Breeds of Cattle Breeds of Beef
- Kickoff with the Basics
- General Trends
New cattle producers oftentimes inquire, "Which breed should I choose?" This question brings cold chills to many knowledgeable cattle producers and excitement to just equally many enthusiastic breeders. The diversity of resources and management capabilities of any operation makes this question difficult to answer. This publication provides authentic, unbiased information to guide the decision-making process. After reading this publication, you lot should sympathise why the only correct reply is, "Information technology depends!"
The two primal categories of beef cattle operations are purebred and commercial. The purebred functioning requires more time, record keeping and initial input. The commercial operation is generally a lower-input, lower-risk blazon of venture. When choosing a brood for either a commercial or purebred functioning, base your determination on profitability. Table one illustrates that while production can be increased by selection for growth, the increased production from crossbreeding is more rapid and price-effective.
Unfortunately, i of the more influential factors on breed selection is coat colour. How many times take you heard someone say, "I like 'em because they're black"? Glaze colour, whether it is red, black, white, xanthous, gray or mixed, has fiddling to do with functioning, but it does touch on how people perceive cattle. A herd of purebred cattle will generally be more than compatible in coat color than a herd of crossbred cows. There are breeds that will produce all of the colors mentioned above and more than. Equally a producer, you lot must be satisfied with the color and its uniformity or lack of uniformity. Productivity volition suffer, however, if coat colour is a master selection trait. If your brood selection is more dependent on production and return on investment, make coat pick low on the listing of criteria.
Traits used in the final selection process should non exist affected by the type of operation (commercial or purebred). The one unique attribute of the purebred industry is the high-profile advertising and educational programs, such as field days. The purebred cattle market frequently provides a higher render per cow unit of measurement, but at the expense of higher maintenance costs, higher breeding costs, more direction inputs and greater risks.
| Tabular array 1. Comparison of Product and Profitability betwixt Crossbred Cows, Selected and Unselected Purebred Hereford Cows | |||
| Crossbred | Unselected | Selected* | |
| Pregnancy Rate | 83% | 86% | 79% |
| Avg. Cow Weight | one,234 lbs | 953 lbs | ane,168 lbs |
| Adj. Weaning Wt. | 612 lbs | 402 lbs | 494 lbs |
| Dogie Ingather Weaned per Cow Wintered | 87% | 84% | 73% |
| Weaning Wt. per Moo-cow Wintered | 530 lbs | 338 lbs | 358 lbs |
| Return over Feed Toll | $21.67 | -$9.72 | -$32.42 |
| Adjusted from Ritchie, 1986, MSU Research Report FS-473. * Selection was for increased growth rate. | |||
Beginning with the Basics
The factors that influence returns to a commercial operation are calf ingather per centum, weaning weight, market price and almanac cow costs. The following formula outlines how these factors must balance in guild to optimize profitability.
| Annual Cost per Cow | |||
| Land Feed (grain and mineral) Herd Health | Fertilizer | ||
| Must Equal | |||
| Weaning Weight Growth Rate | X Calf Crop Percentage X Option | Market Price Season | |
The factors that influence weaning or market weight and calf ingather percentage are most affected past brood selection.
The weaning or market weight of the calves is afflicted by genetics, milk production of the brood cow, availability of pasture and / or creep feed, and environmental conditions such equally temperature, etc. Work toward calving thirty to 60 days prior to the all-time forage flavour in your area. Cow milk production declines after three months; therefore, supplement the nutrient requirements of the growing calf by making high-quality forage bachelor. If your forage organisation lacks high-quality forages, the option 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 high a cow?southward re-convenance percentage will exist reduced. The growth potential of the calves will only be met when adequate milk production is available. When milk supply is abundant and fodder quantity and quality are marginal, the result is a reduced dogie crop percentage due to low cyclicity and pregnancy rates; therefore, make sure to match your fodder production system to the genetic potential of your breed cow herd.
With this "optimum philosophy" in listen, we can look at general trends in milk product, growth and reproduction of several breeds in the United States.
In the early on 1970s, a research project was started at the Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) in Clay Center, Nebraska. The projection was designed to evaluate the "recently" imported breeds from Europe and provides the near consummate, comprehensive data available. All breeds were not compared, so some information is non bachelor. Breeds may perform differently in Georgia. The project does provide a valid comparison of the cattle in one mutual environs.
Table two outlines how the breeds compare to the Angus 10 Hereford crossbred (used every bit a standard). The values in the tabular array are listed in ratios. A ratio of 105 indicates a value of five per centum above the standard of 100; a ratio of 95 indicates a value 5 percent below the standard. The actual percentage is in parenthesis for the percent of cows meaning after the first breeding flavour and percent dogie ingather weaned. Calving difficulty was reported in actual percentage.
