Breeding and Genetics

Using Carcass EPDs to Produce for Target Windows

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Abstract

The beef cattle industry is moving in the direction of a value-based marketing system. Within such a system, carcasses will be individually in value based on the amount of waste fat, salable lean meat, and quality attributes such as marbling and tenderness. The beef cattle industry has come to rely on growth and maternal EPDs as valuable tools in bull selection. In the future, more emphasis will be placed on using only bulls that will get a producer’s calves into target carcass windows. An understanding of how to apply EPDs beyond just predicting sire differences and into predicting target windows of acceptability will become important. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which carcass expected progeny differences (EPD) can be used to predict progeny phenotype.

Keywords: ASL R1335

How to Cite:

Wilson, D. E. & Rouse, G. H., (1997) “Using Carcass EPDs to Produce for Target Windows”, Iowa State University Animal Industry Report 1(1).