Breeds of Beef Cattle Pig Breeds
- Showtime with the Basics
- General Trends
New cattle producers frequently inquire, "Which breed should I choose?" This question brings cold chills to many knowledgeable cattle producers and excitement to only as many enthusiastic breeders. The diversity of resource and management capabilities of any performance makes this question hard to answer. This publication provides accurate, unbiased information to guide the decision-making process. After reading this publication, you should understand why the just correct respond is, "It depends!"
The 2 fundamental categories of beef cattle operations are purebred and commercial. The purebred functioning requires more than time, record keeping and initial input. The commercial operation is mostly a lower-input, lower-risk type of venture. When choosing a breed for either a commercial or purebred operation, base your conclusion on profitability. Table one illustrates that while product can be increased by option for growth, the increased production from crossbreeding is more rapid and cost-constructive.
Unfortunately, i of the more influential factors on breed choice is coat colour. How many times take y'all heard someone say, "I similar 'em because they're black"? Coat color, whether it is ruby, black, white, xanthous, greyness or mixed, has picayune to do with performance, but it does touch on how people perceive cattle. A herd of purebred cattle will generally be more compatible in coat colour than a herd of crossbred cows. There are breeds that will produce all of the colors mentioned above and more than. Equally a producer, yous must be satisfied with the colour and its uniformity or lack of uniformity. Productivity will suffer, however, if coat colour is a primary selection trait. If your breed selection is more than dependent on product and return on investment, brand coat choice low on the listing of criteria.
Traits used in the last selection process should non be affected past the type of operation (commercial or purebred). The one unique aspect of the purebred manufacture is the high-profile advertising and educational programs, such as field days. The purebred cattle market often provides a higher return per cow unit, but at the expense of higher maintenance costs, college convenance costs, more management inputs and greater risks.
| Table 1. Comparison of Production and Profitability between Crossbred Cows, Selected and Unselected Purebred Hereford Cows | |||
| Crossbred | Unselected | Selected* | |
| Pregnancy Charge per unit | 83% | 86% | 79% |
| Avg. Moo-cow Weight | 1,234 lbs | 953 lbs | 1,168 lbs |
| Adj. Weaning Wt. | 612 lbs | 402 lbs | 494 lbs |
| Calf Crop Weaned per Cow Wintered | 87% | 84% | 73% |
| Weaning Wt. per Cow Wintered | 530 lbs | 338 lbs | 358 lbs |
| Render over Feed Cost | $21.67 | -$ix.72 | -$32.42 |
| Adapted from Ritchie, 1986, MSU Research Report FS-473. * Pick was for increased growth charge per unit. | |||
Start with the Basics
The factors that influence returns to a commercial functioning are calf crop percentage, weaning weight, market price and annual moo-cow costs. The post-obit formula outlines how these factors must rest in order to optimize profitability.
| Annual Price per Cow | |||
| Land Feed (grain and mineral) Herd Health | Fertilizer | ||
| Must Equal | |||
| Weaning Weight Growth Charge per unit | X Dogie Crop Pct X Selection | Marketplace Price Season | |
The factors that influence weaning or market weight and calf crop pct are well-nigh afflicted past breed selection.
The weaning or market weight of the calves is affected by genetics, milk production of the brood cow, availability of pasture and / or creep feed, and environmental conditions such as temperature, etc. Work toward calving 30 to 60 days prior to the best forage flavor in your area. Moo-cow milk production declines after iii months; therefore, supplement the nutrient requirements of the growing calf past making high-quality forage available. If your forage organisation lacks high-quality forages, the selection of a fast-growing, heavy-milking breed would be detrimental to optimum productivity.
