Explanation of EPDs and data for Pasture Proven Profit Driven Genetics
7
1A -
Purebred 100% Red Angus with no disqualifying characteristics.
1B - 87%
to and including less than 100% Red Angus with no qualifying characteristics.
Category II
- Animals with equal to or greater than 87% up to including 100% Red Angus blood content having
one or more disqualifying features. In this offering it is white in front of the navel or scurs.
Cat. III
- 50 - 87% Red Angus.
BW
- actual birth weight of a calf. Compare only within contemporary groups.
Dam MPPA
- Most Probable Producing Ability. An estimate of a cow’s future productivity based on her past
productivity.
AWW
- Adjusted Weaning Weight. Weaning Weight is highly affected by management and environment. As we
have more than one management group from two environments in this sale, the AWW’s are not comparable. A
better comparison is the WW EPD. Wean Ratios have been added so you can compare within contemporary
groups.
AYW
- Adjusted yearling weight is the animals’ yearling weight adjusted to 365 days and age of dam. Yearling
ratios have been added too so that you can compare within each contemporary group.
E.P.D.’s
- Expected Progeny Difference is the expected difference in pounds, in performance of an animal’s
progeny when those progeny are compared to progeny of an animal with an EPD of zero for the trait in question.
EPD values are relative. They do not indicate absolute levels of performance. Rather, they can be used to
compare expected progeny performance of different animals. They CANNOT be compared across breeds without a
special conversion formula. (i.e., black and red Angus)
CED
- Calving ease direct is the expected differences of calving ease measured as the probability differences
(between sires) of daughter that calve unassisted. A higher number indicates more calving ease.
B.W. EPD
- The number of pounds heavier or lighter at birth that this bull/female can be expected to produce
compared to the average BW of progeny from all bulls/females in the breed.
WW EPD
- The number of pounds heavier or lighter at 205 days of age that this bull/female can produce compared
to the average 205 AWW of progeny from all bulls/females in the breed.
YW EPD
- The number of pounds heavier or lighter at 365 days of age that this bull/female can produce compared
to the average AYW of progeny from all bulls/females in the breed.
Milk EPD
- The number of pounds heavier or lighter at 205 days expected from the bull’s daughters’ calves that
cannot be attributed to WW EPD alone.
ME
- Maintenance Energy predicts the differences in energy requirements of mature daughters of an individual and
is expressed in Mega-calories per month. Differences in Maintenance Energy requirements can easily translate into
differences in feed required to maintain body weight. For example daughters of a bull with an ME EPD of 8 are
expected to need 3 more mega calories per month to maintain condition when compared to daughters of a bull with
an ME of 5. The lower the number the more efficient you would expect progeny to be.
HPG
- Heifer Pregnancy EPD is the expected difference in probability of a sire’s daughter conceiving to calve as a
two year old. A higher number is always desirable.
CEM
–Calving Ease Total Maternal EPD measures the probability of a given animals daughters calving unassisted
at two years of age.
Stayability
- The expected difference in probability of daughters staying in the herd to at least the age of six
years.
Marbling
- A subjective numeric value assigned to varying levels of intramuscular fat. Breed average or higher
EPD is desirable.
YG
– Predicts differences of carcass yield grade score and is expressed in USDA Yield Grad score (1-5).
RibEye Area
- Area of the longissimus muscle measured in square inches at the 12/13th rib interface on the beef
forequarter. Larger REA is obtained by selecting positive REA EPDs.
CW
– Predicts differences in hot carcass weight and is expressed in pounds.
Scrotal
- The actual scrotal circumference in centimeters taken during the breeding soundness examination prior
to the sale.
Frame Score
- Height adjusted to Moderate (Mod) Moderate + (Mod.+), or Moderate - (Mod.-) see p. 4 for
explanation.
% Rank in breed
– Denoted by a percentage beneath the EPD of each trait.
Dam Wt. –
Actual weight taken when last calf was weaned.
Dam BCS
– A subjective description of the condition of the cow at weaning. Measure 1-10 with 10 obese.
Dam’s YOB
– Simply the year the dam was born.
HerdBuilder
– an index created by RAAA for selection of sires used to generate replacement females.
GridMaster
–an index created by
RAAA
for selection of sires used when females will not be kept as replacements.
Accuracy
–how accurate each EPD is due to own and generational data and performance
.
