Postweaning growth and carcass traits in crossbred cattle from Hereford, Angus, Norwegian Red, Swedish Red and White, Friesian, and Wagyu maternal grandsires

The objective of this study was to characterize breeds representing diverse biological types for postweaning growth and carcass composition traits in terminal crossbred cattle. Postweaning growth and carcass traits were analyzed on 434 steers and 373 heifers obtained by mating F1 cows to Charolais sires. Maternal grandsires represented Hereford, Angus, and U.S. Meat Animal Research Center III (1/4 Hereford, 1⁄4 Angus, 1⁄4 Pinzgauer, and 1⁄4 Red Poll) dams to Hereford or Angus (British Breeds), Norwegian Red, Swedish Red and White, Wagyu, or Friesian breeds. Breed groups were slaughtered serially in each of 2 yr (2002 and 2003). Postweaning ADG, slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, dressing percentage, percentage Choice, LM area, marbling score, USDA yield grade, fat thickness, retail product yield (percentage), retail product weight, fat yield (percentage), fat weight, bone yield (percentage), and bone weight were analyzed. Maternal grandsire breed was significant (P \u3c 0.05) for all traits except dressing percentage, percentage Choice, and LM area. Marbling score for animals with Norwegian Red, Wagyu, Swedish Red and White, British Breeds, and Friesian inheritance was 550, 544, 532, 530, and 515, respectively (SEM = 8). Retail product weight for these animals was 224, 211, 227, 223, and 223 kg, respectively (SEM = 2 kg). Maternal granddam breed was not significant for any of the traits analyzed. Grandsire breed effects can be optimized by selection and use of appropriate crossbreeding systems

Maternal grandsire, granddam, and sire breed effects on growth and carcass traits of crossbred cattle

Postweaning growth, feed efficiency, and carcass traits were analyzed on 1,422 animals obtained by mating F1 cows to F1 (Belgian Blue X British breeds) or Charolais sires. Cows were obtained from mating Hereford, Angus, and U.S. Meat Animal Research Center III ( ¼ Hereford, ¼ Angus, ¼ Pinzgauer, and ¼ Red Poll) dams to Hereford or Angus (British breeds), Tuli, Boran, Brahman, or Belgian Blue sires. Breed groups were fed in replicated pens and slaughtered serially in each of 2 yr. Postweaning average daily gain; live weight; hot carcass weight; fat depth; longissimus area; estimated kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (percentage); percentage Choice; marbling score; USDA yield grade; retail product yield (percentage); retail product weight; fat yield (percentage); fat weight; bone yield (percentage); and bone weight were analyzed in this population. Quadratic regressions of pen mean weight on days fed and of cumulative ME consumption on days fed were used to estimate gain, ME consumption and efficiency (Mcal of ME/kg of gain) over time (0 to 200 d on feed), and weight (300 to 550 kg) intervals. Maternal grandsire breed was significant (P \u3c 0.01) for all traits. Maternal granddam breed (Hereford, Angus, or U.S. Meat Animal Research Center III) was significant (P \u3c 0.05) only for fat depth, USDA yield grade, retail product yield, fat yield, fat weight, and bone yield. Sire breed was significant (P \u3c 0.05) for live weight, hot carcass weight, longissimus area, and bone weight. Sex class was a significant (P \u3c 0.001) source of variation for all traits except for percentage Choice, marbling score, retail product yield, and fat yield. Interactions between maternal grandsire and sire breed were nonexistent. Sire and grandsire breed effects can be optimized by selection and use of appropriate crossbreeding systems

Maternal grandsire, granddam, and sire breed effects on growth and carcass traits of crossbred cattle

Postweaning growth, feed efficiency, and carcass traits were analyzed on 1,422 animals obtained by mating F1 cows to F1 (Belgian Blue X British breeds) or Charolais sires. Cows were obtained from mating Hereford, Angus, and U.S. Meat Animal Research Center III ( ¼ Hereford, ¼ Angus, ¼ Pinzgauer, and ¼ Red Poll) dams to Hereford or Angus (British breeds), Tuli, Boran, Brahman, or Belgian Blue sires. Breed groups were fed in replicated pens and slaughtered serially in each of 2 yr. Postweaning average daily gain; live weight; hot carcass weight; fat depth; longissimus area; estimated kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (percentage); percentage Choice; marbling score; USDA yield grade; retail product yield (percentage); retail product weight; fat yield (percentage); fat weight; bone yield (percentage); and bone weight were analyzed in this population. Quadratic regressions of pen mean weight on days fed and of cumulative ME consumption on days fed were used to estimate gain, ME consumption and efficiency (Mcal of ME/kg of gain) over time (0 to 200 d on feed), and weight (300 to 550 kg) intervals. Maternal grandsire breed was significant (P \u3c 0.01) for all traits. Maternal granddam breed (Hereford, Angus, or U.S. Meat Animal Research Center III) was significant (P \u3c 0.05) only for fat depth, USDA yield grade, retail product yield, fat yield, fat weight, and bone yield. Sire breed was significant (P \u3c 0.05) for live weight, hot carcass weight, longissimus area, and bone weight. Sex class was a significant (P \u3c 0.001) source of variation for all traits except for percentage Choice, marbling score, retail product yield, and fat yield. Interactions between maternal grandsire and sire breed were nonexistent. Sire and grandsire breed effects can be optimized by selection and use of appropriate crossbreeding systems

