ACCURATE RECORDING = ACCURATE EBV’s
What do Limousin Breeders need to know about recording?
What are management groups?
A management group is a group of animals that have been treated the same. Treatment can be deliberate e.g. creep fed vs. non-creep fed calves. Each management group must only include like-treated animals and all differing circumstances i.e. show cattle must be separated again.
Why management groups?
Only animals that have had like treatment can be directly compared with BREEDPLAN. Management groups prevent false conclusions and therefore result in more accurate EBV’s.
How many management groups do I need?
All groups that have been treated differently need to be in separate management groups. But be careful not to make unnecessary groups! The greater the amount of animals in each group the more comparisons can be made in the EBV calculations = higher accuracy. So keep group sizes as large as possible!
Why should I have a defined breeding season?
A calving season will reduce the number of management groups required for calves based on their age ∴ there will be more calves in each group.
How do I establish pedigree links in my management groups?
It is very important to have two or more sires represented in each management group. The more sires represented the better! This is so that bulls can be compared over the environment and is very important for the calculation of useful EBV’s. Using multiple AI sires in your AI program is also important for establishing pedigree links and is very beneficial for across-environment comparisons and EBV accuracies.
Can I separate my calves based on sex?
Yes, you must do this. Same sex animals need to be weighed on the same day.
Can I weigh different groups on different days?
Yes, but ensure that all animals in the same management group are weighed on the same day and that you stay within the date boundaries!
