SYSTEMATIC SELECTION

All bulls EPD'S are 1998 data untill I have time to change them

Systematic selection is simply putting perimeters on breeding functions. The first function is calving ease. The breeding process is built around EPDs for birth weight and actual birth weights. The second function is mothering ability. We are interested in pure milk EPDs that are breed average or above. The third function is growth. We do not limit growth as long as the first two functions are maintained. Then these cattle are separated into two different groups, System 1's and System 2's, and are mated to improve the predictability of these desirable traits.

System One - Calving Ease

Birth EPds of -4.0 to +1.0
Actual Birth Wts. of 65 to 80 lbs.
Milk EPDs of +0 to +20 lbs.

Our System 1 cattle are primarily developed to create, for the commercial cattleman, a source of genuine calving ease cattle. We have always believed in the principal of "likes begets like" and have based our breeding philosophy with this in mind. The bulls we have used are stacked three and four generations deep in low birth weight EPDs. These bulls are then bred to cows with similar genetic make-up and productions history's of low actual birth weights.

We feel very confident that we have developed a superior calving product, not just from our own experience, but from the reports of the many cattlemen who are presently using our products.

Today with the concern of excessive cow size that is developing the in the industry, we see an expanded role for the S-1 cattle. System One bulls can not only be used for calving ease, but also as a way to maintain a more reasonable mature cow size. It is our recommendation that commercial operators use S-1 bulls on yearling heifers and two-year-olds, then retain these females as replacements.

Listed below are the sires we are currently using in our Systerm 1 Program.

Gardens Prime Time
+.0 +28 +21 +77
N Bar Emulation 5522
-1.0 +33 +8 +59
Gardens Transition 7205
+.8 +27 +13 +57
Gardens Transition 480
-2.2 +31 +12 +52
Gardens EXT 4296
-.3 +40 +15 +74

System Two - Combination

Birth EPDs of +0 to +4.0
Actual birth wts. of 80 to 96 lbs.
Milk EPDs of 0 to +20 lbs.

Our System 2, or combination cattle, are designed around moderate birth weight EPDs with added growth. Again, breeding like to like, we have bred cattle with similar genetic make-ups to improve the predictability of these desirable traits. The actual birth weights on System two cattle range between 75 and 95 pounds, with yearling EPDs of +40 to +80 pounds.

This is a very versatile group of cattle. Those with the lower birth weight EPDs and lower actual birth weights can be used on heifers as well as cows.  Eliminating the need for maintaining a bull for heifers and a bull for cows, wich can make a difference for those who run smaller cow herds.

System two cattle also give you the opportunity to add more growth to your cow herd without adding excessive birth weight. We do expect these cattle to have a somewhat larger mature size and consequently more maintenance and management requirements than do our System one cattle.

Listed below are the sires we are currently using in our Systerm 2 Program.

N Bar Emulation EXT
+2.1 +45 +18 +83
Gardens EXT 4137
+1.5 +45 +18 +80
N Bar Emulation EXT V722
+1.2 +47 +18 +75
Gardens Extender
+2.6 +35 +14 +57
FAF Plainsman 509
+2.7 +26 +18 +54

The Carcass Connection

If we look at growth EPDs as how quick we produce our product - then we must look at carcass EPDs as the kind of product we produce.

Our goal at Green Garden is to produce the seedstock that will improve the compostion of your final product. The ability to grade choice or better and hang up a well muscled carcass is important to us all.

We all know people who are eating less beef because of the inconsistency of the product available in the grocery store. The 1991 National Beef Quality Audit states that 83% of our beef production falls into the low choice and select grades. Of that, 15% of low choice and 25% of USDA Select does not eat as expected. We need to ask ourselves if we would buy any product on a regular basis that did not perform as expected 40% of the time. This is why our main focus, for the past ten years, has been on improving the quality (marbling EPD) of the seedstock we produce.

The cattle that are highlighted in grey boxes throughout the catalog are either positive marbling EPD cattle or are sired by positive marbling EPD bulls. We know that by using EPDs we can improve the composition of our final product.

Listed below are the sires we are currently using in our carcass program.

GT Expo
CW +12 MB. +.11 RE +.12
Summitcrest Perfection
CW +23 MB. +.72 RE +.59
Summitcrest Scotch Cap OB45
CW +18 MB. +.64 RE +.22
PAA Merit
CW +1 MB. +.42 RE +.14
Gardens Prime Time
CW +3 MB. +.39 RE -.03
Gardens Transition
CW +18 MB. +.34 RE -.27