Researchers evaluated breed types using varying percentages of European x British and beef x dairy crossbred cows. When maintained in similar environments, the larger-framed, higher-milking cows had poor reproductive performance. Thus, when genetic potential for milk is loftier a cow?due south re-convenance percentage will be reduced. The growth potential of the calves will simply be met when adequate milk production is bachelor. When milk supply is abundant and forage quantity and quality are marginal, the result is a reduced calf crop percent due to low cyclicity and pregnancy rates; therefore, make sure to lucifer your forage production system to the genetic potential of your brood cow herd.
With this "optimum philosophy" in mind, we can look at general trends in milk production, growth and reproduction of several breeds in the Us.
In the early 1970s, a research projection was started at the Meat Animate being Research Middle (MARC) in Dirt Center, Nebraska. The project was designed to evaluate the "recently" imported breeds from Europe and provides the most consummate, comprehensive data available. All breeds were non compared, so some information is not available. Breeds may perform differently in Georgia. The projection does provide a valid comparison of the cattle in 1 common surroundings.
Table 2 outlines how the breeds compare to the Angus x Hereford crossbred (used as a standard). The values in the table are listed in ratios. A ratio of 105 indicates a value of v percentage higher up the standard of 100; a ratio of 95 indicates a value 5 pct below the standard. The actual per centum is in parenthesis for the percent of cows pregnant after the outset breeding season and percent calf crop weaned. Calving difficulty was reported in bodily percent.
Since there are more 70 recognized cattle breeds, it is incommunicable to compare them all at one time. The breeds are generally grouped into iii types: British, European and Zebu-influence. The Zebu-influence breeds were developed in the Gulf Coast region of the United States.
| Table 2. Comparing of Production Traits of Several Breeds | |||||||||
| Calves | Heifers | Cows | |||||||
| Percentage Calving Difficulty | Growth Charge per unit to Weaning | Growth Rate to Yearling | Age at Puberty | % Preg. after commencement breeding flavour Ratio (%) | % Calf ingather weaned Ratio (%) | % Calving Difficulty | 12 hr. milk production | Weaning wt. per cow exposed | |
| Angus x Hereford | 3 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 (87) | 100 (84) | xiii | 100 | 100 |
| Red Poll | 4 | 98 | 96 | 106 | 98 (85) | 95 (79) | 14 | 123 | 99 |
| South Devon | 12 | 102 | 103 | 102 | 91 (79) | 102 (85) | 15 | 107 | 105 |
| Tarentaise | half-dozen | 103 | 103 | 102 | 111 (96) | 102 (85) | 10 | 130 | 112 |
| Pinzaguer | 6 | 104 | 103 | 106 | 114 (99) | 102 (85) | thirteen | 132 | 108 |
| Gelbvieh | 8 | 107 | 105 | 109 | 107 (93) | 104 (87) | 11 | 137 | 116 |
| Simmental | xv | 105 | 106 | 100 | 93 (lxxx) | 99 (83) | 17 | 137 | 108 |
| Maine Anjou | 20 | 105 | 108 | 100 | 109 (94) | 103 (86) | 11 | 105 | 112 |
| Limousin | 9 | 101 | 102 | 92 | 88 (76) | 98 (82) | 12 | 91 | 100 |
| Charolais | 18 | 107 | 106 | 92 | 86 (75) | 96 (80) | 15 | 91 | 101 |
| Chianina | 12 | 106 | 105 | 92 | 99 (86) | 103 (86) | viii | 100 | 113 |
| Brahman | x | 107 | 103 | 80 | 113 (98) | 103 (98) | 1 | 150 | 116 |
| Adjusted from USDA MARC Beef Research Progress Reports, No. one (1982) and No. 2 (1985) | |||||||||
The American Brahman is composed of three Zebu breeds, while others such as Brangus, Santa Gertrudis, etc. , are composites of the American Brahman and either British or European breeds. The derivative breeds are normally 3/viii Zebu and five/8 British or European. Some of the breeds within the three categories may be atypical and may not possess all the advantages or disadvantages.
