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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Genetics and Animal Breeding » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #137357
Title: EFFICIENCY OF FEED UTILIZATION OF DIVERSE BIOLOGICAL TYPES OF CATTLE

Author
item Jenkins, Thomas
item Ferrell, Calvin

Submitted to: World Congress of Genetics Applied in Livestock Production
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/13/2002
Publication Date: 8/23/2002
Citation: JENKINS, T.G., FERRELL, C.L. EFFICIENCY OF FEED UTILIZATION OF DIVERSE BIOLOGICAL TYPES OF CATTLE. WORLD CONGRESS OF GENETICS APPLIED IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION. 2002. CD-ROM COMMUNICATION N° 10-23.

Interpretive Summary: Cattle production occurs in all geographical locations within the United States including climates that can be characterized as subtropical. Typically cow calf production systems involve Bos indicus or Bos indicus crossbred cows to offset environmental constraints frequently encountered in this type of production environment. Previous research has indicated some meat palatability problems exist when products come from higher percentage Bos indicus. Tropically adapted Bos taurus meat palatability attributes are more similar to traditional Bos taurus breeds and may provide an alternative breed resource for the cowherd. Production characteristics of mature tropically adapted and non-adapted Bos taurus F1 cows were compared to F1 Bos indicus and each other from time of calving through weaning. Progeny of Bos indicus crossbred cows were lighter at birth but heavier at weaning than progeny from Bos taurus cows. Tropically adapted Bos taurus cows were more efficient in converting feed resources to calf weight at weaning than non-adapted Bos taurus cows. Tropically adapted Bos taurus appear to be a viable breed resource for cow calf producers.

Technical Abstract: Production data were collected on mature F1 cows, produced by mating Angus and Hereford (pooled AH) non-tropically adapted Bos taurus, Brahman (Bh) and Boran (Br); i.e., tropically adapted Bos indicus, and Tuli (Tu); i.e., tropically adapted Bos taurus, bulls by AI or natural service to Angus and Hereford cows. Mean peak daily (kg/d) and total lactation (kg, 210 d) for Bh (10.3+0.36, 1810+68) was greater (P<0.05) than Tu (9.0+0.31, 1531+59) but neither differed (P>0.10) from AH (10.0+0.31, 1676+58) or Br (9.9+0.31, 1723+58). Preweaning calf gain (gm/d) and weaning weight (kg) of Bh (830+29, 212+5.9) and Br (773+25, 202+5.1) were similar (P>0.10) and both differed (P<0.05) from AH (574+26, 167+5.2) and Tu (649+25, 177+5.1) which were similar (P>0.10). Efficiency (DG/Mcal daily ME of cow) for Bh (29+1.0) and Br (27+0.8) exceeded (P<0.05) Tu (23+0.8) which were larger (P<0.05) than AH (20+0.8). Results suggest crossbred cows produced from matings with a tropically adapted Bos taurus breed are a potential alternative to crossbred cow produced using Bos indicus breeds.