Genetic Selection for Fertility and Performance

Over the last twoto three-decade period, the beef industry has made great use of genetic selection tools to improve economically important traits. Much of that improvement is due to the implementation and use of expected progeny differences (EPD). Since beef producers are paid for their animals on the basis of weight, or in some cases by the merit of animal carcasses, most EPD reported in breed association sire summaries involve growth traits and carcass traits. Often, selection for reproductive traits (male and female) has been overlooked even though reproduction (fertility) is key to a beef operation’s bottom line.