WBIA Wisconsin Beef Improvement Association Bull Test Standards

An Angus Beef Cattle Talk Series Page - View the Two Top 2002 WBIA Test Bulls below
with Darrell & Don Udelhoven of former - 50 year plus - Elmplace Angus - See 2006 Sale Info at bottom

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Wisconsin Beef Improvement Association Bull Performance Test Standards for the Sale that was held on Saturday, April 24, 1999 If the purpose of a Bull Test Stations is to ratio the performance within breeds of bulls on specific traits with a final total index score - then we are suggesting the following changes and reasoning to be considered by the Wisconsin Beef Improvement Association membership and other bull test stations. WBIA's Existing All Breeds Auction Sale Order Index Score Rating System In brief: The WBIA membership approved the following sale order criteria. The intent was to recognize the importance of multiple trait selection. To remain competitive in the future we will need not only fast gaining cattle, but calves that are born easy and produce a heavily muscled, lean, quality carcass. With this goal in mind, the board has developed a method to rank all sale bulls on four criteria [categories]. Here is how it works: All [trait] comparisons are made within breeds. If a bull ranks in the top 50% for three of the trait categories  Growth - based on WBIA test Gain Index (60% ADG 40% Adjusted 365 Weights)  Muscle - score based on Loin Eye Area size: (sq. in.) [divided by] /cwt. Live wt. (Eliminate advantages of heavier cattle.) [It disadvantages heavier cattle, Instead use the 365 Day Adjusted Ratio figures]  Quality - score based on % marbling [divided by] /inches of back fat (10ths). (Eliminate advantage of higher back fat cattle.) [Instead just use the "365 Day Adjusted figures to Ratio each Trait."] Bulls [within their breed] that rank in the top half of any individual category will be identified with a star (*) for that particular category. Bulls of all breeds that star (*) in all four categories will sell first [gain index breaks all ties] Bulls of all breeds that star (*)  in all three categories will sell second Bulls of all breeds that star (*)  in two categories will sell third Bulls of all breeds that star (*)  in any one category will sell next followed by all remaining bulls Keep in mind: Bulls have been compared only to their test contemporaries within breeds This formula applies only to the sale order. Bulls will NOT be segregated by breed in the sale order. This Star (*) Sale Order Criteria - 'does not Accurately Ratio Traits and Final Index' Bulls against their Breed Contemporaries in the various Trait Categories - the sale order then becomes totally different! It also gives Bulls Unearned or Skewed Sale Order advantages both within and across Breeds (The Breeds are Ratio Indexed Separately A bull could have four stars and only be slightly above the 50 percentile for each trait. We suggest that a ratio should be used for each one off these traits within each breed and thus the buyers would understand exactly how the bull ratios against the other bulls within the contemporary breed that is selected. For example: a bull 'gain indexing 127' under your present system gets the same star (*)  rating as a bull with a 103 gain index. The same thing applies to the other star categories because these categories are not ratio-ed. Whereas, our system ratios all Traits Across the Board would give him his earned higher ratio standing. If you want accurate indexing of the bulls for all traits they need to be ratio indexed across all the traits. It is called: A PERFORMANCE SELECTED BULL SALE Therefore, all the bulls should be Trait Performance Ratio-ed toward a final Index with all the Trait Ratio Results Displayed for the Buyers All Ultrasound Carcass Data must be adjusted to 365 Days of Age or it is useless for ratio Comparisons Marbling and back fat should be in separate trait categories because they are not genetically correlated. The Sale Order should be segregated by breeds and rotate the breeds as they did in past years All the Final Trait Ratio figures would be Listed within the New Seven Trait Ratio Categories at the top Birth weight EPDs should be a Ratio-ed a ratio-ed Trait and drop the arbitrary Star Rating - as this leap frogs bulls too much and, as accuracy, conformation and ancestry are major contributing factors The combined marbling and back fat traits should be separate categories - [no genetic correlation] All Four Quality Trait Categories