When it comes to making genetic improvement on traits with economic relevance, by far the best tool available for producers are expected progeny differences. Simply put an expected progeny difference is a statistical prediction of an animal’s offspring based on all the information provided. The more information, the better the prediction. National cattle evaluations take all the available information on an animal, and based on what is known of biology and how genetics work, that animal’s potential is estimated for producing the next generation via an expected progeny difference. To estimate a reliable expected progeny difference will depend on the amount and quality of data available.
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Randie Culbertson is a cow-calf specialist for the Iowa State University-Extension.
