by Angie Denton, Kansas State University

Three influential producers from the United States and Canada presented “A Business Case for Using EPDs” during the 2023 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Symposium. The panel discussion was part of the Advances in Producer Applications breakout session moderated by Darrh Bullock of the University of Kentucky July 4. Panelists included Paul Bennett of Knoll Crest Farm, Red House, Va.; Sean McGrath of Round Rock Ranching, Vermilion, Alta., Canada; and Donnell Brown, RA Brown Ranch, Throckmorton, Texas.

The panelists were charged with describing their philosophies on using expected progeny differences (EPDs). Brown referenced genetic trends over time, pointing out, “If we want to talk about the case for EPDs, we don’t have to look any further than to look at genetic trends before and after EPDs. This shows, without a doubt, that EPDs work.”

Bennett discussed the collaborative relationship between breed associations and producers to generate high-quality selection tools.

“Genetic evaluations rely on clean, comprehensive data. As a seedstock producer, I am responsible for contributing the highest-quality data so that the EPD that comes out is as good as possible,” he said.

Risk management for commercial producers

All the panelists were clear that EPDs help them move the needle on genetic improvement, but they are ultimately risk-management tools for commercial customers.

“There is a big difference between being a bull seller and a seedstock service provider,” McGrath said.

Bennett emphasized that seedstock producers must “quantify the product we sell to our commercial customer. We need to know what our cattle can and can’t do for our customers.”

Similarly, Brown said he wants “as many tools (EPDs) as he can have in his toolbox to make the optimal breeding decision to deliver that promise to his customers.”

Simplifying the toolbox

While each panelist underlined the importance of needing a diverse set of tools in the form of EPDs, they also underscored the challenge for their customers in interpreting the full array of tools available now.

Bennett commended breed associations for the job they have done in developing and optimizing selection indexes for commercial settings and simplifying data analysis. He said Knoll Crest has altered how they deliver EPD information to their customers.

“We are careful in how we present data to our customers,” he explained. “Our catalogs have evolved over time, and we’ve worked to optimize the data we put in front of our customers to prevent information overload.”

McGrath also discussed the importance of seedstock providers communicating to their customers about which index best fits their business plan.

No one recipe

The other central theme panelists conveyed was how EPD profiles are not one-size-fits-all. McGrath talked about his operation’s unique breeding goals.

“I want to have a $1,000 gross margin per cow, eliminate cow herd depreciation and to do so without interference — 10 minutes per year, per cow,” McGrath explained.

He said his primary use of EPDs is to match complementary genetics that can handle their unique and harsh production environment. McGrath emphasized that his ideal EPD profile may not be optimal for another ranch. He noted that knowing the needs of each business and which traits should be focused on are important when discussing EPDs.