should be added up and divided by four yielding an Aggregate BW Carcass Rating of all Four Categories, Then add the Gain Ratio to the Quality Ratio and divid by two for the Final Ratio to be used to Index the Breeds Sale Order All ties would be broken by the Gain Index with the aggregate of the other trait categories used to break ties, if tied again go to the lower BW EPD bull, etc. Buyers could easily see how their bull selections rated both by the numbers and by the ratios for each specific trait - the idea is to make the buyers selections easier for them We take it that 'all the carcass data is adjusted to 365 days of age' although there is no statement to that effect in the sale catalog [please clarify this for the buyers and everyone] - this is another reason why there is no need to use an additional adjustment of square inches of rib eye area per hundred pounds of live body weight The same thing is true of back fat [back fat should already be 365 day adjusted] - the older bulls that are slowing in growth are probably somewhat disadvantaged - at least make these factors known to the buyers in the sale catalog, a few things could be touched on with brevity by the sale manager just before the Auction begins In the present system there are too many unaccredited variables in the trait values that bulls do not receive credit for under a starring (*) system and it disadvantages many of the higher gaining bulls. Eyeballing the bulls will still be the initial test that buyers will use -- if they pass it -- the rest of the data can be an aid toward the buyers final selections. We all want to better serve the bull buyers, the bull consignors, the individual breeds, the beef industry, and all the parties involved in the bull test station sale environments. "Quality Counts." 1999 WBIA Sample Sale Order Table Based on Multiple Trait LOT 13   2002 WBIA TOP SELLING BULL - $3,600.00  Sired by TC Stockman 365 LOT 13   2002 WBIA TOP SELLING BULL - $3,600.00  Sired by TC Stockman 365 Burns Stockman L516; Consignor, James Burns Jr.  A Black Angus EPD Balanced Trait Bull.  This is a poor photo [by me] of this bull as he is standing downhill. I picked this bull to top the sale and he topped it. For the past few years to 2005, James Burns Jr., has been dominating this Bull test station and its sale with blanced trait bulls. A 2010 top gaining WBIA Angus bull, among many, is owned by Borkdale Angus, Grand Marsh, WI WISCONSIN BEEF IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION - 2006 WBIA 49th Annual Bull Test Sale Some information of possible interest to those that Value a Balance of Economic Trait Indicators. The Gain Performance Index is only one part of the Economic Value Trait Indicators that are important to your beef breeding program. There are many factors that can skew a bull's on test gain, and therefore in general, a bull's Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) are a much more reliable tool to judge a Bull's Genetic Breeding Performance. The Best Balanced EPD Bull in the WBIA Sale was Lot 11, A LOW BW Angus Bull. Below are his EPDs and the Angus Top Percentile Rank for each Economic Genetic Value Trait. CED is Calving Ease Direct; CEM is Calving Ease Maternal. $W is $ Weaning; $F is $ Feedlot; $G is $ Carcass Grid; $B is $ Beef Value. CED BW WW YW CEM $W $F $G $B I+ 9 I+1.2 +48 +96 I+9 +26.05 +36.37 +24.16 +47.39 10% 30% 15% 5% 15% 15% 5% 5% 3% Those are truly superior economic genetic indicators and are the Best Across Trait EPDs I have seen for a bull in an WBIA Sale. Mr. Burns stated that, 2K Designer 725 Indexed 112 for his Adjusted Weaning Weight. I have the 2006 Midland Test Angus Bull Sale Catalog of 678 bulls, I checked every bull against this Lot 11 Bull, 2K Designer 725, Consigned by James Burns, Jr., and none had the Across the Trait EPD Balance Values of this Bull. 2K Designer 725's Dam: 2K QUEEN 533    | REG. 14568042| Her EPD Carcass + Performance Stacked Pedigree 2K's 2005 Second High Selling 2K Angus Female with the above Bull Calf by 1407, at $5,100.00 to Jim Burns & Sons, Almond, WI Angus Female Top Percentile Traits Ranking BW WW YW MILK +2.4 +44 +91 +26 Breed Ranking Top 10% Top 2% Top 10%   IMF U-RE FAT %RP $F $G $B .22 .24 -.002 .30 33.13 17.13 43.69 Top 10% 20%   15%* 2% 15% 2% 2K ANGUS CATTLE ENTERPRISES    - Darrell Udelhoven More of my ANGUS CATTLE Pages ANGUS BEEF CATTLE TALK 2K ANGUS CATTLE ENTERPRISES MY GLOBAL ECONOMIC PEOPLE EMPOWERMENT PAGES Don Udelhoven  -  Darrell Udelhoven Last Update: 04/05/2006 - Darrell