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CEZ: Calving Ease Index. This is a general purpose index that focuses on identifying
bulls that can be used on heifers and then ultimately the calves will be marketed
through the CHB program. As you might expect, CE and MCE carry significant
weight in this index along with fertility. There is very little weight put on growth
traits and less emphasis on carcass. Remember, this is a general index that is
specifically designed to be used in a heifer program. (Hereford/Shorthorn)
TSI: Terminal Sire Index. Using economic selection index theory, this tool will
generate dollar indexes per terminal progeny produced on bulls in the AICA
database, ranking them for profit potential given the inputs you provide. The
dollar indexes are to be interpreted much like single trait EPD. For example, if sire
A's index is $191.66 and sire B's index is $200.00, then we would expect Sire B's
offspring to average $8.34 more net return ($200.00 - $191.66) than sire A's
offspring. (Charolais)
API: All Purpose Index. The API evaluates sires being used on the entire cowherd
(bred to both Angus first-calf heifers and mature cows) with a portion of their
daughters being retained for breeding and the steers and remaining heifers being
put on feed and sold grade and yield. All EPDs, with the exception of tenderness,
are taken into consideration in this index. (Simmental)
TI
:
Terminal Index. The TI is designed for evaluating sires’ economic merit in
situations where they are bred to mature Angus cows and all offspring are placed
in the feedlot and sold grade and yield. Consequently, maternal traits such as milk,
stayability and maternal calving ease are not considered in the index. (Simmental)
$F: Feedlot Value. An index value expressed in dollars per head, is the expected
average difference in future progeny performance for postweaning merit
compared to progeny of other sires. $F incorporates weaning weight (WW) and
yearling weight (YW) EPD along with trait interrelationships. Typical feedlot gain
value, feed consumption and cost differences are accounted for in the final
calculations, along with a standard set of industry values for days on feed, ration
costs and cash cattle price. (Angus/Shorthorn)
$W: Weaned Calf Value. $W provides the expected dollar-per-head difference in
future progeny preweaning performance in a multi-trait fashion, within a typical
U.S. beef cowherd. (Angus)
*Look to back of catalog for other EPDs listed within catalog and a compilation of
breed averages for given EPDs*
