BEEFMASTER SECTION
are more vigorous after birth, resulting in more live and healthier calves. Growthier, heavier calves at al- most every point are a result of crossbreeding. True, crossbred calves can also have heavier birth weights, but the improved calf survivability of crossbred calves overshadows those concerns. Maternal heterosis is the effect that comes from
using crossbred cows. It begins with fertility, which is a trait of low heritability. Crossbreeding leads to improvements in low-heritable traits such as fertility, resulting in more calves born in a shorter time frame. The calves of crossbred mothers are more vigorous,
grow faster and weigh more. As long as we sell cattle by the pound, these improvements are vital. While this is impressive, the big impact of crossbred cows comes from having a longer productive lifetime, al- lowing the females to produce more calves. Given the cost of replacement heifers in today’s market, a cow that produces for 3 more years (at a minimum) is a big advantage. Beefmasters excel in maternal traits. Beefmaster-
sired females add even more punch to your crossbreed- ing program. The impact of individual and maternal heterosis
on production is eye-opening. As you can see in the chart accompanying this article, crossbreeding pays dividends. Old-time cattlemen used to say that “hybrid vigor is the only free lunch in the cow business.”
Simple, successful crossbreeding Keeping a crossbreeding program simple is the key
to success. Stressing the genetic differences between breeds used in crossbreeding is important. The more unrelated the breeds are, the greater the effect of het- erosis. Crossing British breeds such as Angus x Hereford
works well, but these breeds are genetically similar. Crossing British breeds with Continental breeds such as Angus x Charolais yields better performance results because those breeds are less related than Angus x Hereford. Crossing British breeds with an American breed such
as Angus x Beefmaster leads to even greater advantages because of the Bos indicus infl uence in Beefmaster. The icing on the cake for this particular cross is the outstanding maternal heterosis that leads to superior females that are more fertile, wean larger calves and live longer, more productive lives. To maximize heterosis potential and to keep a crossbreeding program simple, many ranchers use a
76 The Cattleman March 2015
Heterosis Levels for Selected Traits Trait
Individual Heterosis
Cow Lifetime Productivity
Cow Longevity
Calving Rate
Calf Weaning Weight per Exposed Cow
Weaning Rate
Weaning Weight
Yearling Weight
Percent Reaching Puberty at 15 Months
Days on Feed
Carcass Weight
USDA Carcass Grade
0 5
4 15
-4 3
2
8 6
0 6
Maternal Heterosis
Total
Heterosis 25
38 6
18 8 11 4 15
-4 3
2
terminal crossbreeding program. A great example is Angus x Beefmaster to produce a crossbred female that is designed to maximize maternal heterosis. Those Angus x Beefmaster crossbred females would
then be mated to Continental bulls such as Charolais to maximize performance potential in their calves. This mating system leverages the genetic diversity across British, Continental and American breeds, resulting in higher performance at every level and exploiting the breed complementarities needed to maximize produc- tion and profi t. Today’s beef business demands effi ciency. Beefmas-
ter cattle answer the challenge by being exceptional convertors of feed. In multiple all-breed bull develop- ment facilities that measure feed effi ciency and residual feed intake, Beefmasters consistently rank as the most effi cient convertors when compared to other breeds in the same facilities. In commercial feedyards, dry-matter conversions in
the 5-pound range are typical for Beefmaster-sired steers. While maternal heterosis is the main calling card for
Beefmasters, it should be noted that carcass merit is not overlooked in this versatile breed. Given the prominence
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