such as body size and growth; milk- ing potential; age at puberty; heat tolerance; fl eshing ability and fat- ness; muscle expression; cutability and marbling,” Paschal explains. The British breeds originate from
Great Britain and include Angus, Red Angus, Hereford and Short- horn. “These breeds have a common geographic and genetic origin and are similar for most of these traits — perhaps with the exception of marbling and milk.” Continental beef breeds include
Charolais, Limousin and Maine An- jou, he continues. “They will be larger; lower milking; older at pu- berty; less heat tolerant and more muscular — with less fl eshing abil- ity, higher cutability and less mar- bling.” Continental dual-purpose breeds
are categorized as Braunvieh, Gelb- vieh, Salers and Simmental. “They, too, are somewhat larger in mature size, but have higher milking abil- ity,” Paschal says. “But in other traits, continental dual-purpose breeds resemble the continental beef.” Dairy cattle, which represent about 15 percent of
beef cattle, include Holstein and Jersey. They are op- posites in growth and mature size, and in cutability,
but are similar in the remaining 7 traits. Bos indicus breeds in the U.S. include both red and
gray Brahman. These cattle are high-to-moderate in all traits, except for age at puberty and marbling. American beef cattle include Beefmaster, Braford,
Brangus, Red Brangus, Santa Gertrudis and Simbrah. “The breeds in this group are similar and mostly in- termediate for all traits, except that Brangus and Red Brangus would rate higher for marbling,” Paschal says.
Keep it pure, or cross it up? Managing a purebred operation provides many ad-
vantages — especially in a mild climate, Paschal says. “The cattle generally require fewer breeding pastures
— maybe one for cows and a different one for heifers,” he continues. “Purebred operations also require only
80 The Cattleman December 2016
1 or perhaps 2 types of bulls — one for cows and an- other for heifers.” Replacements are also generally easier to fi nd and,
in some cases, may be less expensive. Uniformity of phenotype, or at least color, can be optimized. Ad- ditionally, breeding stock, especially bulls, can be selected with greater accuracy from registered herds with EPDs. However, crossbreeding can provide benefi ts in most
situations. “Crossbreeding allows cattle producers the opportunity to make their calves more acceptable to the market if their breed of cows is not,” Paschal says. Hybrid vigor (heterosis) that comes from cross-
breeding allows for higher levels of performance in all production traits, especially reproduction, calf vi-
thecattlemanmagazine.com
The cow has to live and produce in her environment.
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