Since there are more than 70 recognized cattle breeds, it is impossible to compare them all at in one case. The breeds are generally grouped into three types: British, European and Zebu-influence. The Zebu-influence breeds were developed in the Gulf Coast region of the United States.
| Table two. Comparison of Product Traits of Several Breeds | |||||||||
| Calves | Heifers | Cows | |||||||
| Pct Calving Difficulty | Growth Rate to Weaning | Growth Rate to Yearling | Age at Puberty | % Preg. after commencement breeding season Ratio (%) | % Calf crop weaned Ratio (%) | % Calving Difficulty | 12 hr. milk product | Weaning wt. per cow exposed | |
| Angus x Hereford | 3 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 (87) | 100 (84) | 13 | 100 | 100 |
| Cherry Poll | four | 98 | 96 | 106 | 98 (85) | 95 (79) | fourteen | 123 | 99 |
| South Devon | 12 | 102 | 103 | 102 | 91 (79) | 102 (85) | 15 | 107 | 105 |
| Tarentaise | six | 103 | 103 | 102 | 111 (96) | 102 (85) | 10 | 130 | 112 |
| Pinzaguer | 6 | 104 | 103 | 106 | 114 (99) | 102 (85) | 13 | 132 | 108 |
| Gelbvieh | eight | 107 | 105 | 109 | 107 (93) | 104 (87) | eleven | 137 | 116 |
| Simmental | xv | 105 | 106 | 100 | 93 (fourscore) | 99 (83) | 17 | 137 | 108 |
| Maine Anjou | 20 | 105 | 108 | 100 | 109 (94) | 103 (86) | xi | 105 | 112 |
| Limousin | 9 | 101 | 102 | 92 | 88 (76) | 98 (82) | 12 | 91 | 100 |
| Charolais | 18 | 107 | 106 | 92 | 86 (75) | 96 (80) | fifteen | 91 | 101 |
| Chianina | 12 | 106 | 105 | 92 | 99 (86) | 103 (86) | viii | 100 | 113 |
| Brahman | 10 | 107 | 103 | 80 | 113 (98) | 103 (98) | one | 150 | 116 |
| Adapted from USDA MARC Beef Research Progress Reports, No. 1 (1982) and No. 2 (1985) | |||||||||
The American Brahman is composed of three Zebu breeds, while others such equally Brangus, Santa Gertrudis, etc. , are composites of the American Brahman and either British or European breeds. The derivative breeds are unremarkably 3/eight Zebu and v/8 British or European. Some of the breeds within the 3 categories may be atypical and may not possess all the advantages or disadvantages.
The MARC projection was designed to evaluate every bit many of the more than prominent breeds as possible. There was also an attempt to compare bulls that were representative of the breed. It is possible to select a balderdash 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 projection. The MARC study, however, did provide useful data nigh relative differences amidst many of the European and Brahman cattle. In selecting a beefiness brood, utilise 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 case, the faster growing cattle are by and large larger at nativity and calving difficulty is higher. If your program needs more growth, select a bull from one of the growth breeds that has a calorie-free nativity weight and depression birth weight EPD.
When selecting a breed or individuals within a breed, be enlightened too of a phenomenon chosen "genetic-environmental interaction. " The term but means that cattle developed under certain conditions will perform all-time under those aforementioned or like conditions. Florida researchers did a classic projection to illustrate this issue. Hereford cattle from a like genetic base were relocated from Montana to Florida and vice versa. One-half of the herds were kept at the original location. Based on the reproductive and growth information, the cattle performed best in the "domicile" location. Co-ordinate to this show, base the pick of a brood 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. Rut and humidity are detrimental to near production traits. In a more recent Florida report, Florida bulls gained nearly a pound more per mean solar 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 adult in northern climates with free option corn silage during the winter months will do poorly when brought to the humid South and turned out on stockpiled fescue and trace-mineral salt for the winter. If your program has been designed to provide limited winter feeding, the calving season should exist in the jump and the breed should exist moderate in both growth and milk production. If yous make up one's mind to select a fast-growing, heavy-milking breed, provide the necessary feed requirements to achieve optimum operation.
| Brood Types | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| British | ||
| Angus Hereford Shorthorn | Low birth weight Loftier fertility Moderate milk production Moderate frame size | Lower growth rate |
| European | ||
| Charolais Gelbvieh Maine-Anjou Pinzaguer Simmental South 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 accommodate to agin environments Moderate to high milk product Maximum heterosis in crossbreeding | Lower growth rate Poor carcass quality |
Full general Trends
The following generalities concur truthful within and across breeds:
- Faster growth rates = larger birth weights
Larger birth weights = increased potential for calving difficulty
More milk product and large frame size = higher feed requirements for equal reproductive performance
Whether your choice is purebred or commercial, or ruby, black, white or spotted, keep production and profitability high on your priority list. Select a breed or breeds that your operation can manage and you can feel confident almost marketing.
Other breeds fit certain specialty markets. If you are leaning toward a specialty brood that is selected for some trait other than beef production, y'all must accept the adventure of a limited market for the chance at the higher prices sometimes received for the product. You may determine to select a brood that is handsomely available, and so replenishing the herd is easier. On the other hand, y'all may select a breed that is relatively unavailable in your expanse in order to offer a unique alternative for other breeders. For commercial production, it is important to recognize that the premium is paid for uniformity. In this instance, beingness dramatically unlike tin mean more than difficult marketing.
Previous revisions by Dan T. Brown, Extension Animal Scientist
Condition and Revision History
Published on February xix, 2003
In Review for Major Revisions on Jan 26, 2009
In Review for Major Revisions on February 03, 2009
Published with Major Revisions on Oct 18, 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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