What are Economic Values ?
The economic value for each individual genetic trait is intended to represent the expected change in producer profit for a unit change in the trait. In general, the method of calculating economic value is to estimate the marginal costs that are saved by superior performance. There are a range of estimates of economic values of traits and they are likely to vary across regions, markets and production systems. The economic value of various genetic traits will also vary from farm to farm. Muscle quality traits have only recently been considered in U.S. genetic selection criteria (Genetic Evaluation: Terminal Line Program Results). Economic values for days to 250 pounds (D250), loin muscle area (LMA), pH, intramuscular fat (IMF), INSTRON (TEND), and drip loss (DRIP) are presented by Goodwin and Lawrence. Melton and Huffman also present economic values for pH, percent lipid, and Instron score. Goodwin and Lawrence present estimates of the economic value of the halothane gene. The results of
