Characterization of Biological Types of Cattle—Cycle III: II. Growth Rate and Puberty in Females2

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Abstract
Data on growth traits, puberty and pregnancy were analyzed on 490 crossbred females produced by artificial insemination from Hereford and Angus dams by Hereford, Angus, Brahman, Sahiwal, Pinzgauer and Tarentaise sires. Brahman crosses were heaviest (P<.01) at 200 and at 550 days. Brahman and Sahiwal crosses gained at a slower rate than Angus-Hereford, Pinzgauer and Tarentaise crosses from 200 to 400 days, whereas from 400 to 550 days, Brahman crosses gained significantly faster than all other crosses and Sahiwal crosses gained significantly faster than Angus-Hereford, Pinzgauer and Tarentaise crosses. Differences in growth traits among the Angus-Hereford, Pinzgauer and Tarentaise crosses generally were small. Females with Angus dams were significantly heavier at 200 and at 400 days than females with Hereford dams, but females with Hereford dams gained significantly faster than females with Angus dams after 200 days and were significantly heavier at 550 days. Major differences were observed among breed of sire groups for age and weight at puberty. Brahman crosses were significantly older and heavier than all other breed of sire groups at puberty. Sahiwal crosses were older (P<.01) than all remaining breed of sire groups at puberty and were heavier (P<.01) at puberty than Pinzgauer, but not Tarentaise or Angus-Hereford crosses. Pinzgauer crosses reached puberty at a significantly younger age than all other crosses. Females with Angus dams did not differ from females with Hereford dams in weight at puberty, but were 22 days younger (P<.01) at puberty. A significantly higher percentage of Brahman (93%), Sahiwal (98%) and Pinzgauer (94%) crosses, but not Tarentaise crosses (91%), were pregnant at 550 days than Angus-Hereford crosses (82%). Copyright © 1979. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1979 by American Society of Animal Science.