Balance is a term that is often used flippantly. Everyone likes to talk about it – but very few can tell us what balance means to them. When evaluating livestock, balance means several things to me. Allow me to expound.
- Physiological Balance — where all the body parts fit together appropriately and in the right proportions.
- Endocrinological Balance — where all the glands are functioning efficiently and releasing hormones at optimum levels. This will be reflected in the animal’s phenotype.
- Balance between Muscle (the product we produce) and Fat (the energy it takes to produce that product) — Testosterone makes muscle, so in bulls we need a greater muscle-to-fat balance. Estrogen makes fat, so in females we need a greater fat-to-muscle balance.
- Hormonal Balance — where bulls are masculine with plenty of punch, thump, and grunt. Ruggedness and power indicate good testosterone flow. In females we need the opposite. Ladylike females with more refinement. Faces like princesses and butts like cooks.
- Data Balance — if you’re using data, avoid negative outliers. Select FOR fertility (fat and scrotal circumference) and AGAINST high birth weight, low weaning weight, low yearling weight, low milk, low muscle, large mature cow size, etc. Selecting FOR high weaning weight, high milk, high yearling weight, high muscle, etc. will lead to a cowherd with high energy requirements – which is antagonistic to fertility.
In other words, a cow or bull with BALANCE is just a really good OPTIMUM cow or bull. Not too much of anything but enough of everything. The challenge is to get breeders, marketers, breed associations, and animal scientists to embrace optimum over maximum.
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