EVALUATION OF CROSSBRED CALF AND COW TYPES; SUBJECTIVE TRAITS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Data in this experiment consisted of birth weight, calving score, thickness and grade records of 600 crossbred calves. Angus, Brangus, and Gelbvieh sires were mated to purebred Hereford cows. Yearling and 2-yr-old Angus-Hereford, Brangus-Hereford, and Gelbvieh-Hereford daughters then were bred to Polled Hereford bulls (Data Set 2). Later-parity Angus-Hereford, Brangus-Hereford, and Gelbvieh-Hereford daughters were mated to Salers or Simmental sires (Data Set 3). The traits evaluated were birth weight, thickness and feeder grade of calves and degree of calving diffi culty. Calving diffi culty, grade, muscling or thickness evaluation is a subjective assessment. Progeny of Angus cattle were lighter and born easier than progeny of Brangus and Gelbvieh cattle. Gelbvieh crosses had the highest frequency of thickness 1 calves and Brangus crosses had the highest frequency of medium size calves. Angus calves were lighter than Brangus calves in all the data sets but they had thicker muscles. Adding Bos Indicus genes to a cross may increase birth weight while decreasing muscling and calving ease