As producers are faced with the challenge of improving the consistency of beef, they are turning more and more to the use of today's technologies. Real-time ultrasound offers producers a means to determine end-product merit of live yearling bulls and developing heifers.
Relative to progeny testing and carcass data collection, ultrasound is a less expensive and more efficient means of evaluating carcass traits in breeding seedstock. The traits measured are rump fat, ribeye area, fat thickness between the 12th and 13th ribs, and percentage of intramuscular fat (marbling).
These traits are collected by a Annual Proficiency and Testing Certification (APTC) certified technician and the images are then sent to the APTC certified lab where they are interpreted and cross-checked by a certified lab technician. After the collection and interpretation process, the data is electronically sent to the RAAA National office where adjustments and ratios are calculated.
Overall, ultrasound is a great method for seedstock producers to achieve a fast and objective prediction on the composition of their herd, while improving the accuracies of their carcass EPDs.
How to Manage: Bulls should be placed on a high-energy ration after weaning. This will be important for discriminating among bulls for fat thickness and marbling traits.
When to Measure: The best time to collect ultrasound images on bulls is at or near the end of their gain test.
Age of Bulls: Bulls should be between 320 and 440 days of age: same as yearling measures.
Traits to Measure: Rump Fat Thickness, Rib Fat (Fat Thickness), Rib Eye Area (REA), and Percentage Intramuscular Fat (%IMF).
How to Manage: Normal heifer development program. Preferably using a moderate to high-energy ration, which allows heifers to express their genetic potential for fat thickness and percentage intramuscular fat.
When to Measure: Heifers may or may not express their full potential for fat and marbling traits at the same time as bulls. Therefore, the recommended time to scan heifers is prior to breeding.
Age of Heifers: Between 320 and 460 days or just prior to breeding.
Traits to Measure: Rump Fat Thickness, Rib Fat (Fat Thickness), Rib Eye Area (REA), and Percentage Intramuscular Fat (%IMF).
A management group is a set of cattle that are exposed to the same environmental conditions and includes ALL cattle within that environment. Therefore, ultrasound contemporary groups are formed from the latest information recorded (weaning or yearling), and:
Problem | Breeder Responsibility | Technician Responsibility |
---|---|---|
Squeeze Chute | X | |
Electrical Supply | X | |
Clipped Cattle | X | |
Weight Collected | X | |
Age Range | X | |
Supplemental Heat | X | |
Equipment Calibration | X | |
Gain & Focus Setting | X | |
Reference Points | X | |
Poor Contact | X | |
Correct # of Images | X |