Nonlinear dynamics in superlattices driven by high frequency ac-fields

We investigate the dynamical processes taking place in nanodevices driven by high-frequency electromagnetic fields. We want to elucidate the role of different mechanisms that could lead to loss of quantum coherence. Our results show how the dephasing effects of disorder that destroy after some periods coherent oscillations, such as Rabi oscillations, can be overestimated if we do not consider the electron-electron interactions that can reduce dramatically the decoherence effects of the structural imperfections. Experimental conditions for the observation of the predicted effects are discussed.Comment: REVTEX (8 pages) and 4 figures (Postscript

Birth and weaning traits in crossbred cattle from Hereford, Angus, Norwegian Red, Swedish Red and White, Wagyu, and Friesian sires

The objective of this study was to characterize breeds representing diverse biological types for birth and weaning traits in crossbred cattle (Bos taurus). Gestation length, calving diffi culty, percentage of unassisted calving, percentage of perinatal survival, percentage of survival from birth to weaning, birth weight, weaning weight, BW at 205 d, and ADG was measured in 1,370 calves born and 1,285 calves weaned. Calves were obtained by mating Hereford, Angus, and U.S. Meat Animal Research Center III (1/4 Hereford, 1/4 Angus, 1/4 Pinzgauer, and 1/4 Red Poll) mature cows to Hereford or Angus (British breeds), Norwegian Red, Swedish Red and White, Wagyu, and Friesian sires. Calves were born during the spring of 1997 and 1998. Sire breed was signifi cant for gestation length, birth weight, BW at 205 d, and ADG (P \u3c 0.001). Offspring from Swedish Red and White and Friesian had the shortest gestation length (282 d), whereas offspring from Wagyu sires had the longest gestation length (286 d). Progeny from British breeds were the heaviest at birth (40.5 kg) and at 205 d (237 kg), and grew faster (0.97 kg/d) than offspring from other breeds. Offspring from Wagyu sires were the lightest at birth (36.3 kg) and at 205 d (214 kg), and had the slowest growth (0.91 kg/d). Dam breed was signifi cant for gestation length (P \u3c 0.001), birth weight (P = 0.009), BW at 205 d, and ADG (P \u3c 0.001). Offspring from Hereford cows had the longest gestation length (284 d), whereas offspring from Angus cows had the shortest (282 d). Offspring from U.S. Meat Animal Research Center III cows were the heaviest at birth (39.4 kg) when compared with offspring from Hereford (38.2 kg) and Angus (38.6 kg) cows. Progeny from Angus cows were the heaviest at 205 d (235 kg) and grew faster (0.96 kg/d), whereas offspring from Hereford cows were the lightest at 205 d (219 kg) and were the slowest in growth (0.88 kg/d). Sex was signifi cant for gestation length (P = 0.026), birth weight, BW at 205 d, and ADG (P \u3c 0.001). Male calves had a longer gestation length (284 d) when compared with female calves (283 d). Males were heavier than females at birth and at 205 d, and grew faster. Sire breed effects can be optimized by selection and use of appropriate crossbreeding systems

Birth and weaning traits in crossbred cattle from Hereford, Angus, Norwegian Red, Swedish Red and White, Wagyu, and Friesian sires

The objective of this study was to characterize breeds representing diverse biological types for birth and weaning traits in crossbred cattle (Bos taurus). Gestation length, calving diffi culty, percentage of unassisted calving, percentage of perinatal survival, percentage of survival from birth to weaning, birth weight, weaning weight, BW at 205 d, and ADG was measured in 1,370 calves born and 1,285 calves weaned. Calves were obtained by mating Hereford, Angus, and U.S. Meat Animal Research Center III (1/4 Hereford, 1/4 Angus, 1/4 Pinzgauer, and 1/4 Red Poll) mature cows to Hereford or Angus (British breeds), Norwegian Red, Swedish Red and White, Wagyu, and Friesian sires. Calves were born during the spring of 1997 and 1998. Sire breed was signifi cant for gestation length, birth weight, BW at 205 d, and ADG (P \u3c 0.001). Offspring from Swedish Red and White and Friesian had the shortest gestation length (282 d), whereas offspring from Wagyu sires had the longest gestation length (286 d). Progeny from British breeds were the heaviest at birth (40.5 kg) and at 205 d (237 kg), and grew faster (0.97 kg/d) than offspring from other breeds. Offspring from Wagyu sires were the lightest at birth (36.3 kg) and at 205 d (214 kg), and had the slowest growth (0.91 kg/d). Dam breed was signifi cant for gestation length (P \u3c 0.001), birth weight (P = 0.009), BW at 205 d, and ADG (P \u3c 0.001). Offspring from Hereford cows had the longest gestation length (284 d), whereas offspring from Angus cows had the shortest (282 d). Offspring from U.S. Meat Animal Research Center III cows were the heaviest at birth (39.4 kg) when compared with offspring from Hereford (38.2 kg) and Angus (38.6 kg) cows. Progeny from Angus cows were the heaviest at 205 d (235 kg) and grew faster (0.96 kg/d), whereas offspring from Hereford cows were the lightest at 205 d (219 kg) and were the slowest in growth (0.88 kg/d). Sex was signifi cant for gestation length (P = 0.026), birth weight, BW at 205 d, and ADG (P \u3c 0.001). Male calves had a longer gestation length (284 d) when compared with female calves (283 d). Males were heavier than females at birth and at 205 d, and grew faster. Sire breed effects can be optimized by selection and use of appropriate crossbreeding systems

