As a cattle producer, we often worry about the temperament of our animals. Researchers have been studying cattle temperament as it is related to beef cattle production. Poor temperament can be associated with reduced performance, carcass qulaity and health. Termperment is often how cattle react to human handling.
So you ask - why do you need an EPD for docility? Let's think about human genetics for a moment. I've often been described as an A type person - methodical, orderly, logical, planned, controlled, organized, efficient, and systematic or in other words @#$%. Did that gene pass on to my children? You bet! Why wouldn't the same be true for animals?
If an animal A gets nervous being handled in the best enviroment possible, then what is the probablity that his or her offspring could be the same way. Thus, what led to the development of the docility EPD.
Do we use the docility EPD? Not extensively.
But that may change.
Meet pet. She doesn't have a name yet - that will be settled over the weekend.
She is three weeks old.
She walked up to So the day she was born and has not stopped visiting. In 25 years of cattle production, we have never had a baby calf this tame at birth.
After this Wordless Wednesday collage, maybe it's time to give the docility EPD a second thought!
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