CATTLE EPDS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What does the abbreviation EPD stand for? - Answers- Expected Progeny Difference
The first performance records measured what and at what age? - Answers- Measured
weight/weight gains at weaning or yearling
What does the abbreviation EBV stand for? - Answers- Estimated Breeding Value
What made the EBV statistic useful? - Answers- It combined an animals own records to
those of relatives and progeny and included heritability
What does the abbreviation NCE stand for? - Answers- National Cattle Evaluation
What is NCE? - Answers- A more precise and accurate program to caluclate EPDs
within breeds that incorporates more information to determine the EPD than NSE.
What information does NCE include that NSE did not? - Answers- Adjustment for
differences in genetic merit of females.
Genetic correlation between traits.
Adjustments for genetic change over time.
Adjustments for differences in contemporary groups such as environment and nutrition
Total Herd Reporting
No Reference Sires
Directly comparable EPDs
All Breed Associations Have What 4 Traits? - Answers- Birthweight
Weaning Weight
Yearling Weight
Milk
Birth weigh is measured using what measurement, and excludes influence from what? -
Answers- Pounds/Excludes Maternal Influence
Weaning Weight Measurement is taken at how many days old? - Answers- 205 days
Yearling weight measurement is taken at how many days old? - Answers- 365
What does the Milk EPD Measure? - Answers- Pounds of weaning weight due to
maternal influence of an individuals daughters, excluding genetics for growth to
weaning.
The Total Maternal EPD is composed of what two EPDs? - Answers- Milk and Weaning
Weight
, What does the Direct Calving Ease EPD measure? - Answers- Percentage of
unassisted births as a ratio.
Estimates the calf's ease of birth, excluding maternal factors. Focuses more on the
calf's easiness of being born.
Why is the Milk EPD inexact? - Answers- Because it is an estimate of all maternal
influences on weaning weight, with milk production being the major element.
Why should Direct Calving Ease EPDs be given preference over Birthweight EPDs -
Answers- DCE depends largely on size of calf and is more comprehensive
measurement of calving ease, BW only indirectly estimates calving ease.
Maternal Calving Ease measures what? - Answers- Percentage of unassisted births.
Focuses more on mother's ability to have a calf. Involves size, internal structure, uterine
environment.
Calving Ease Total Maternal is a combination of what? - Answers- Combines Direct
Calving Ease and Maternal Calving Ease
Yearling Height EPD is an estimate of? - Answers- Genetic size, it is a great predictor
along with weight traits.
What is one disadvantage of EBV? - Answers- it consisted mostly of in group records,
causing faulty comparisons between groups or herds.
What two advantage do EPDs have over EBVs? - Answers- EPDs have more scope
and precision.
EPDs allow you to make a more valid comparison between groups, not just within a
single group.
What does the abbreviation NSE stand for? - Answers- National Sire Evaluation
What was the NSE? - Answers- A program conducted by some breed registry
associations to compare performance using Reference Sires. It was the first practical
implementation of EPDs
What are some assumptions that limited the validity of the NSE? - Answers- Bulls are
not genetically related.
Bulls mated to females of equal genetic merit.
No progeny was culled before records were collected.
Breed averages do not change over time.
What does the Scrotal Circumference EPD predict? - Answers- Predicts the mass of
sperm producing tissue
Positively correlates with his offspring reaching puberty at an earlier age.
What does the abbreviation EPD stand for? - Answers- Expected Progeny Difference
The first performance records measured what and at what age? - Answers- Measured
weight/weight gains at weaning or yearling
What does the abbreviation EBV stand for? - Answers- Estimated Breeding Value
What made the EBV statistic useful? - Answers- It combined an animals own records to
those of relatives and progeny and included heritability
What does the abbreviation NCE stand for? - Answers- National Cattle Evaluation
What is NCE? - Answers- A more precise and accurate program to caluclate EPDs
within breeds that incorporates more information to determine the EPD than NSE.
What information does NCE include that NSE did not? - Answers- Adjustment for
differences in genetic merit of females.
Genetic correlation between traits.
Adjustments for genetic change over time.
Adjustments for differences in contemporary groups such as environment and nutrition
Total Herd Reporting
No Reference Sires
Directly comparable EPDs
All Breed Associations Have What 4 Traits? - Answers- Birthweight
Weaning Weight
Yearling Weight
Milk
Birth weigh is measured using what measurement, and excludes influence from what? -
Answers- Pounds/Excludes Maternal Influence
Weaning Weight Measurement is taken at how many days old? - Answers- 205 days
Yearling weight measurement is taken at how many days old? - Answers- 365
What does the Milk EPD Measure? - Answers- Pounds of weaning weight due to
maternal influence of an individuals daughters, excluding genetics for growth to
weaning.
The Total Maternal EPD is composed of what two EPDs? - Answers- Milk and Weaning
Weight
, What does the Direct Calving Ease EPD measure? - Answers- Percentage of
unassisted births as a ratio.
Estimates the calf's ease of birth, excluding maternal factors. Focuses more on the
calf's easiness of being born.
Why is the Milk EPD inexact? - Answers- Because it is an estimate of all maternal
influences on weaning weight, with milk production being the major element.
Why should Direct Calving Ease EPDs be given preference over Birthweight EPDs -
Answers- DCE depends largely on size of calf and is more comprehensive
measurement of calving ease, BW only indirectly estimates calving ease.
Maternal Calving Ease measures what? - Answers- Percentage of unassisted births.
Focuses more on mother's ability to have a calf. Involves size, internal structure, uterine
environment.
Calving Ease Total Maternal is a combination of what? - Answers- Combines Direct
Calving Ease and Maternal Calving Ease
Yearling Height EPD is an estimate of? - Answers- Genetic size, it is a great predictor
along with weight traits.
What is one disadvantage of EBV? - Answers- it consisted mostly of in group records,
causing faulty comparisons between groups or herds.
What two advantage do EPDs have over EBVs? - Answers- EPDs have more scope
and precision.
EPDs allow you to make a more valid comparison between groups, not just within a
single group.
What does the abbreviation NSE stand for? - Answers- National Sire Evaluation
What was the NSE? - Answers- A program conducted by some breed registry
associations to compare performance using Reference Sires. It was the first practical
implementation of EPDs
What are some assumptions that limited the validity of the NSE? - Answers- Bulls are
not genetically related.
Bulls mated to females of equal genetic merit.
No progeny was culled before records were collected.
Breed averages do not change over time.
What does the Scrotal Circumference EPD predict? - Answers- Predicts the mass of
sperm producing tissue
Positively correlates with his offspring reaching puberty at an earlier age.
