Page 51 - Te Taumata Catalogue eBook

Understanding Hereford Selection Indexes
Indexes are reported as an EBV, in units of relative earning capacity ($’s) for a given market. They reflect both the short-term
profit generated by a sire through the sale of his progeny, and the longer term profit generated by his daughters in a self-
replacing cow herd.
Typical production parameters, price and costs underlie each Selection Index. Benefits and costs evaluated include both those for
the sale animal from birth to slaughter and those for the sustainable cow herd.
Hereford Prime Maternal Index ($) - 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.
Note that $ Index Values for individual animals are sensitive to the assumptions used in the BreedObject analysis to calculate the
selection index. For more information on these assumptions and weightings go to www.herefords.co.nz

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