Proud Participant in Maternal Plus While Regency Acres has been tracking maternal traits for decades, Maternal Plus takes it to a whole new level of economically important traits and allows us to make more informed decisions based on maternal genetics. We’ve always said it starts with the mama cow and Maternal Plus assists us in that decision making process.
Birthweights and Calving Ease
Angus bulls have long been known for their paramount calving ease. If you are breeding heifers, Angus is the go-to breed of choice. But what about the so-called “big” birth weight Angus bulls – where do they fit it? The vast majority of mature cows calve unassisted – it is rare for a mature cow to need assistance, except for abnormal deliveries (backwards, breech, twins, etc.). data reported to the AAA shows that over 99% of Angus cows, second calf or beyond, need assistance (abnormal deliveries excluded from this data). Back to the question at hand: where do the “big” birth weight Angus bulls fit in? Example: If you have a bull with a birth EPD of +5, he would be 3.2 pounds heavier than
the average (breed average BW EPD is 1.8) (5-1.3 = 3.2 pounds difference). However, his superior growth EPDs mean he will wean bigger calves and put way more money in your pocket than the average Angus bull! The moral of the story: if you are breeding mature cows to an Angus bull, do not make birth weight your focus.
Thiessen’s Regency Acres
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