Birth and weaning traits in crossbred cattle from Hereford, Angus, Brahman, Boran, Tuli, and Belgian Blue sires

The objective of this study was to characterize breeds representing diverse biological types for birth and weaning traits in crossbred cattle. Gestation length, calving difficulty, percentage of unassisted calving, percentage of perinatal survival, percentage of survival from birth to weaning, birth weight, BW at 200 d, and ADG were measured in 2,500 calves born and 2,395 calves weaned. Calves were obtained by mating Hereford, Angus, and U.S. Meat Animal Research Center III (one-fourth Hereford, one-fourth Angus, one-fourth Pinzgauer, and one-fourth Red Poll) mature cows to Hereford or Angus (British breed), Brahman, Tuli, Boran, and Belgian Blue sires. Calves were born during the spring seasons of 1992, 1993, and 1994. Sire breed was significant for all traits (P \u3c 0.002). Offspring from British breeds and the Belgian Blue breed had the shortest gestation length (285 d) when compared with progeny from other sire breeds (average of 291 d). Calving difficulty was greater in offspring from Brahman sires (1.24), whereas the offspring of Tuli sires had the least amount of calving difficulty (1.00). Offspring from all sire breeds had similar perinatal survival and survival from birth to weaning (average of 97.2 and 96.2%, respectively), with the exception of offspring from Brahman sires, which had less (92.8 and 90.4%, respectively). Progeny of Brahman sires were heaviest at birth (45.7 kg), followed by offspring from British breed, Boran, and Belgian Blue sires (average of 42.4 kg). The lightest offspring at birth were from Tuli sires (38.6 kg). Progeny derived from Brahman sires were the heaviest at 200 d (246 kg), and they grew faster (1.00 kg/d) than offspring from any other group. The progeny of British breeds and the Belgian Blue breed had an intermediate BW at 200 d (238 kg) and an intermediate ADG (average of 0.98 kg/d). The progeny of Boran and Tuli sires were the lightest at 200 d (227 kg) and had the least ADG (0.93 kg/d). Male calves had a longer gestation length, had a greater incidence of calving difficulty, had greater mortality to weaning, were heavier, and grew faster than female calves. Sire breed effects can be optimized by selection and use of appropriate crossbreeding systems

Characterization of Breeds Representing Diverse Biological Types: Postweaning Growth and Feed Efficiency

On a life-cycle basis, about 30% of the energy requirements for beef production are consumed by steers and heifers during the period from weaning to slaughter. About 45 to 55% of the total feed costs are incurred in the postweaning period, depending on the cost of feed resources for the cow herd relative to those for the feedlot. We find it is important, therefore, to characterize breeds of cattle for rate and efficiency of postweaning gain

Characterization of Breeds Representing Diverse Biological Types: Reproduction and Maternal Performance of F\u3csub\u3e1\u3c/sub\u3e Cows

It is estimated that today about 70 percent of the calves narketed from beef cattle herds in the U.S. are crossbred and hat between 50 and 60 percent of the cows are crossbred. This represents a major shift to crossbreeding from the straight-breeding programs which prevailed in the 1950\u27s and early 1960\u27s. This trend has been influenced by research demonstrating the favorable effects of heterosis and other advantages of crossbreeding. Also, increased use of feed grains in growing-finishing diets caused fatter carcasses contributing to increased consumer demand for leaner beef, which stimulated interest in breeds with greater potential for lean tissue growth and less fat. As a result, a large number of breeds, introduced from Europe via quarantine facilities in Canada, became available to North American beef producers. Interest in the newly Introduced breeds and in other breeds already available coincided with the establishment and development of the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (U.S. Meat Animal Research Center) in the late 1960\u27s. The Germ Plasm Evaluation (GPE) Program was initiated in 1969 at U.S. Meat Animal Research Center to characterize a broad range of biological types of cattle as represented by breeds that differed widely in genetic potential for milk production, growth rate, carcass composition, and mature size. The purpose of this paper will be to review results from the GPE Program for reproduction and maternal characteristics of first cross (F1) cows