Productivity of Two-Year-Old Crossbred Cows Producing Three-Breed Cross Calves

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Production data from 434 2-year-old cross-bred cows and performance data to weaning from their 334 three-breed cross calves were analyzed. Crossbred females were produced from 1973 to 1975 by matings of Hereford (H), Angus (A), Simmental (S), Brown Swiss (B) and Jersey (J) bulls to H and A cows. These two-breed cross females were mated to Red Poll and Shorthorn bulls to produce their first calves at 2 years of age. Generally, J cross and BA cows were most productive as 2-year-olds. Ninety percent of J cross cows exposed to breeding weaned a calf while only 53% of the SH cows weaned calves. Heaviest calves (P<.05) at weaning were produced by BA cows (203 kg) and the lighest calves (P<.05) by HA reciprocal crosses (168 kg). J cross and BA cows were 47 kg (37.4%) more productive in terms of kilograms of calf weaned per cow exposed when compared to HA and AH cows. SH cows weaned 24 fewer kilograms of calf per cow exposed (19.7%) than HA reciprocal crosses. Individual cow efficiency, measured by calf weaning weight divided by cow weight or cow metabolic weight favored J crosses by 18 to 20%, B crosses by 10 to 15% and S crosses by 0 to 5% over HA and AH cows. Lactational performance was measured on 56 2-year-old crossbred cows by machine milkout techniques. Daily milk yields were highest for B crosses (7.50 kg/day) and lowest (P<.05) for HA reciprocal cross cows (4.35 kg/day). Butterfat yields favored B and J crosses (.268 kg/day) over S cross cows (.214 kg/day) and HA reciprocal crosses (.159 kg/day). Copyright © 1979. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1979 by American Society of Animal Science.