$EN in Angus Cattle EPD's

Trying to make some breeding decisions for this year. $EN is a trait I want to know more about. Most of the cattle we have are above average on that number. One is in top 10%. However I am wondering how this number is calculated. The majority of the cattle that have a good $EN seem to either be really small or have really low milk. So I'm assuming that factors in a lot. So should $EN be a heavy selection trait or are there more important things to worry about? Is that a reason it's not a major selection tool? Thanks in advance!!

http://www.angusbeefbulletin.com/articlePDF/By%20the%20numbers%2001_09%20ABB.pdf

And, you've pretty well pegged it.  Most (not all) high positive $EN cattle will be smaller mature size and with lower milk epds. For a reason.
Milk is not a maternal trait, it's a growth trait - there's a feed cost associated with it.
Frame requires feed to build.
$EN probably should not be a single-trait selection criterion.

I 'chased' high positive $EN for a while, but I'm not convinced that it's even worthy of consideration in our current management scheme - but if I'm using Angus sires, I still try to go with a positive (above $0) $EN, if other criteria are satisfied.  We're a commercial outfit, selling stocker/feeder steers; don't have any idea how/if/why $EN would have any concern to folks producing fluffed/blow-dried show cattle.

Probably if you(generic) were running cattle on grass and winter hay feeding of hay only...$EN might be important.  But if you're gonna feed corn sileage, a grain ration, etc...I'm not sure it's applicable.

Look at the Green Garden Angus cattle - they'll be low-frame scores, and moderate milk, with way above breed average $EN -  but the Marbling/Ribeye/Tenderness are there, with high $W and $B.  Wish I'd bred more Gardens Wave daughters...

Lucky_P said:

http://www.angusbeefbulletin.com/articlePDF/By%20the%20numbers%2001_09%20ABB.pdf


$EN probably should not be a single-trait selection criterion.

Click to expand...

Lucky P hit the nail on the head.  If you chase $EN you will go down a path you probably won't like, but if all other traits are satisfactory I surely would pick the better $EN bull.  The HD50K genomic tests for angus can give you feed efficiency numbers that are less directly tied to frame and milk if that's something that you are interested in.

The more vintage Angus genetics seem to have very high $EN.
6807 is plus 17,
707 is plus 51
EXT plus 12.8
Emulation 31 plus 50
Shoshone Viking plus 52
OCC Anchor plus 60

Then something like
Leachman Right Time plus 6

The people I know that look a lot at $EN are low input grass fed producers that are trying to bring their cows back into a physiology that can perform with a mediocre forage diet. They know they are sacrificing growth, but that is part of the equation to match production with natural resources. So unless that is your goal, going toward a low positive number in combination with good multi trait selection would be my idea.

Good call Librarian. 

I think you have to take into consideration frame score when analyzing $EN.  A frame 4 cow with a ton of milk (which id prefer) and a frame 7 w/ no milk could very likely have the same $EN. 

Then, you've got bulls like Tour of Duty or Power Tool...that have $EN of (minus) $57.00

Best high $EN sire I ever used, was Gardens Wave (AAA 13818764) - $EN= +$42.49(top 1% of breed).  Frame 4.5; WW/YW below breed average (37/62), Milk only +18.  BUT!!! $W, $B, Marbling, Ribeye all in the top 5% (or higher) of breed - and had all 6 Genestar tenderness markers, and is one of only a handful of ABS bulls with a 10 score for tenderness on the newer genomic tests.
No longer on the active market, but there are sons out there that may be worth considering... for commercial cattleman - I have no idea what the showring will want.

'nother one to look at is B/R Destination 727-928 (AAA 13286246).  He ain't pretty, but his daughters are good.

X bar is exactly right on his comparision. I used to think $e was great but I don't give it a lot of consideration anymore. I think the only $ value that is of use is $w its not strictly a output value as I believe all the others are. $w takes the inputs and weighs them against expected out puts.

Do any of you have to many open cow's, see a lot of herd's strung out on their breeding a month or two longer ....      How many of you have half your herd producing at ten year's of age and a high percent till they are 15 , producing half of their body weight ....  If you have a low milk cow with 7 frame , that's what I call a cow that will starve her calf to death and might not breed back ....There has been some research in NE that  these big cows, Hereford & Angus considered biggest cow's in beef breed's now ....