Birth, Preweaning and Postweaning Traits of Angus, Holstein, Simmental and Chianina Sired Calves

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Abstract
Gestation length, calving score, birth weight and weaning weight were determined on Angus (A), Holstein (H) and Simmental (S)-sired calves from A cows and on Chianina (C) crossbreds from first calf A and Charolais (Ch) × A heifers. Postweaning performance was also determined on the male calves. One-half of the male and all heifer calves from each breed received preweaning creep feed. Average weaning age was 194 days. The steers were placed on feed at weaning and terminated at an estimated Choice grade with the following unshrunk weights: A, 392 kg; H, 486 kg; S, 512 kg; and C, 555 kilograms. The mean slaughter ages were 384, 414, 420 and 451 days, respectively. These calves had gestation periods of 279 (A), 278 (H), 286 (S) and 283 (C) days; calving scores of 1.0, 1.0, 1.1 and 2.4; and birth weights of 31.1, 34.9, 40.3 and 37.7 kilograms. The C-sired calves from A heifers were smaller at birth, and the calving score was lower than those from Ch × A heifers. Group A steers were lightest at weaning. The S-sired heifers were heavier at weaning than the A heifers. Creep feeding increased weaning weights by 12.0 (A), 9.0 (H), 50.0 (S) and 40.0 (C) kg, respectively and resulted in faster and more efficient gains during the first month of the finishing period. There were no differences on overall postweaning gain and efficiency from creep feeding but, days on feed were reduced for each creep-fed group. The average daily gain of the A group was less than for the other groups. Copyright © 1978. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1978 by American Society of Animal Science.