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Title: REPRODUCTIVE AND MATERNAL PERFORMANCE OF F1 BRAHMAN-, SENEPOL-, AND TULI-ANGUS COWS BRED TO CHAROLAIS BULLS AS 3- TO 8-YR OLDS

Author
item Riley, David
item Chase, Chadwick - Chad
item OLSON, T. - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
item Hammond, Andrew
item Coleman, Samuel

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/21/2002
Publication Date: 1/21/2003
Citation: Riley, D.G., Chase, C.C., Olson, T.A., Hammond, A.C., Coleman, S.W. 2003. Reproductive and maternal performance of f1 brahman-, senepol-, and tuli-angus cows bred to charolais bulls as 3- to 8-yr olds [abstract]. Journal of Animal Science.81(2):4

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Reproductive and maternal performance of 3- to 8-yr-old crossbred cows (n = 126) sired by Brahman (B), Senepol (S), and Tuli (T) bulls and out of Angus cows were compared. Cows were born in 1993 and 1994; they were exposed to Angus bulls for their first calves. After their first calves were born, they were exposed to Charolais bulls to calve in the spring of each year (1996 to 2001; n = 640). Model effects included (when significant) year, cow age, calf age at weaning, and breed. Random effects were sire of cow within breed and cow within both sire and breed. Birth weight of calves from S crossbreds (38.4 kg) was heavier (P < 0.05) than that of calves from B and T crossbreds, 34.9 and 35.9 kg, respectively (SE = 0.9 kg). Weaning weight, hip height, and body condition score of calves born to B crossbreds (268.9 ± 4.0 kg, 114.7 ± 0.6 cm, and 6.3 ± 0.04) were greater (P < 0.05) than that of calves born to S (245.0 ± 4.2 kg, 111.6 ± 0.7 cm, 6.1 ± 0.04) and T (233.4 ± 4.0 kg, 110.4 ± 0.7 cm, and 6.2 ± 0.04) crossbred cows. Brahman crossbreds had a higher (P < 0.01) percentage of unassisted births (98.7 ± 2.3%) than did T crossbreds (91.7 ± 2.2%). Senepol crossbreds had lower (P < 0.05) calf crop born and weaned (76.9 ± 3.3%, 70.2 ± 3.8%) than B (89.0 ± 3.0%, 86.1 ± 3.7%) and T (94.7 ± 3.0%, 86.5 ± 3.5%) crossbred cows. Calf survival to weaning was 96.2 ± 2.1%, 91.2 ± 2.4%, and 91.1 ± 1.8% for B, S, and T crossbreds, respectively. A significant breed × year interaction for calf crop born and weaned was evidenced by lower (P < 0.001) calf crop born and weaned means for S crossbreds in 1998, 1999, and 2001, and lower (P < 0.001) calf crop born and weaned for B crossbred cows in 1999. Weaning weight per cow exposed for B, S, and T crossbreds was 223.0 ± 8.5, 162.8 ± 9.2, and 197.1 ± 7.7 kg; all means differed (P < 0.05). Performance of T, but not S, crossbred cows was similar to B crossbreds except for lower calf survival rate and weaning weight.