What are EPDs?
An Expected Progeny Difference (EPD) is a prediction of how future progeny of a sire or dam are expected to perform in various production and carcass traits which are measurable. EPDs are expressed in actual pounds, square inches, or centimeters, (depending on the trait), plus or minus what you can expect in the weights or measurements of progeny sired by a particular animal as compared with another animal. The EPDs of the animals listed in this sale book can be compared to other animals of the same breed. The EPDs listed are current as of December 23, 2019. Updated EPDs can be viewed at www.angus.org. Average EPDs Angus (Non-Parent Bulls) CED +6, BW +1.2, WW +68, YW +120, SC +0.89, Milk +27, Marb +0.78, RE +0.71 The EPD information was derived from the 2016 Fall National Sire Evaluation conducted by the American Angus Association. Please ask if you need assistance in understanding how to use the EPDs. Calving Ease Direct (CED) – is expressed as a difference in percentage of unassisted births, with a higher value indicating greater calving ease in first-calf heifers. It predicts the average difference in ease with which a sire’s calves will be born when he is bred to first-calf heifers. Birth Weight EPD – gives an indication of calving- ease. Birth Weight EPD predicts the birth weight difference one can expect from any two sires. When bred to genetically similar groups of cows, a bull with a Birth EPD of +5.0 should sire calves with an average birth weight 2 pounds heavier than a bull with a Birth Weight EPD of +3.0. *Experience has shown that an Angus bull with a CED EPD of +6 or higher and a BW EPD of +2.5 or less can be used on first calf heifers with a minimal number of calving problems. If you do not have heifers to breed and need a bull for cows that have calved before, any Angus bull in our offering should be acceptable from a calving-ease standpoint. Weaning Weight EPD – is a prediction of a bull’s ability to transmit weaning growth to his progeny. For example, Bull A has a Weaning Weight EPD of +60 pounds and Bull B has a Weaning Weight EPD of +40 pounds. At weaning, Bull A’s calves will average 20 pounds heavier.
Yearling EPD – Yearling Weight EPD takes into account both pre-weaning and post weaning growth. Yearling weight is the most heritable of all growth traits. You can expect bulls with high yearling EPDs to produce fast gaining calves. If Bull A has a Yearling Weight EPD of +90 and Bull B has a Yearling Weight EPD of +60, Bull A’s calves will average 30 pounds heavier than Bull B’s at one year of age. Scrotal Circumference EPD (SC) – expressed in centimeters, is a predictor of the difference in transmitting ability for scrotal size compared to that of other sires. Milk EPD – expressed in pounds of weaning weight that result from the amount of milk produced by daughters of a particular bull, as compared to the daughters of other bulls. If Bull A is +25 for Milk and Bull B is +15, bull A’s daughters’ calves will weigh 10 pounds heavier at weaning due to her superior milking ability. Carcass EPDs Marbling EPD (Marb) – expressed as a fraction of the difference in USDA marbling score of a sire’s progeny compared to progeny of other sires. The higher the value, the higher the amount of intramuscular fat (taste fat) in the ribeye, which positively affects quality grade. Ribeye Area EPD (RE) – expressed in square inches, is a predictor of the difference in ribeye area of a sire’s progeny compared to progeny of other sires.
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