Virginia Premium Assured Heifer Requirements Revised for 2001 - 2002

Livestock Update, August 2001

John Hall, Extension Animal Scientist, Beef, VA Tech

Some refinements to the Virginia Premium Assured Heifer requirements were by the VPA Heifer Committee late this spring. These changes will apply to VPA Heifers starting September 1, 2001. Producers of VPA Heifers need not be overly concerned, as the changes are minor. Here is an overview of the changes:

• Muscling score now described as US feeder calf muscle score of 2.5 to 1.
• All heifers bred and open must pass pelvic area requirements (this change actually began last April).
• TB tests are strongly encouraged to expand out-of-state marketing opportunities.
• All open heifers will be guaranteed not to have received any growth implants.
• Sire EPD minimums have been updated with EPD's for sires born in 1999 and 2000.

Complete requirements follow.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Age --
Bred Heifers
Stated birth date with projected age at calving being:
22 to 26 months of age (Spring calving heifers)
22-30 months of age (Fall calving heifers).
Open Heifers
Stated birth date with age at sale between 11 and 17 months of age.

Frame size - All heifers must be frame score 4.5-6.5.

Structure - All heifers must be deemed structurally correct by the local VA Premium Assured Heifer Committee which includes the local Animal Science Extension Agent.

Muscling - All heifers must possess adequate muscling without being extreme. USDA muscling score 2-50 to 1.0 (upper half of 2 muscling and better).

Body condition score - All heifers must be BCS 5 to 7 (1=emaciated; 9=obese).

GENETIC REQUIREMENTS
Breeds - Any breed or breed combinations are eligible, but breeds must be specified.

Service sires - Bred Heifers

• Service sire must be identified.
• Minimum EPD requirements (based on birth year of bull).
• All service sires must be in the best 40% for birth weight (BW) Table 1 and breed average for WW and YW Table 2. No requirement for milk EPD, but milk EPD must be listed.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
Vaccinations

• Calfhood brucellosis vaccination.
• IBR-PI3, BVD, BRSV.
• 7-way clostridial.
• 5-way leptospirosis (2 doses for bred heifers).

Parasite controls

• Fall sales - Endecticide within 60 days and before November 1.
• Spring sales - Endecticide within 30 days and after February 1.
• Endecticides are products that control both internal and external parasites.

Defects

• Heifers with bad eyes, horns, rat-tails, bob tails or frozen ears will not be accepted.
• Any lame animals will not be accepted.

Tests

• Negative Anaplasmosis test within 60 days of sale.
• No Brucellosis tests required as heifers are calfhood vaccinated for Brucellosis.
• TB tests will be required for animals to be sold out of state.

REPRODUCTIVE REQUIREMENTS
Open Heifers - All open heifers must have a reproductive exam by an approved professional. Heifers may not have received any growth implants.

Pelvic area - All heifers must have a yearling pelvic area of 150 cm2 or greater at prebreeding (presale) examination. Heifers with pelvic areas <150 cm2 may not be sold. Pelvic areas need to be reported but will not be listed in the sale catalogue.

Reproductive tract score - All open heifers for sale that are 12 months old or older must have a RTS of 3 or better. (Colorado Sate reproductive tract scoring system).

Open guarantee - All heifers will be guaranteed open on sale day (except heifers sold as exposed). If a heifer sold as open is proven pregnant by a veterinarian within 30 days of the sale, the consignor will replace the heifer or refund the sale price of the heifer and take possession of the heifer.

Bred Heifers
Conceived within restricted time period - All heifers must have conceived within the first 50 days following initial artificial inseminations and/or natural mating.

Pelvic area - All heifers must have a yearling pelvic area of 150 cm2 or greater at prebreeding examination or a pelvic area of 180 cm2 or greater at pregnancy examination. Heifers not meeting this requirement may not be sold as VA PAH. Pelvic areas need to be reported but will not be listed in the sale catalogue.

Pregnant guarantee - All heifers will be guaranteed pregnant on sale day. If a heifer sold as pregnant is proven open by a veterinarian within 30 days of the sale, the consignor will replace the heifer or refund the sale price of the heifer and take possession of the heifer.

Table 1. Service Sire - Minimum EPD's for 2001 - 2002 VAPAH

Birth Weight must be < listed EPD

Bulls for Commercial Heifers

Breed	Angus	Charolais	Gelbvieh	Hereford	Red Angus	Simmental
BW EPD	+ 2.3	- 9.7	- 5.5	- 2.3	- 1.4	- 5.5

Bulls for Purebred Heifers (bred to bulls of their breed)

Breed	Angus	Charolais	Gelbvieh	Hereford	Red Angus	Simmental
BW EPD	+ 2.3	+ 1.5	+ 1.6	+ 3.4	+ 0.1	+ 2.9

Table. 2. Minimum EPD Levels for Premium Assured and Assured Plus Certification

	Yearling Weight EPD Birth Year						Weaning Weight EPD Birth Year						Milk EPD
	1999-'00	1998	1997	1996	1995	1994	1999-'00	1998	1997	1996	1995	1994	All Years
Angus	56	57	56	51	44	42	30	31	31	29	27	25	12
Charolais	15	15	15	-2	-2	-3	8	8	8	-1	-2	-2	4(-1)
Gelbvieh	54	56	53	5	5	3	32	31	30	2	2	1	17(1)
Hereford	56	55	52	50	46	44	33	32	31	29	27	23	7
Limousin	19	20	17	17	12	10	11	11	9	9	6	5	1
Red Angus	42	44	43	37	38	35	26	26	25	23	24	22	9
Salers	19	18	17	17	15	15	12	11	10	10	9	9	6
Shorthorn	18	18	23	25	20	20	12	12	15	16	12	13	1
Simmental	48	54	47	42	8	7	28	33	32	27	4	4	7(-1)
Tarentaise	7	7	7	22	20	19	1	1	1	12	11	10	0
Charolais - Milk EPD number in ( ) is for bulls born before 1998.
Gelbvieh - Milk EPD number in ( ) is for bulls born before 1997.
Simmental - Milk EPD number in ( ) is for bulls born before 1996.

Premium Assured Plus Level
In addition to above requirements

Sire of heifer

• Sire of heifer must be identified.
• Minimum EPD requirements (based on birth year of bull).
• British X British or straightbred British heifers. Sire must be in the top 50% for WW and YW and top 70% for Milk.
• Continental, Continental X Continental or Continental X British heifers - Sire must be in the top 70% of the breed for WW, YW and Milk.

Maternal grandsire of heifer

• Identification of maternal grandsire is optional but encouraged.
• Minimum EPD standards for maternal grandsires may be established in 2002.

For additional information on the VAPAH program, contact Dr. John Hall at 540-231-9153.

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