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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #347088
Title: Weight gain and behavior of Raramuri Criollo versus Corriente steers developed on Chihuahuan Desert rangeland

Author
item MCINTOSH, M - New Mexico State University
item CIBILS, A - New Mexico State University
item Estell, Richard - Rick
item SOTO-NAVARRO, S - New Mexico State University
item Gonzalez, Alfredo
item NYAMURYEKUNG'E, S - New Mexico State University
item Spiegal, Sheri

Submitted to: Society for Range Management Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/23/2017
Publication Date: 1/28/2018
Citation: Mcintosh, M.M., Cibils, A.F., Estell, R.E., Soto-Navarro, S.A., Gonzalez, A.L., Nyamuryekung'E, S., Spiegal, S.A. 2018. Weight gain and behavior of Raramuri Criollo versus Corriente steers developed on Chihuahuan Desert rangeland [abstract]. 2018 Conference of The Society for Range Management. January 28-February 2, 2018. Sparks, Nevada.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Ranchers that raise Criollo cattle must overcome the challenge of lack of markets for weaned calves. Raramuri Criollo (RC) steers are commonly raised for beef and finished on rangelands, while Corriente (CR) are often raised for rodeo sports. No data exist on weight gains and grazing behavior of rangeland-raised steers of either biotype. We conducted a study in the Chihuahuan Desert with two cohorts of RC and CR. Twenty-two 17-month (cohort 1) steers (10 RC, RC1; 12 CR, CR1) were weighed every 60 d between December 2015 and January 2017 and eighteen 8-month (cohort 2) steers (7 RC, RC2 and 11 CR, CR2) were weighed every 60 d between December 2015 and August 2017 to determine individual body weight (WT), average daily gain (ADG), and body condition score (BCS). 9 cohort 1 steers and 9 cohort 2 steers were monitored with Lotek 3300LR GPS collars that recorded location at 5 min intervals during December 2015 and December 2016, respectively, to compare landscape utilization patterns of 5 RC and 4 CR individuals. The influence of biotype on WT, ADG, BCS and behavior variables was analyzed using repeated measures mixed ANOVA that treated steers as the experimental unit. Separate analyses were conducted per age cohort. No differences in WT, ADG, or BCS between RC and CR in either cohort were detected throughout. RC1, CR1, RC2, and CR2 gained on average 0.2036, 0.1420, 0.1881, and 0.2419 kg/head/d, respectively. Daily distance traveled by RC1 and CR1 did not differ, but CR2 walked farther during day and night than RC2 (P <0.01). CR1 followed more sinuous trajectories than RC1 counterparts from dusk to midnight (P<0.01). CR2 followed more sinuous movement trajectories than RC2 at night (P<0.01). Further research is needed to determine the benefits of developing RC vs CR steers on desert rangeland.