Friday, August 16, 2013
How to use EPDs to estimate offsprig trait values.
The following is an example of how EPD's of parents are used to estimate the outcome of the offspring. Notice how the dams trait values are not related to the dam's (Norma Jeans) 2012 histogram.
Estimating offspring trait values is accomplished using a simple combination of the dam's EPD trait values with her service sires Trait Values . The second part of the equation that I find helpful is to rank the trait among the rest of the program population. This really helps see how much progress has taken place. The example is predicting the following traits: AFD, Fleece Weight, Spin F, %>30 and Curve.
Dam: Stargazer's Norma Jean's Trait Values (Trait rank is in blue below each trait)
Trait Value AFD +.528; FW -.02; SPIN F -.41; %>30 +1.0; CURVE +.82.
Rank % AFD 80%; FW 80%; SPIN F 80%; %>30 80%; CURVE 30%.
Service Sire: Stargazer's Yale
Trait Value AFD -1.98; FW +.4; SPIN F -1.93; %>30 -7.99; CURVE +4.3
Rank % AFD 1%; FW 10%; SPIN F 1%; %>30 2%; CURVE 2%
Estimated Offspring Traits
Trait Value AFD -.72; FW +.19; SPIN F -.6; %>30 -3.49; CURVE +2.58
Rank% AFD 20%; FW 30%; SPIN F 60%; %>30 20%; CURVE 10%
2012 Histogram AFD 19.16; SD 4.09; CV 21.32; SPIN F 18.7; %>30 1.02; CURVE 41.49;