Cattle Industry Has Great Expectations For The Next Generation Of Genomically Enhanced EPDs

Expected Progeny Differences or, EPDs, have been around for years. More recently, producers have been turning to genomically enhanced EPDs for their increased accuracy, when looking at what bulls to add to their herds. And now, the next generation of statistical genetic evaluation is expected to soon be adopted into the industry, says Dr. Bob Weaber, Kansas State University beef cattle specialist. Ron Hays of the Radio Oklahoma Network, spoke with Dr. Weaber to find out more about this new selection tool.

“Over the next probably 12 months or so, most of the breed associations are going to adopt a new genetic evaluation methodology called Single Step,” Weaber said, “which uses the legacy performance data.”

All the information normally collected such as weaning weights, birth weights, yearling weights, etc., in conjunction with genomic information, will be boiled down into a single statistical analysis. Weaber suggests that while the current two-step approach in use today, that derives genomically enhanced EPDs is a good way to incorporate genomic information, but falls short of the precision Single Step offers.