Genetics and Selection Strategies for Successful Cattle Breeding Programs

1. Designing Genetics and Selection for Seedstock Breeders, Commercial Cattlemen and Show Ring Enthusiasts ASA Fall Focus 2015: Confidence Builds Success Scott P. Greiner, Ph.D. Extension Animal Scientist Virginia Tech sgreiner@vt.edu 540-231-9159

2. Putting Genetics to Work What are your herd goals? How fast can you get there? What do you focus on?

3. Seedstock Cow-Calf Feeder Processor Consumer

4. Genetic Improvement ∆G • Rate of genetic change influenced by: • Accuracy of selection • Selection intensity • Generation interval

5. Accuracy and Possible Change

6. Magnitude of Selection

7. Genetic Progress in Multiple Traits • Application of well-designed crossbreeding system • Heterosis • Breed Complementarity • Effective use of EPDs • Within Breeds • Across Breeds

8. Assumptions • Maximum profitability in cow-calf sector is associated with crossbreeding (primarily through maternal heterosis) • Angus, Red Angus, and Hereford are the British breeds of choice and compose primary base of US cow herd • Continental x British crosses are most desirable for optimizing goals of cow-calf, feeder, packer, and consumer

9. Breed Average EPDs: Across Breed Basis Simmental among Continental breeds: Higher CE, maternal CE, WW, YW, QG, and feed efficiency

10. 100 75 50 Diff=38lb Diff=0.4 lb Diff=61lb 25 0 -25 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 Angus Simmental Kuehn, US MARC

11. Major Breed Differences TodayContinental vs. British breeds Continental breeds have dramatically reduced birth weights and improved calving ease over last 30 +years Angus and Red Angus sire lightest BW calves with most calving ease Daughters of Continental and British breeds similar in reproduction, calving ease, calf survival and similar in mature size Breed differences in weaning weight and milk much smaller than 30+ years ago British and Continental sired progeny do not differ significantly in postweaning growth or efficiency of live weight gain Large differences exist between British and Continental breeds for carcass traits

12. source: Cundiff et al., 2005, Germplasm Evaluation Program

13. Simmental • Complimentary traits to Angus • Muscle/Red Meat Yield • Growth • Efficiency • Maternal • Maintain • Marbling/QG • Calving ease • Market acceptability (phenotype, color) • Mature size

14. Commercial Breeding Programs • Merchandise pounds • Goal: • Output per unit of input • Optimize performance within resources while maintaining low cost • Tools • Selection pressure (within and across breeds) • Breed differences • Mating system

15. Effectively Immunized High Growth Efficient Growth to Payweight Meet Carcass Target Specifications Properly Packaged Right Price Better Feeder Cattle…

16. Sire Profit Rankings: Feedyard TCSCF, Strohbehn & Busby, 2014

17. Post Weaning Trait Correlations with Lifetime Profitability • Final Wt. 0.80 • Feed:Gain -0.34 • ADG 0.67 • Carcass Wt. 0.85 • RE 0.51 • YG 0.15 • MB score 0.32 • CH- and up 0.35 • Health cost -0.23 • Cost of gain -0.41 TCSCF, Strohbehn & Busby, 2014

18. In Search of the Optimum Cow…. • Calves successfully at 2 years, annually thereafter, with minimal calving difficulty • Weans valuable calf annually that fits demands of marketplace and satisfies consumers • Highly adapted to environment and managerial resources • Optimizes revenue vs. costs of production over long life • Returns a profit!

19. Advantage of crossbred cow vs. straightbred Reproductive efficiency Maternal ability Longevity Increased lifetime productivity Maternal heterosis accounts for largest portion of total heterosis advantage (60%) Maternal HeterosisAdvantage of the Crossbred Cow

20. Heritability and Heterosis of Various Traits and Their Impact on Components of Cow-Calf Profitability

21. Genetic Targets • OPTIMIZING PRODUCTIVTY • Reproduction • Calving Ease/Survival • Growth • Maternal Ability • Carcass Merit • MANAGE COSTS OF PRODUCTION • Reproduction • Mature Size • Milk Production • Stayability

22. Benchmarks: PB Simm

23. Benchmarks: Simm Hybrid

24. Key Traits: Cow-Calf • Calving Ease Direct • Growth (weaning, post weaning) • Carcass merit- RE, MB • Maternal Calving Ease • Milk • Reproduction, Longevity, Stayability • Mature size/frame • Coat color • Udder quality • Phenotype TSI API

