All the Data, All the Time... Part II – Cow size is more than just weight. At Mushrush Red Angus, we weigh every cow when we wean her calf, and we collect a Body Condition Score (BCS) at the same time. We gather this data at weaning so every cow will be in the same phase of her annual Production when data is captured. By collecting this data within the appropriate contemporary group, we can better define an equal opportunity to compare weights. Comparing across contemporary groups can be misleading and inaccurate. For example, comparing the mature weight of fall cows against spring cows is not always giving the best comparison of the cows. This is also why cow weights and BCS from one ranch shouldn’t be compared to that of another ranch. Environmental differences, supplemental nutrition, rainfall, stocking rate, and a host of other factors may differ between contemporary groups. We encourage our customers not to compare weights of our fall-calving cows and calves to our spring-calving cows and calves due to very different environments even though genetics are nearly identical. Lactating cows in production through the winter, can have very different actual weights then our spring calving herd, who benefit from Flint Hills forage during its peak. This can reflect in the calves actual performance, too. In our 2nd Quarter newsletter, we discussed how mature cow size effects ranch profitability through its impact on cow herd maintenance requirements, reproductive rate, stocking rate, and cull cow value. The traits of Mature weight (MW) and mature height (MH) are moderate to highly heritable (».45 and ».62 respectively) and are highly correlated (».80), so a change in one trait is very likely to result in a similar change in the other. Given the reasons above, it’s easy to understand the significant role mature size plays in cowherd profitability; what is surprising is that relatively few phenotypic observations are actually collected. Most seedstock providers don’t collect cow weights, and even when they do, weights alone don’t tell the whole story. Age is another factor that impacts cow size. We have been selecting for cattle with rapid early growth and minimal mature size. In other words, steers that grow rapidly to harvest weight and heifers that reach puberty early, develop structural dimension to calve unassisted then “shut down” their growth phase to focus on reproduction and raising calves. Even with these selection goals, cows typically gain weight as they mature to 4-6 years of age. Somewhere around age 10, it is typical for their weight to begin to decline as minor issues, such as worn teeth wear or arthritic joints, make cattle less aggressive foragers. Red Angus calculates genetic predictions for Mature weight which are used in the published Maintenance Energy (ME) EPD. The EPD for mature weight utilizes Age, along with weights and BCS, taken within meaningful contemporary groups. The weights are adjusted to a common age of 5 years and a common BCS of 5. At Mushrush Red Angus, we’ve been providing our bull customers with the Age, BCS, and weight of each bull’s dam, when his weaning weight was taken. With this information, buyers could compare this data within our Fall born bulls or amongst our Spring born bulls. However, we realize that trying to compare a 2-yr-old that weighed 990 lbs. at a BCS of 3 and an 8-yr-old that weighed 1225 at a BCS of 7 is a daunting task at the speed of an auction. Thus, our 2017 bull sale catalog will incorporate a simplified more user-friendly presentation of this data. It will be a single number expression of cow weight, already adjusted for differences in age and BCS.
Stay tuned…
Our winter newsletter will dig deeper into the subject of mature cow size and actually demonstrate the presentation of mature cow weight data, to aid customers’ preparation for Spring bull sale season.
The Mushrush fall private treaty sale features some of our top performing, best scanning, and best 1% indexing replacements, and... ID PFX
Sire
HB/% GM/%
ME/%
STAY/%
Comments
C086 MUS BECKTON NEBULA P P707
191/1
55/1
-5/12
17/1
107 mppa Dam, 121 Gain Ratio, 144 IMF ratio, 105 REA ratio
C076 MUS BECKTON NEBULA P P707
156/5
52/5
3/67
16/4
109 mppa Dam, 119 IMF ratio, 117 REA ratio, 131 ADG Ratio
C147 MUS MUSHRUSH NEBULA A125
144/9
49/58
5/86
15/8
111 ADG ratio, 117 IMF Ratio
C341 MUS
166/3
52/8
0/36
15/6
106 ADG ratio, 111 IMF ratio, 108 REA ratio, 102 dMPPA
C225 MUS BECKTON CLIFFTOP Z500 E4 172/2
51/13
2/57
16/4
109 ADG ratio, 108 IMF ratio, 116 REA ratio
C002 MUS BECKTON NEBULA Y317 D3
178/1
50/23
1/48
18/1
110 dam MPPA, 106 IMF ratio, 104 REA ratio
C082 MUS BECKTON NEBULA Y317 D3
205/1
51/11
0/43
20/1
116 ADG ratio, 102 IMF ratio, 112 REA ratio, 104 Dam MPPA
C232 MUS BECKTON CLIFFTOP Z500 E4 158/4
51/14
4/73
15/10
110 WW ratio, 112 YW ratio, 116 ADG ratio, 105 dMMA
C120 MUS BECKTON JULIAN X321 E4
175/1
50/23
-3/20
17/2
Best 1% HerdBuilder & 2% Stayability
C146 MUS BECKTON JULIAN X321 E4
193/1
49/43
-6/9
19/1
112 ADG ratio
C405 MUS BECKTON LIKABLE Y124 L3
169/2
53/2
-1/32
15/10
123 IMF ratio
C385 MUS BECKTON JULIAN X465 J5
153/5
51/21
-4/14
15/10
108 dMPPA 106 IMF ratio, 102 REA ratio
C270 MUS MUSHRUSH NEBULA A125
164/3
50/30
-2/26
16/3
109 IMF ratio
C119 MUS
123/24
53/2
-4/14
10/59
110 WW ratio, 107 YW ratio, 102 dMPPA
129/18
51/14
0/44
12/31
114 IMF ratio
BECKTON EPIC Y484 N6
ANDRAS IN FOCUS R246
C048 MUS MUSHRUSH IMPACT Z352
The 48 sale heifers average 144 HerdBuilder index, 14.5 STAY, and .49 Marbling.
Fifteen 18-month-old bulls, including Seedstock Herd Sire Prospects and bulls we've used in our own program.
C053 – 1745297 Moderate, Deep, Thick, and Profitable! This top 1% HerdBuilder is one of 15 bulls we've used in our own program that are now offered Private Treaty.
C082 Amazing 205 Herdbuilder Index - Beckton Nebula Y317 daughter with ratios of: 112 WW, 112 YW, 111 ADG, 102 Marbling, & 112 REA
C232 Mushrush Clifftop Z500 daughter with best 4% Herdbuilder & 14% GridMaster; weight ratios of: 110 WW, 112 YW ,and 116 ADG.
Download sortable catalog data for the entire sale offering at MushrushRedAngus.com.
Pasture Proven... Profit Driven
2346B N Rd • Strong City, KS 66869 Joe (620) 273-8581 Daniel (620) 340-9774 MushrushRedAngus.com
Mushrush Red Angus
For Sale Private Treaty • 48 Registered Heifers A.I. bred and exposed NS for only 45 days • 160 Spring Calving Commercial Bred Heifers A.I. bred and exposed NS for only 45 days • 15 Red Angus Bulls- Herd Sire bulls included
Going, Going...
160 Pasture-Proven, Profit-Driven Commercial Bred Heifers Spring Calving, Solid Red heifers produced by Mushrush genetics and developed on native Flint Hills pastures. Bred AI to Best 1% Calving Ease, Top 7% HerdBuilder, Mushrush Triton A330, then exposed to low birthweight calving ease Mushrush Red Angus natural Service Sires. Whether you need a potload, gooseneck load or a handful, we can fill your order! For more information, call Joe at (620)340-7461, Daniel at (620)340-9774, or our office at (620)273-8581.
Pasture Proven... Profit Driven
www.MushrushRedAngus.com