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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 #141241

Title: BIRTH AND WEANING TRAITS OF TOPCROSS PROGENY OF HEREFORD, ANGUS, BRANGUS, BEEFMASTER, BONSMARA, AND ROMOSINUANO SIRES

Author
item Cundiff, Larry

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2003
Publication Date: 7/1/2003
Citation: Cundiff, L.V. 2003. Birth and weaning traits of topcross progeny of Hereford, Angus, Brangus, Beefmaster, Bonsmara, and Romosinuano sires [abstract]. Journal of Animal Science Supplement 81(2)38.

Interpretive Summary: No interpretive summary is required.

Technical Abstract: The objective of this experiment was to characterize breeds representing diverse sources of germplasm for preweaning traits that are important in beef production. Data were obtained on 1,270 calves born in the spring of 2001 and 2002 and 1,231 calves weaned resulting from artificial insemination matings of Hereford (H, 22 sires), Angus (A, 22), Brangus (Bg, 21), Beefmaster (Bf, 22), Bonsmara (Bo, 19), and Romosinuano (Ro, 20) bulls to Hereford, Angus, and composite MARC III (1/4 each Angus, Hereford, Red Poll, and Pinzgauer) cows. Data on gestation length (GL), unassisted calving percentage (CE), survival to weaning (SW), birth weight (BW), and 205-d weaning weight (WW) were analyzed by least squares procedures using a model that included random effects for sire in sire breed and fixed effects for sire breed, dam breed, sex of calf, age of dam (4,5,..10 yr), birth year, sire breed x dam breed, and any other two factor interactions that were significant (P<.05) for each trait. Effects of sire breed were significant (P<.01) for GL, BW, and WW, but not for CE or SW. The means for H, A, Bg, Bf, Bo, and Ro sired progeny were 283.7, 281.6, 284.9, 286.6, 286.7, and 288.9, respectively for GL with a mean least significant difference (LSD<.05) of 1.6 d. Corresponding sire breed means were 94.4, 97.2, 96.9, 95.6, 97.7, and 99.2% for CE (LSD<.05 = 3.4%); 41.3, 39.5, 41.1, 43.3, 41.0, and 38.4 kg for BW (LSD<.05 =1.3 kg); 96.9, 98.1, 96.8, 96.4, 94.7, and 98.6% for SW (LSD<.05 = 3.3%); and 242.4, 245.6, 248.9, 254.0, 242.0, and 230.1 kg for WW (LSD<.05 = 4.9 kg). H and A, which have evolved in temperate climates, had significantly shorter GL than Bf, Bo, and Ro, which are considered more tropically adapted. Ro and A had significantly lighter BW than Bo, Bg and H which were in turn lighter than Bf. WW were significantly heavier for Bf than all other breeds. Bg had significantly heavier WW than H and Bo. WW of Ro were significantly lighter than all other breeds.