The MARC project was designed to evaluate every bit many of the more prominent breeds equally possible. There was also an attempt to compare bulls that were representative of the breed. Information technology is possible to select a bull of one of the breeds that would be an exception to the averages. This bull could perform either better or worse than the bulls used in the MARC project. The MARC study, all the same, did provide useful data nearly relative differences amongst many of the European and Brahman cattle. In selecting a beef breed, apply the MARC information to select breeds that have higher genetic potential for meat and milk. The specific search for a bull would exist for one of the breed exceptions in a weak area. For example, the faster growing cattle are generally larger at birth and calving difficulty is higher. If your program needs more than growth, select a bull from one of the growth breeds that has a light birth weight and low birth weight EPD.
When selecting a breed or individuals inside a breed, be aware too of a phenomenon called "genetic-environmental interaction. " The term but ways that cattle developed under certain conditions volition perform best under those aforementioned or similar conditions. Florida researchers did a classic projection to illustrate this effect. Hereford cattle from a similar genetic base were relocated from Montana to Florida and vice versa. One-one-half of the herds were kept at the original location. Based on the reproductive and growth data, the cattle performed best in the "home" location. Co-ordinate to this evidence, base of operations the selection of a breed on the level of performance in your environment. The breeds that excelled in the MARC comparing may not fit your program exactly.
Cattle generally perform at a higher level in northern climates. Heat and humidity are detrimental to most product traits. In a more than recent Florida study, Florida bulls gained almost a pound more than per day in Montana than their counterparts in Florida. Nevertheless, the Florida bulls out-performed the Montana bulls in Florida and the Montana bulls performed better than the Florida bulls in Montana. Cattle developed in northern climates with free choice corn silage during the wintertime months volition do poorly when brought to the boiling S and turned out on stockpiled fescue and trace-mineral table salt for the wintertime. If your program has been designed to provide limited wintertime feeding, the calving season should be in the leap and the breed should be moderate in both growth and milk product. If you decide to select a fast-growing, heavy-milking breed, provide the necessary feed requirements to reach optimum performance.
| Breed Types | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| British | ||
| Angus Hereford Shorthorn | Low birth weight High fertility Moderate milk product Moderate frame size | Lower growth rate |
| European | ||
| Charolais Gelbvieh Maine-Anjou Pinzaguer Simmental Southward Devon Tarentaise Others | Loftier growth rate Larger frame size High milk production | Increased dystocia Increased maintenance |
| Zebu | ||
| American Brahman British Derivatives European Derivatives | Adaptability to adapt to agin environments Moderate to high milk production Maximum heterosis in crossbreeding | Lower growth charge per unit Poor carcass quality |
General Trends
The post-obit generalities hold true inside and beyond breeds:
- Faster growth rates = larger nativity weights
Larger birth weights = increased potential for calving difficulty
More milk product and big frame size = higher feed requirements for equal reproductive operation
Whether your choice is purebred or commercial, or red, black, white or spotted, go along product and profitability high on your priority list. Select a breed or breeds that your operation can manage and you tin experience confident about marketing.
Other breeds fit certain specialty markets. If y'all are leaning toward a specialty breed that is selected for some trait other than beefiness production, you must accept the risk of a limited market for the run a risk at the college prices sometimes received for the product. You may make up one's mind to select a breed that is amply available, so replenishing the herd is easier. On the other hand, you may select a breed that is relatively unavailable in your area in order to offering a unique culling for other breeders. For commercial production, it is important to recognize that the premium is paid for uniformity. In this example, being dramatically different tin hateful more difficult marketing.
Previous revisions past Dan T. Brown, Extension Fauna Scientist
Status and Revision History
Published on Feb nineteen, 2003
In Review for Major Revisions on Jan 26, 2009
In Review for Major Revisions on Feb 03, 2009
Published with Major Revisions on Oct eighteen, 2010
Published with Full Review on Oct 01, 2013
Published with Full Review on Aug 09, 2016
Source: https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C859&title=Selecting+a+Beef+Breed
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