Lance Kauf of Concord Township says it doesn't take massive amounts of money to have a successful cattle operation. He will give advice on how to do so Sept. 19 at a Penn State Livestock Team educational program.

CONCORD TWP — Cattle breeding today is a numbers game and Angus herd owner Lance Kauf is hoping he can help his peers with the math.

The Penn State Livestock Team will host an educational program from 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 19 at Kauf's Ebony Farm. Called “Understanding EPDs and Handling Facilities,” the event will provide an overview of both topics and their effect on successful beef operations.

Dustin Heeter, Livestock Extension Team member with the Penn State Extension and event organizer, said the event is to provide an overview of EPD, or expected progeny difference.

“It's basically a numeric tool to predict the performance of cattle for different traits,” said Heeter.

For example, Heeter said, in charting the weight of its calves when weaned Bull A might have an EPD of 50 and bull B an EPD of 75 meaning bull B's calves on average weighed 25 pounds more when weaned than Bull A's.

Keeping records and charting animals' EPDs allows producers “to select for birth weights or carcass traits such as marbling, which enhance consumer's eating experience,” said Heeter.

“It allows you to select animals that will enhance your program,” said Heeter.

Kauf said, “There are a series of EPD values — weaning weight, yearling weight. We keep everything: weight, ultrasounds, milk and growth rates — for just about every trait you can imagine.”

“You have this data to use when selecting animals, as well as the usual visual conformation,” said Kauf.

“This program will showcase some of the things I'm doing. You don't have to have a big operation with millions of bucks to do it right.”

“We're a small, low-input cattle operation, yet we've been very successful between the EPDs and the visual evaluation of an animal,” Kauf said.

He and his wife, Sheila, have a small registered Angus cattle herd of 15 to 20 cows and one bull. They annually participate in the Pennsylvania Performance Test Station at Pennsylvania Furnace with their bulls consistently finishing in the top 20 percent in test performance and with the top indexing bull of all breeds one year.

Kauf's 56-acre farm is part of property that has been in the family since 1950. In 2006, the couple and their herd moved to Concord Township from Virginia.

“Lance has been active in state organizations for a number of years,” said Heeter. “He is a retired Extension agent from Virginia and understands the need for continued producer education.”

Kauf, who sits on the Butler County Extension Board, said, “The knowledge of EPD just needs to be vastly improved.”

Heeter expects 30 to 40 cattle producers to attend the program.

Following the EPD program, participants will view Kauf's animal handling system and grazing plan.

“The day is open and we encourage producers from near and far to attend,” said Heeter.

To learn more about the program or to register, contact Heeter at ddh@psu.edu or call 724-837-1402.