference, in percent probability, of daughters staying productive within a herd until six years of age

StayabilityStayability

Developed in the early 1990’sDeveloped in the early 1990’s For non THR dataFor non THR data

11stst STAY EPD released in 1995 STAY EPD released in 1995

Probability of a cow staying in Probability of a cow staying in production after reaching her break-production after reaching her break-even age (6 Years)even age (6 Years) Break-even age varies by operationBreak-even age varies by operation

Measuring StayabilityMeasuring Stayability

Through Total Herd Reporting (THR) Through Total Herd Reporting (THR) RAAA has production records of every RAAA has production records of every registered Red Angus cow on inventoryregistered Red Angus cow on inventory Calving RecordsCalving Records Reason CodesReason Codes

Calculation of RAAA Calculation of RAAA StayabilityStayability

Endpoint: 6 Years (2,190 days)Endpoint: 6 Years (2,190 days)

Single Trait Threshold ModelSingle Trait Threshold Model In production after 6 years of age: Yes or NoIn production after 6 years of age: Yes or No

Ability to use historical dataAbility to use historical data

RAAA Stayability Simple RAAA Stayability Simple StatisticsStatistics

MinMin AveAve MaxMax

Proven & Opportunity SiresProven & Opportunity Sires -3-3 1111 2121

Active Dams on InventoryActive Dams on Inventory -2-2 1010 2121

Non-Parents under 2-years of AgeNon-Parents under 2-years of Age -1-1 1111 1919

RAAA Stayability Genetic Trend

Breeders’ View #1

““Stays on the radar screen”Stays on the radar screen”

““Doesn’t eliminate sires, but corrective Doesn’t eliminate sires, but corrective matings are used”matings are used”

““Has potential to be a major player”Has potential to be a major player”

Breeders’ View #2

““Not aggressively selected for at the Not aggressively selected for at the current time”current time”

““We don’t use a bad Stayability bull”We don’t use a bad Stayability bull” ““However, there have not been any good However, there have not been any good

bulls with bad stayability”bulls with bad stayability”

““With improvements, Stayability would With improvements, Stayability would be aggressively selected for” be aggressively selected for”

Weaknesses

Extended time to ‘prove’ bullsExtended time to ‘prove’ bulls BW vs. STAY BW vs. STAY

Doesn’t account for reproduction each Doesn’t account for reproduction each yearyear One calf produced after 6 years of ageOne calf produced after 6 years of age Are seedstock producers more forgiving in Are seedstock producers more forgiving in

regards to fertility?regards to fertility?

Weaknesses When females are culled, model doesn’t When females are culled, model doesn’t

account for why they were culledaccount for why they were culled Failure to reproduceFailure to reproduce Structural/Phenotypic Traits: udder, feet, etc. Structural/Phenotypic Traits: udder, feet, etc. Owner exiting beef industryOwner exiting beef industry Died from unnatural causes (lightning, fire, etc.)Died from unnatural causes (lightning, fire, etc.)

Limits use as fertility genetic predictorLimits use as fertility genetic predictor

StrengthsStrengths

Provides producers a tool to increase profitsProvides producers a tool to increase profits Recapture investment cost of femaleRecapture investment cost of female

Calculated using THR based calving recordsCalculated using THR based calving records Requires no additional dataRequires no additional data

Acceptable heritability - .10Acceptable heritability - .10 Just less than Milk - .12Just less than Milk - .12

StrengthsStrengths An indicator of Reproductive MeritAn indicator of Reproductive Merit

Failure to reproduce – Main culling Failure to reproduce – Main culling reasonreason

Cattle that are culled for reproductive Cattle that are culled for reproductive failings prior to 6failings prior to 6thth year “fail year “fail threshold”threshold”

Extended Fertility vs. Total Extended Fertility vs. Total StayabilityStayability

Current model is a good measure of Total Current model is a good measure of Total Stayability, which is the ‘true’ ERTStayability, which is the ‘true’ ERT Combination of traits Combination of traits

FertilityFertility Udder QualityUdder Quality SoundnessSoundness Progeny PerformanceProgeny Performance Easy KeepersEasy Keepers DispositionDisposition

Extended Fertility vs. Total Extended Fertility vs. Total StayabilityStayability

But, does the ‘noise’ reduce its But, does the ‘noise’ reduce its effectiveness?effectiveness? Producers varying culling criteriaProducers varying culling criteria Criteria may change from year to yearCriteria may change from year to year Does contemporary grouping account for Does contemporary grouping account for

these issues?these issues?

Extended Fertility vs. Total Extended Fertility vs. Total StayabilityStayability

Would an extended fertility genetic Would an extended fertility genetic prediction be a better tool for commercial prediction be a better tool for commercial producers?producers?

Reproduction is 2 - 10 times more economically Reproduction is 2 - 10 times more economically relevant as compared to carcass traits relevant as compared to carcass traits

Extended Fertility vs. Total Extended Fertility vs. Total StayabilityStayability

How can we evaluate Extended Fertility?How can we evaluate Extended Fertility? Use of disposal codes to determine why Use of disposal codes to determine why

they were culled. Was it because of fertility?they were culled. Was it because of fertility? If not, they wouldn’t get a negative If not, they wouldn’t get a negative

observationobservation

ImprovementsImprovements Stayability model should account for Stayability model should account for

production from two years of age production from two years of age forwardforward Can only be accomplished with THR dataCan only be accomplished with THR data Benefit: Separate bulls quickerBenefit: Separate bulls quicker Concern: Bulls that produce high Concern: Bulls that produce high

percentage of daughters that stay in the percentage of daughters that stay in the herd until 5, then fall outherd until 5, then fall out

RAAA DataRAAA Data Do we have the data to make Do we have the data to make

these improvements?these improvements?

Red Angus has over Red Angus has over a decade of THR Dataa decade of THR Data

Disposal CodesDisposal Codes

THR DATATHR DATA

Total (since 1954)Total (since 1954) Females – 534,035Females – 534,035 Females with progeny – 255,504Females with progeny – 255,504

Since implementation of THR (Fall 1995)Since implementation of THR (Fall 1995) Females – 260,062Females – 260,062 Females with progeny – 100,342Females with progeny – 100,342

Disposal CodesDisposal Codes

Physical DefectPhysical Defect FertilityFertility PerformancePerformance

/Productivity/Productivity TemperamentTemperament AgeAge OtherOther

THRTHR 2,0632,06311,99711,99711,93611,936

877877 63852,985

TotalTotal 3,8183,81820,17020,17018,83018,830

1,4221,422 8,78396,978

SummarySummary

RAAA first to release Stayability RAAA first to release Stayability Realize the commercial producers needsRealize the commercial producers needs

RAAA’s Stayability is a good ERTRAAA’s Stayability is a good ERT Based on THR Based on THR

Could Be A Great Tool!Could Be A Great Tool!

10 years of THR data and disposal codes fuel a powerful Stayability or Extended Fertility tool