Page 8 - Mokairau Sale Catalogue 2021 ebook

UNDERSTANDING HEREFORD
SELECTION INDEXES

Selection Indexes rank animals for a single production goal – PROFIT. They
take the hard work out of determining how much emphasis to give each of the
available growth, maternal, carcase and fertility EBVs, when selecting parent
animals. An Index is a composite EBV ( EBV for Profit) for traits best suited to
a particular production system and/or target market. There are three breed-
specific Indexes for Hereford cattle:
HEREFORD PRIME INDEX
Estimates the genetic differences between animals in net profitability per mixed
age cow joined for a typical self-replacing commercial herd where Hereford bulls
are joined to either Hereford or other British breed females and targeting the
production of grass finished steers for the Hereford Prime program. Selected
heifers are retained for breeding and so maternal traits are of importance.
Steers target 550 kg live weight (300 kg carcase weight & 7 mm P8 fat) at
20 months of age, and heifers 475 kg (260 kg carcase weight & 8 mm fat
depth), at 22 months of age.
BEEF HEIFER INDEX
Estimates the genetic differences between animals in net profitability per
yearling heifer joined for a typical self-replacing commercial herd where
Hereford bulls are joined to either Hereford or other British breed heifers.
Selected heifers are retained for breeding and so maternal traits are of
importance. Steers target 510 kg live weight (280 kg HSCW and 7 mm P8
fat depth) and heifers 450 kg ( 250 kg HSCW and 8 mm P8 fat depth) at 20
months of age.
DAIRY BEEF INDEX
Estimates the genetic differences between animals in net profitability per
mixed age dairy cow joined with all progeny destined for slaughter. Steers
and heifer progeny target 550 kg live weight (300 kg carcase weight and 6
mm fat depth) at 24 months of age and at 475 kg live weight (260 kg carcase
weight and 7 mm fat depth) at 22 months, respectively.
2021 HEREFORD EBVS & INDEXES

BIRTH WT 200D 400D 600D MCW MILK SS
+4.1 +33 +55 +78 +67 +17 +2.0
CWT EMA RIB RUMP RBY IMF
+52 +3.5 +0.7 +0.8 +0.8 +0.5
SELECTION HP B/H D/B
INDEXES ($) +$110 +$112 +$105

8 Mokairau Bull Sale 2021