Beef Buzz News
Dr. Bob Weaber Demystifies Sire Selection for Calving Ease
Tue, 21 Jan 2014 16:18:48 CST
Over the next several weeks, cow-calf producers will be going to bull sales as they prepare to rebuild their herds. Kansas State University Beef Cow Specialist Dr. Bob Weaber says one of the prime genetic traits producers place on the top of their lists of selection criteria is calving ease. He says there are a couple of ways to manage selection for calving ease.
"Particularly as we think about replacement females, we have two calving-ease EPDs. One is called calving-ease direct or, simply, calving ease. It describes the genetic variation in the ability of a sire's calves to be born so it's the direct component. But there's also an important maternal calving-ease, typically either called calving-ease maternal or calving ease daughters or maternal calving ease. It describes the genetic component of a dam or a cow to give birth to her calves. So, as we think about building replacement heifers, we know that we'll be able to control some portion of calving ease and dystocia by the service sires we select for those replacement heifers, but we shouldn't ignore the fact that we can also augment calving ease by selecting for maternal calving ease in the bulls that we use to produce replacement females themselves."
In thinking about service sire selection for first-calf calving ease, Weaber says, "When we do that, my typical recommendation is, depending on the breeds, somewhere around the top 20 or 25 percent of the breed makes those bulls what I call 'heifer bulls.' They have enough calving ease to be used with confidence on for virgin heifers or first-calf heifers. Bulls that are breed average, depending on the breed, may be closer to acceptable, but making sure we make a good selection decision, in fact, in almost all the breeds now, we can find combinations of exceptional calving ease with acceptable levels of or high levels of growth depending on what our strategy is. So, in my book there's no reason not to select for pretty high levels of calving ease because that has really important economic impacts on our operation."
Weaber says his minimum recommendation for calving-ease EPD in Angus bulls is seven or eight which equates to the 25th percentile. Other breeds will differ slightly in their EPDs, but Weaber says producers should shoot for bulls in the top 25th percentile.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network- but is also a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show- and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
Dr. Bob Weaber outlines to strategies for bull selection to ensure calving ease.
right-click to download mp3
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Beef News
NCBA's Ethan Lane Voices Concerns with the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2022 Fri, 24 Jun 2022 08:57:35 CDT
Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2022 Passes with Objections Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:14:46 CDT
Notable Increase in the Cost of Gain in Feedlots for 2022 says Dr. Glynn Tonsor Wed, 22 Jun 2022 16:13:24 CDT
Dan Halstrom Anticipates More Billion-Dollar Sale Export Months for Beef Exports but Warns of Headwinds Tue, 21 Jun 2022 09:57:08 CDT
USMEF's Dan Halstrom Sees Signing of Ocean Reform Act Helping U.S. Meat Exporters Be Reliable Suppliers Mon, 20 Jun 2022 13:23:18 CDT
A.J. Tarpoff Provides Medical Explanation for Cattle Deaths in Kansas Fri, 17 Jun 2022 10:13:21 CDT
Unusual Heat Conditions in Southwestern Kansas Result in Feedlot Cattle Deaths Thu, 16 Jun 2022 09:22:24 CDT
Montie Soules, CEO of the American Shorthorn Association, Promotes America's First Breed Wed, 15 Jun 2022 10:23:32 CDT
Cattlemen's Congress: The Show by Cattle Producers for Cattle Producers Tue, 14 Jun 2022 10:08:29 CDT
New Potential Listing Under Endangered Species Act to Cause More Regulatory Burden for Producers Mon, 13 Jun 2022 10:20:48 CDT
Derrell Peel Analyzes Multiple Reasons Ground Beef Market Holding Strong Fri, 10 Jun 2022 09:52:14 CDT
NCBA Hopeful the Supreme Court Will Provide Clarity on What is a WOTUS Thu, 09 Jun 2022 10:23:34 CDT
Cattle Producers Voice their Concerns at WOTUS Roundtable Thu, 09 Jun 2022 04:12:49 CDT
Dr. Wesley Tucker Advises Ranchers Against Overstocking to Increase Revenue in the Long Run Tue, 07 Jun 2022 09:37:16 CDT
New Technology Allows Ranchers to Control Mesquite Better than Before, says Brian Cain with Bayer Mon, 06 Jun 2022 13:36:29 CDT
Cattle Numbers and Prices to be Impacted by Poor Pasture and Range Conditions Fri, 03 Jun 2022 10:35:00 CDT
OCA Executive Vice President Michael Kelsey Believes Attorney General O'Connor is a Good Fit for Agriculture Thu, 02 Jun 2022 10:10:35 CDT
China Phase One Trade Deal a Success for U.S. Beef Wed, 01 Jun 2022 09:30:45 CDT
Robin Reid Urges Producers to Sign up for the USDA's LFP Program to Receive Assistance During Drought Tue, 31 May 2022 15:21:05 CDT
Congressman Frank Lucas Waits on DOJ Decision on Possible Criminal Wrongdoing by Big Four Packers Mon, 30 May 2022 09:32:15 CDT
David Lalman Stresses the Value of Being Proactive Before Poor Forage Condition Arise Thu, 26 May 2022 11:01:27 CDT
NCBA's Mary Thomas Hart Wants to Push Back Proposed SEC Reporting Rule Wed, 25 May 2022 10:41:26 CDT
Strong Marketings Key to Working Through Record Cattle Numbers in US Feedlots Tue, 24 May 2022 08:06:28 CDT
Cattle on Feed Report Shows Biggest May First Inventory Since 1996- Drought Pushing Cattle Into Feedlots Sat, 21 May 2022 15:01:06 CDT
Lance Zimmerman with Cattlefax Offers Cow Calf Producers Strategies for Success Fri, 20 May 2022 08:44:10 CDT
Kent Bacus says NCBA is Committed to Promoting Trade to Benefit US Cattle Producers Thu, 19 May 2022 09:54:10 CDT
John Butler with the Beef Marketing Group Communicates to Consumers that the Beef Industry is Sustainable Wed, 18 May 2022 09:46:15 CDT
John Butler with Beef Marketing Group Aims to See All Segments of the Beef Industry Working Together Tue, 17 May 2022 09:44:42 CDT
Fewer Pounds of Beef Coming in the Beef Pipeline Mon, 16 May 2022 09:02:35 CDT
NCBA's Colin Woodall Gives Credit to Cattle Producers for Always Being Sustainable Fri, 13 May 2022 11:08:03 CDT
Dakota Moss Describes Benefits of Utilizing an LRP Program for Cattle Producers Thu, 12 May 2022 09:53:54 CDT
Historically Poor Pasture Conditions to Hit Beef Supplies Ahead Wed, 11 May 2022 11:31:21 CDT
Six Years After Repeal, Senator John Thune Still Wants Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling Tue, 10 May 2022 09:39:50 CDT
USMEF's Erin Borror Suspects Increased Herd Liquidation May Lead to Tighter Supplies in the Future Mon, 09 May 2022 12:29:27 CDT
USMEF's Erin Borror Sees Growth in US Beef Exports for the Remainder of 2022 Fri, 06 May 2022 10:13:22 CDT