Somewhere along the way, the Angus breed lost sight of some of its historic strengths. A profitable herd cannot solely be built on one-trait EPD selection. That trend ended up backing us into a corner, with the pendulum swinging too far one way. As breeders, we forgot what was needed to help the commercial industry stay sustainable.
Here are my thoughts on how we got to where we are now going.
Today we see a lot of decision-making on sires centered primarily around calving ease. For us, we focus more on calvability—a combination of traits which includes calving ease. It’s best achieved by putting together the right breeding, the right structure and the right management, all of which contribute to getting that good live calf born fairly effortlessly. For us, THAT’S calvability.
There was also a time when the breed delivered on both calvability AND performance. Those were and are the true curve-bender bulls.
Unfortunately, by solely chasing EPDs, the commercial segment has been somewhat snookered into believing they’re buying light BW bulls, with this big performance package. All these supposed low BW/high performance bulls were made using EPDs, that looked really good on paper. But the vast majority of them don’t deliver in your pasture or in the feedlots.
When we over-focused on small BWs, we effectively shortened the gestation period. The last 2 weeks of fetal development is vital for the full development of respiratory and pulmonary systems. This becomes crucial in terms of a young calf’s survivability in adverse weather conditions and also very important for avoiding future respiratory issues. These things all affect that calf’s gainability, from birth all the way to finishing. This results in lost pounds of production for you as a producer, which equals lost income.
We also need to look at cow size. The average cow in the commercial herd is around 1300 lbs. Numerous university studies prove a cow that size can capably calve a 90 lb. calf, with aligning milk production capabilities.
Instead, the industry has bought into setting her up with a 70 lb. BW calf. Because it’s smaller, that calf consumes less milk. The cow simultaneously reduces her milk production to align with the needs of that smaller calf. As the calf grows and has increased milk demand, the cow has begun shutting down her production to match the needs of that smaller calf. These selection choices are antagonistic.
As we evaluate our potential sale bulls, we specifically target some for use in heifer breeding programs. They’ve been developed using a combination of factors that include keeping BWs within reason, but not necessarily super light. An important factor we utilize is Calving Ease Direct—CED. This is a better measure of birthability because it looks at the vital role that proper structure plays in combination with BW moderation.
Any time you add body length to a baby calf or that fall feeder steer, that additional length adds weight. But it’s good weight. It’s the kind of weight that will not interfere with birthability and, in fact, adds dollars to your sale barn check. So with proper structure, additional calf weight pounds do not interfere with birthability. This goes back to my mantra that it’s easier to calve an anaconda out of heifer than a St. Bernard out of a cat door. Longer, well-structured calves should be a desired body type.
University studies also prove the direct correlation between heavier BWs equaling heavier WWs. However, there’s a big ‘but’ to this: you need a LIVE calf to achieve profit-making WWs. Approach this fully understanding the commonsense correlation between live calves and achieving those WWs.
Remember spring 2019? It was a challenge for man and beast. Vigorous calves, with some durability and a little huskier made, are the ones that thrive through the snowdrifts. The conclusion is that birthable calves with a little more BW have a higher survival rate in the challenging extremes of the Dakotas.
There’s a perception out there that EPDs are gospel and shouldn’t be questioned. My intent here is not to refute their use. They definitely have value as a tool in the art and aid of animal selection. But they’re not the infallible solution to everything that goes into sound decision-making.
Some categories, like docility, are also based on subjective opinion. We know that temperament is heritable, but I don’t know if we truly understand the level of inheritability. If you don’t consciously strive to improve disposition as a key focus, it can rapidly go backwards.
As conscientious cattle breeders, it’s imperative we use good common cow sense with all these issues. It’s something our family has pretty much been doing for generations: watching for docility, good structure, and good feet. They are our breeding focus, first and foremost. There’s also nothing of more value than the cow that produced and is behind each of our bulls. We then interject the components of birthability; gainability; durability; and longevity. Think of it like this. The former helps you kinda like workin’ with your herd and making it enjoyable. The latter—those are the things that will contribute to your bottom line and profitability.