25. Seedstock Programs • Merchandise breeding value (genetics) • Goal: • Provide superior genetics for use by commercial producers • Optimize investments in technology and costs of production with revenue • Tools • Selection pressure • Technologies

26. Seedstock: Keys • Focus on the profitablity of their customers • Base decisions on data and customer feedback • Participate in total herd enrollment • Utilize genetic technologies • Engaged in the success and challenges of their customers

27. Genetic Positioning for the Future • Where have we been? • Where are we now? • Where are we going? • How do we get there?

28. Beef Operations, Inventory, and Herd Size Small Herds 90% operations 44% inventory Large Herds 10% operations 56% inventory NASS, USDA

29. Basic Principle of Genetic Improvement:Any trait(s) of relevance must be measured and recorded to provide a benchmark and basis for moving forward!

30. Importance of THE • EPDs for economically relevant traits which are particularly important to cow-calf producers • Reproduction • Stayability • Enhanced accuracy of selection for all reported traits (ie. better EPDs)

31. Sire Dam WW EPD +40 WW EPD +30 Pedigree Estimate Low Accuracy 0.05-0.20 WW EPD +35 Individual Performance Genomics Low-Medium Accuracy 0.20-0.35 WW EPD +40 Few Progeny WW EPD +45 Medium Accuracy 0.60-.80 Many Progeny High Accuracy 0.80-0.99 WW EPD +47

32. Genomic Influence on ACC • Genomic results incorporated into EPDs as correlated trait • Impact on ACC dependent on proportion of additive genetic variance explained by genomic result • Most traits 36-49% • Similar to 8-20 progeny records (trait dependent)

33. Influence of Information on EPDs and AccuracyYearling Bull- pedigree + own CE, BW, WW, YW (smaller amount of data)

34. Genomics • Genetic predictors for hard to measure traits • Tenderness • Carcass • Heifer pregnancy • Intake/efficiency • Enhanced API

35. What about genetic diversity? • Genetic variation within breed is important to minimize inbreeding while allowing continued genetic progress • Pedigree diversity without compromising genetic merit

36. Key Traits: Cow-Calf Seedstock • Calving Ease Direct • Growth (weaning, post weaning) • Carcass merit- RE, MB • Maternal Calving Ease • Milk • Reproduction, Longevity, Stayability • Mature size/frame • Coat color • Udder quality • Phenotype TSI API

38. Is Phenotype Economically Relevant?

39. Heritabilities of Phenotypic Traits Stature (height) .60 Body length .39 Muscling .42 Capacity .44 Femininity .32 Rear legs (hock set) .12 Foot/pastern angle .13 Udder attachment .23 Udder depth .35 Teat size .39 Kirschten, 2002

40. History of Showing Livestock Historically to Promote Ideals Estimate Animal Value Encourage Quality and Genetic Change Promotion of Livestock and Meat Industry Promotion of Individual Programs Youth Education and Development

41. Today? Promotion of Individuals and Programs Youth Development and Education Promote Phenotypic Ideals Add Value….. Promote Positive Genetic Change?

42. History of Performance Shows Several Breeds Have Experience Simmental and Red Angus Substantial Cost…..Substantial Value? Created vs. Mitigated Controversy? Variation in the Priority and Application of Genetic Info have been Substantial. Variation in the Priority of Phenotypic Traits have been Substantial. It’s Still Judging……..Bottom Line!

44. ASA Progress Through Performance (PTP) Shows • Encourage the incorporation of performance data in the showring • Educate breeders regarding EPDs and their use in the industry

48. Blending Shows and EPDs • Use of EPDs enhances relevance to other segments of industry • Effects reputation/impression of breed • Adds level of objectivity to showring • Junior exhibitors- education, industry application • Shows continue to be forum for socialization, gathering of breeders and discussion • Phenotype is economically relevant, however not in leu of documented genetic merit

50. Summary • Simmental is well positioned to be the complimentary breed of choice to British genetics • Breeding programs should focus on complimentary traits relevant to all sectors of the industry • Technology (THE, DNA, etc.) are critical for assessing genetic merit and designing genetics • Phenotype is economically important, but not in leu of objective predictors of genetic merit