Sire breed and breed genotype of dam effects in crossbreeding beef cattle in the subtropics 1. Birth and weaning

Author: J.G.E. van Zyl, S.J. Schoeman and R.J. Coertze
Year: 1992
Issue: 5
Volume: 22
Page: 161 - 165

The influence of sire breed and breed genotype of dam on birth and weaning mass in calves of Afrikaner, Hereford, Simmentaler and Bonsmara cattle, as well as F1 and two- and three-breed rotational crosses between Afrikaner, Hereford and Simmentaler were investigated. Afrikaner bulls sired calves with lower birth and weaning mass (P ˂ 0.05) than other breeds of sire. In terms of weaning mass, all the crossbreeding systems proved superior to purebred Afrikaner and Hereford breeding, but not to purebred Simmentaler and Bonsmara breeding. Simmentaler dams produced calves of heavier (P < 0.05) birth mass than other purebreds. An increase in percentage Afrikaner breeding in the dam led to a reduction in birth mass, while the reverse applied to an increase in Simmentaler breeding. Cows of predominant Simmentaler breeding tended to wean heavier calves than cows of predominant Afrikaner breeding.

 

 

Keywords: birth mass, crossbreeding, dam breed genotype, sire breed, weaning mass
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