International Partners Improve Cattle Here And In South Africa A


WASHINGTON, D.C. South Africa that


U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist has developed a partnership with colleagues in is improving


prospects for cattle breeders in that African nation – and could improve them for breeders around the world. Efforts by Mike MacNeil, an Agricul-


tural Research Service (ARS) geneticist at the agency’s Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Re- search Laboratory in Miles City, Mont., are de- signed to equip South Africa’s sci- entists with better research tools to help cattle breed- ers and farmers in remote, underde- veloped


areas.


ARS is USDA's principal intramu- ral scientific re- search agency, and this research supports


the


USDA priority of promoting inter- national food se- curity. Much of the re-


search focuses on Nguni


(pro-


nounced en-GOO- nee) cattle, an indigenous breed popular among poor and emerg- ing farmers in South Africa be- cause of its fertil- ity, tolerance to harsh conditions, resistance to ticks and tolerance to tick-borne


dis-


eases. In a recent study, MacNeil and his colleagues examined ways to address a chronic problem: Nguni that are too small and deposit too much fat before


reaching market weight, making them undesirable for commercial feedlot op- erations. They examined factors that breeders


could consider in trying to improve progeny of their Nguni cows by mating them with larger and beefier Angus and Charolais bulls. The resulting crossbred ideally would retain the Nguni toughness and adaptability, but would take on the improved beef as-


pects of the Angus and Charolais sires. The research, published in the South African Journal of Animal Sci- ence, built on MacNeil’s work at Fort Keogh on development of crossbreed- ing systems and breeding objectives for U.S. domestic breeds. Olivia Mapholi, a scientist with the


South African Agricultural Research Council who studied under MacNeil at Fort Keogh, continues to consult him


as she searches for quantitative trait loci (QTLs), or areas of the cattle genome, that confer the ability to tol- erate tick-borne diseases. Mapholi is crossing tick-resistant Nguni with tick-susceptible Angus and is looking for genes that confer resistance to ticks. Her research could benefit beef production in any part of the world where ticks are a problem, including the United States.


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ARS geneticist Mike MacNeil is helping South African researchers improve on techniques used to breed indigenous Nguni cattle. The work may turn up genes for tick resistance that will benefit U.S. cattle breeders.


Reduced Cow Numbers Increase Interest In Genetic Improvement Opportunity Sale Oct. 31 In Springfield


T MT. VERNON, MO.


he summer of 2011 has seen dry weather, poor feed supplies, open cows and a sizeable reduction in beef cow numbers in southwest


Missouri. However, most serious-minded cow raisers remain optimistic as cow numbers across the country are down and, unless there is a total collapse in beef demand, price prospects for the future look pretty good. “As cow numbers are reduced, we see more in-


terest in managing the remaining cows a bit more like a serious business. An important part of that management is to seek better genetics through sire selection either from artificial insemination or natural service bulls,” said Eldon Cole, a live- stock specialist with University of Missouri Ex- tension. Cole says it is simpler and more accurate today


20• MidAmerica Farmer Grower / October 21, 2011


to make a sire selection that allows a producer to put carcass merit, growth, calving ease, milk pro- duction, temperament and other economical traits into the herd. Expected progeny difference, EPD, is credited


for much of the easier bull buying. In fact, re- search shows that EPDs are 7 to 9 times more ef- fective in selecting an animal than relying on adjusted weaning or yearling weights or any other performance measure Now, DNA tests are being used to enhance the


numbers found in the EPD's of some breeds. “Many progressive breeders provide the com-


plete set of EPDs to buyers and help walk them through those somewhat mysterious numbers,” said Cole. The upcoming, Southwest Missouri Beef Cattle Improvement Association’s performance bull sale


will provide a number of the EPDs for the 42 bulls offered at their Oct. 31 sale. Sale location is the Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, exit 70 off of I-44.


A 30-minute program will be given by extension


livestock specialists Eldon Cole, Dona Goede and Andy McCorkill at 5:30 p.m. in the sale ring on sale day. They will review how farmers can use the data such as EPDs to make selections that will help them achieve their genetic goals. There will be time for questions.


Catalogs showing the data for the 38 Angus, 3


Limousin and 1 Polled Hereford bull are available at southwest Missouri extension centers or by calling sales manager, Pam Naylor at 417-345- 8330 The catalog and a few pictures are also available at www.swmobcia.com.


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