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The Midwest Cattleman %u00b7 October 24, 2024 %u00b7 P16You%u2019ve got to %u2018hang around%u2019 in the right places if you want to get attention...Your Ad Could be Here!%u2022 Featuring %u2018 Program%u2019 Cattle Weekly %u2022 DVAuction Service for convenient online viewing & biddingFor more information: Ross Patton 573-308-6657 %u2022 Bill Patton 573-308-6658 %u2022 David Patton %u2013 573-308-6655 %u2022 Visit our website at www.scrsvienna.com %u2022 or E-mail us at: SCRSVienna@gmail.comSelling All Classes of Cattle Wednesday @ 10:00 a.m. Vienna, Mo 65582The American Shorthorn Association released a new selection index this summer to provide Shorthorn breeders and their commercial customers additional tools in their pursuit of Shorthorn genetic improvement. The Cow Productivity Index (CPI) is designed to identify genetics that excel at the traits expected of useful, productive females in the commercial sector. Let%u2019s start with the breeding objective that defines CPI and, thus, the traits that get included in the model. This index mirrors the production scenario in which Shorthorn genetics are going to be most often utilized in the commercial sector: to produce replacement heifers within the herd and steers that are a payday for their producer as feeder calves. As seedstock producers, we have been told over and over that the commercial cattleman wants cattle that don%u2019t cause them problems. Either that mantra is truly so important that it must be repeated, or we aren%u2019t doing a very good job of it, so they must keep telling us. The goal of CPI is to help identify those genetics that we might classify as less apt to cause problems: those that calve on their own, raise a good calf to the weaning pen, keep doing it year after year without getting bigger cows than a rancher might want.With that in mind, the traits that fit this index according to the economic model are described belo Calving Ease Direct (CED)- It%u2019s no secret that the first key to having a profitable calf is getting it into this world safe and alive. The CED EPD is a prioritized part of CPI for that reason. We don%u2019t want calving issues, and neither do our customers. Weaning Weight (WW)- The end marketing point utilized in the building of CPI is selling calves by the pound as weaned feeders. Obviously, that makes weaning growth genetics a significant component of CPI. Yearling Weight (YW)- The YW EPD is included in CPI as the indicator trait of mature cow size and is weighted negatively in the index. While a genetic tool for cow weight is in the works at IGS (our genetic evaluation service provider), it is not available for use in our evaluations yet. Genetic studies have shown the correlation between yearling weight and mature weight to range from 75 to 85%. Milk- Cows need to be able to produce enough milk to raise a healthy calf. While our hardest EPD to track, MILK is an important EPD in maternal selection. Too little MILK can leave you disappointed in your cows%u2019 production. We also know that too much MILK can be an issue if you do not have the environmental resources to support heavier milking cows. The MILK EPD is included in a positive weighting in CPI. Calving Ease Maternal (CEM)- If the goal is producing daughters that can go American Shorthorn Association%u2019s Cow Productivity Indexto work as productive cows, then they need to be able to have their first calf with no troubles. With that in mind, CEM is a part of CPI, albeit the least emphasized of the incorporated traits. Stayability (STAY)- Longevity is a key to profitability for a cow. The longer she produces, the better chance she becomes a moneymaker for you. STAY is our genetic measure of the likelihood of staying in production longer, meaning a higher STAY EPD is predicting a higher chance of hanging around the herd. The STAY EPD is a significant component to CPI%u2019s formulation.There%u2019s a lot to unpack any time that a new selection tool is introduced, and CPI is no different. Educating yourself on the available tools will always be important. Knowledge is power, and with knowledge of the tools that best suit your operation, your power to breed and improve Shorthorn cattle increases.