Breeding costs?

[grassfarmer]

You'll have to explain this to me Gary I'm not
following:
"The best crosses for maintaining hybrid vigor yet
control over the seedstock are phenotypically similar
yet genetically diverse and those are hard to find
within purebred programs."

I assume you mean as an example that you would
want to start with a Hereford and an Angus that are
phenotypically similar? Surely they would
automatically be genetically diverse by the fact they
are two unrelated breeds? I also don't understand
what the "control over the seed stock" you speak of
is?

[GaryE]

One of my concerns about buying off the shelf bulls is that you often find bith wt, udder, fertiltiy and feet problems in the nest generation. Many purebred operations using EPD's are only looking for single trait selection

[forage]

Gary E what is off the shelf