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BUILDING A FOUNDATION
COW HERD
Our cow herd was started in 1968 with proven cows from leading
breeders. Those cows gave us genetic lead time because they
were the top cut from some of the best genetics available.
What progress has been made over the last 30+ years. Superior
sires carried our herd forward in the early years, bulls such
as:
BKT Foro 1108AP
Choctaw Chief 373
PRF Chiefton 7284 (son of 904)
We started with the best genetics in production
to make the optimum improvements. When the first National
Red Angus Sire Summary was produced in 1986, the following
sires from our program earned SIX Trait Leader Positions
for weaning and yearling weight:
RAB Abe Lincoln
RAB Nation E410-236
RAB Rock LB555-RM
JKG Chiefton L303
Since the first Red Angus sire summary
produced in 1986, our sires have held over 101 trait leader
positions for birth, weaning, yearling, milk and stayability
EPD's.
Because there is a high correlation between
feed efficiency, growth and meat yield, our 30 years of
selection for optimum growth has resulted in cattle that
produce superior carcass traits. Maternal traits will always
have a high priority in our herd and we have continually
selected for balanced cattle with an emphasis on optimum
growth. Balanced cattle have high fertility, adequate milk,
longevity, growth and quality red meat yield.
"Fault-Free
Practical Cattle"
has been our motto in better beef production.
EVERY GOOD BULL
NEEDS AN OUTSTANDING DAM
Every progressive program has superior females producing
a calf every year. We select and breed the top 70% of all
heifers born here in order to ensure the best females are
producing your next herd sire.
This outstanding maternal influence will
give you the reliability you come to expect from Bieber
Red Angus Ranch.
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BIRTHWEIGHTS
Why do birthweights
vary from
year to year?
Typically the Red Angus breed has tried to maintain low to
moderate birth weights (60-85 pounds). We find when we have
a really severe winter (as we had in 96-97) our birth weights
go higher than normal. The theory being in cold weather cows
eat more and concentrate the blood supply in the vital organs
and the calf gets an increased blood supply increasing birth
weight. We find that calves with larger birth weights (85-100
pounds) have better survival (provided there is no calving
difficulty) because they have more body mass and can take
the adverse weather better. Research substantiates this conclusion.
Growth is also highly correlated to birth weight! Most cows
can have an 85 to 100 pound calf with no difficulty.
EPD's: EXPECTED PROGENY
DIFFERENCES
EPD's
are the most powerful tool that is available for making genetic
progress.
EPD's incorporate the performance of the individual, along
with the performance of all its relatives.
WW EPD:
Weaning. Higher weaning EPD's predict higher weaning weights.
MILK EPD:
Milk EPD should be used to predict the milking ability of
the daughters of the bulls in question (or of direct milking
potential in the case of heifers). Higher milk EPD's project
more milk.
TM EPD:
Total maternal EPD's should be used to predict the total weaning
weight performance (milk + weaning weight) of a bull's daughters.
Higher total maternal EPD's predict greater weaning weight
from daughters.
YW EPD:
Yearling. Higher yearling EPD's indicate greater expected
yearling weights.
BW EPD:
Birth. A lower EPD predicts lower birth weights.
STAY EPD:
Stayability is primarily a measure of sustained fertility
in female offspring.
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