RANGE CALF PRODUCTION OF CATTLE × BISON, CATTALO, AND HEREFORD COWS

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Abstract
In a calf production study involving 1115 matings, Hereford cows surpassed cattle × bison F1 hybrid and cattalo cows in weaned calf crop percentage.Birch weight of calves declined progressively as the proportion of bison parentage in the dams increased, and the trend was especially marked in the calves that died. Breeding group differences in average daily gain of nursing calves were closely correlated with those in weaning weight—cattalo from hybrid cows ranked highest, cattalo from 1/4-bison cows second, cattalo from less-than-1/4-bison cows third, and Herefords fourth.The estimated weights of calf weaned per cow bred annually at comparable ages were 126, 125, 100, and 101 kg for Hereford, hybrid, 1/4-bison, and less-than-1/4-bison cattalo cows, respectively. The hybrids excelled in longevity.