Use Information to Make Informed Selection Decisions for the Cow Herd
New tools coming available merit caution, but offer a bright future.
by Kindra Gordon for Angus Productions Inc.
CASPER, Wyo. (Dec. 2, 2009) — “We are going to have tools for traits we never dreamed of,” Matt Spangler of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s (UNL) Department of Animal Science told beef producers attending the 21st Range Beef Cow Symposium in Casper, Wyo. “The future for the beef industry is exciting.”
"We've expanded the genetic selection toolbox," UNL's Matt Spangler said.Spangler discussed how genetic selection in the beef industry has evolved from visual appraisal and pedigrees to performance records, expected progeny differences (EPDs), multi-trait indexes and, now, molecular data. While these are valuable tools, Spangler peppered his presentation with some cautionary advice.
“The key to using index values is to only use the indexes that fit your breeding objectives,” he noted. He emphasized the importance of paying attention to accuracies of the EPDs within those indexes.
Spangler advised producers to remember the KISS philosophy — “keep it simple, stupid,” particularly when it comes to using the new molecular technology and genetic tests.
This new technological frontier isn’t just for seedstock producers, he noted, citing several commercial ranch applications in which genetic testing might be used. Among those listed were identifying problem sires (i.e., for calving difficulty); identifying productive sires (i.e., those who sired 50-60 progeny vs. those who sired 0 progeny); and enabling informed mating decisions, such as potential carriers of genetic defects.
In the future, Spangler said, SNP panel tests for a greater number of traits — and more complex traits — should become more readily available and less expensive.
But with that, he said, the focus is to try and keep the new technology easy for producers to use. Thus, marker-assisted EPDs that will tie EPD data to molecular data will likely be the format adopted by the industry. “This should make EPDs more accurate at a younger age,” Spangler explained.
Presently, the American Angus Association® is rolling out genomic-enabled EPDs for carcass traits through a partnership with Merial’s Igenity®. In using this new information, Spangler suggested producers still look at the EPD value and its accuracy in making their decision. He cautioned that tests like this that are breed-specific are best used within the breed for which they were developed.
“There is a tremendous amount of information available from which to make selection decisions,” Spangler said, looking ahead. “For producers, it can be confusing, and there needs to be a lot of producer education.” He stressed that commercial producers will need to understand the technology as much as seedstock breeders, since the commercial sector is the end user.
“In bull selection, if you use the wrong thing, you’ll be horribly disappointed, and it will take a long time to correct that,” Spangler said to illustrate the importance of properly using the selection tools available. “If you still select on raw phenotypes, you will also be disappointed. That needs to end.”
He concluded by advising producers to “evolve,” but cautioned, “don’t fall off the cutting edge. Things will change rapidly, and the road is going to be a bit bumpy for a while, so it’s important to stay engaged and informed.”
For more information visit the National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium web site at www.nbcec.org.
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