ICBF Calving Traits

reps4

hi,

wisdom needed.. getting another bull and would like a short gestation length if possible.

currently have a limo, ICBF has following:

Gestation Len (days)4.41


cows calve a consistent 10-14 days more than the expected calving date in the small icbf book.


so my question is, how does 4.47 above translate into 293-298 days and how is this gestation value calculated?!

Cheers..

pakalasa

I remember reading before that the average used was that of the Aberdeen Angus breed. So all other breeds would be compared to that value. Now, on the Mar 2012 breed average figures, that figure for the AA breed would be 283 days.
You'll see it here, second link down;
http://www.icbf.com/services/evaluations/beef.php

Now, if you put in the BB bull JOK for example, his figures are 285 Days with a PTA of -0.26. So that would make the average more like 285 days. So maybe thay have switched from the AA average to the overall average across all breeds. I don't know.:rolleyes:

I always just take the absolute value for the bull when I try and work out my calving dates. These are in under the "Calving Traits" tab, under "Gestation".

CF52 would be 288 days, for example.

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To answer your question 4.47 would be approx 290 maybe 291 days. remember too that the bull is only half the equation. If you have a lot of Limousin breeding in the cows then you will have a double effect. You're getting long gestation from both the bull and the cow.

The BB's are great for short gestation. The AI bull Ross Alo (AZL) has a gestation of 285 days.

flatout11

never really thought about this but is the base across breed or within breed... id assume its within breed

pakalasa

No, It's definitely across breeds.
Look at Lim bulls with 5 stars for gestation and they will have a plus days value. If it was within the breed the figure should be minus days.
NIN for example;