In figure 1, MNO’s registered cattle are in blue and XYZ’s registered are in yellow. Non registered cattle with submitted data are in red. MNO selects the top 50% of their calves for bulls and replacements heifers based on weaning weight, and submit data on all of the calves, the bottom of their registered calves (MNO 50B) is at 50th percentile. MNO’s non-registered animals range from 50% to 75% because we have data on all the calves and know the weakest animal (MNO 100B) in the sire group. In the second line, XYZ has only submitted data on their registered calves, so XYZ 50B (their smallest registered calf) looks like the smallest of the whole herd, and so it is assumed his genetic potential is at the bottom of KESTREL’s genetic potential for his progeny, which would be equal to the smallest calf in MNO’s herd (MNO 100B). XYZ’s smallest calf isn’t just underestimated; every calf with the exception of XYZ’s top weaning weight calf (XYZ 1B) is underestimated. The average registered calf within XYZ’s herd looks similar to the average of MNO’s whole calf crop, which would be the bottom of MNO’s registered calf crop. When data is submitted for all of their calves, XYZ 50B looks similar to that of MNO 50B like in the third line.
A very common comment is that you can mess with EPD’s. Although this is true, there are checks and balances in the system and it is only to the detriment of your numbers. As you can see above, not submitting your whole herd discounts your registered calves. By sending in incorrect performance, you may make one calf look better, but at the detriment of all of the other calves below the incorrect calves’ data (it underestimates them all). As well if incorrect data is submitted for all calves, this would be compensated for by environmental effects. So by submitting correct data and on your whole herd, you are assisting in correct estimation of an animal’s potential. By sending in incorrect information or only a subset of your calves’ data, you would be ensuring that a sire is underestimated and this could be the difference between identifying the next great AI sire and snipping and shipping him. CSA members are some of the best cattle breeders in Canada and the world, and making informed decisions with correct information is going to be beneficial for the whole of the CSA membership and the Canadian cattle industry.
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