Traits and Mean EPDs Reported by 15 Breeds

Larry Cundiff, chairman of the Genetic Prediction Committee, said that it is important to know how expected progeny differences (EPDs) for an individual animal compare to the current breed average. Cundiff presented the mean EPDs for 18 breeds at the Genetic Prediction Committee meeting of the Beef Improvement Federation annual meeting July 12, 2002. These results can be found in the proceedings for the Genetic Prediction Committee accessible from the “Schedule” page of this Web site.

Cundiff also presented the postweaning growth and carcass traits for F1 steers (see Table 3). He said that the British breeds have caught up to the Continental breeds in growth traits, with most weighing in at over 1,300 lb. at harvest. More on this study can be found at www.marc.usda.gov. Open the online information link, and click on progress report #21.
— Stephanie Veldman

Table 3: Sire Breed Least Squares Means for Postweaning Growth and Carcass Traits of F-1 Steers in Cycle VII of the GPE Program (1999 calf crop, 448 days)

Sire	No.	PostWn.	Slaughter	Carcass	Dress	Marb.	% USDA	YG	Fat	REA,
breed		ADG	wt., lba	wt., lba	%	score	Choice	score	thick, in.	sq. in

Hereford	50	3.46	1,363	832	60.7	538	79.1	3.35	.55	12.74
Angus	59	3.40	1,375	846	61.2	577	93.6	3.32	.58	13.48
Red Angus	52	3.40	1,362	839	61.3	589	96.0	3.76	.60	12.21

Simmental	52	3.47	1,390	854	61.4	536	61.2	2.95	.42	13.71
Gelbvieh	49	3.33	1,348	826	61.3	514	63.0	2.80	.39	13.43
Limousin	53	3.30	1,308	815	62.3	507	44.8	2.63	.41	14.02
Charolais	53	3.43	1,370	843	61.6	517	75.7	2.77	.43	14.01

LSD.05		0.18	55	33	.8	35	22.5	.41	.11 	.75

aEstimates for Hereford, Angus and Red Angus sires were adjusted to the level of heterosis expected in three-way F1 crosses (estimates of 14.6 lb. was added for slaughter weight and 13.5 lb. was added for carcass weight) to provide for unbiased comparisons to three-way F1 crosses by Continental sire breeds.