36 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN January 2026 Actual bull selection can be as complicated as the buyer wants it to be. The reality is that most commercial producers buy bulls, at most, once a year. It is understandable that the plethora of data supplied in a bull sale catalog (or semen catalog) would be overwhelming. If the goal is to confuse bull buyers, we as a seedstock industry have perfected our craft. Between the actual weights, adjusted weights, ratios, brief pedigree, EPD, indexes, pictures (with the all-important footnotes) and in some cases the genomic scores and in-herd rating systems, it can be confusing. However, if bull buyers remind themselves that the goal is to improve the next generation of calves, and that a bull can only pass on a sample of his genetics (not the added feed, great clip job, etc.), the chore can actually become simpler. If you are investing in genetics as a means of improving profitability, then use the tools that are designed to do this: EPDs and economic selection indexes. Expected progeny differences work – that is beyond contestation. Relative to growth traits, work from USMARC has shown that for every one unit change in sire EPD, the change in average offspring performance is approximately one unit – exactly what we would expect. It’s important to be an educated consumer, meaning you should know something about breed average EPDs. If you don’t, then ask. The last thing you want is to buy a seemingly great terminal bull to later find out that he ranked in the bottom of the breed for growth and carcass traits. The inclusion of genomic information into the EPD calculation also helps bull buyers ensure that what they are getting is what they wanted. Genomics increases the accuracy of EPDs, translating into more confidence It’s important to be an educated consumer, meaning you should know something about breed average EPDs. SIRE SELECTION STEPS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 36th Annual Bull Sale Sunday, January 25, 2026 Marty Ropp 406-581-7835 Corey Wilkins 256-590-2487 Jared Murnin 406-321-1542 www.alliedgeneticresources.com 1:00 PM (CT) • At the Ranch, Miller, NE Selling 300 Simmental, SimAngus™ & Angus Bulls Nebraska’s Largest Source for Homozygous Black, Homozygous Polled SimAngus™ Genetics All bulls are born, fed and raised from one ranch, giving you the most accurate contemporary groups possible. Bulls will be performance and fertility tested and sell with genomicaly enhanced EPDs. All bulls will be cared for free of charge until April 1. Visit triangleranch.com for additional sale information or call us to request a sale book. Broadcasting Real-Time Auctions Darby and Annette Line 35355 Arrow Rd. Miller, NE 68858 Darby: 308-627-5085 Home: 308-457-2505 Dillan: 308-293-9241 www.trianglejranch.com 626N DB ICONIC G95 SON ASA 4528401 1/2 SM 1/2 AN $API 168 • $TI 100 695N KBHR BOLD RULER H152 SON ASA 4528060 3/4 SM 1/4 AN $API 150 • $TI 90
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