Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) are a method of predicting of an animal’s performance, based on measurements taken from itself and its relatives.

EBVs are calculated by comparing the performance of an individual animal, to the average of other animals in its contemporary group. A contemporary group consists of animals of the same sex and age class, run under the same management conditions and treated equally. Indirect comparisons are made between animals reared in different herds, through the use of pedigree links between the herds.

EBVs are expressed in the units of measurement for each particular trait. They are shown as +ive or -ive differences from the breed base.

The absolute value of any EBV is not critical, but rather the differences in EBVs between animals. Particular animals should be viewed as being “above breed average” for a particular trait only if their EBVs are better than the average EBVs of all animals born in their year drop. A useful “benchmark” is the average EBVs for calves born in their year drop.

EBVs are published for a range of traits covering fertility, calving ease, maternal performance, growth and carcase merit.