Effects of Brown Swiss, Charolais, Holstein, and Hereford Breeding on Production in a Grade Beef Herd Bulletin 461 December 1974 I, t ., "4 r A 'Is *~i . i AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION/AUBURN UNIVERSITY R. Dennis Rouse, Director Auburn, Alabama CONTENTS Page EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE-------------------------------------------- 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION----------------------------------------------- 5 Reproduction ----------------------------------------------------------5 Calf Weights and Grades----------------------------------6 SUMMARY--------------------------------------------------------------- 8 LITERATURE CITED---------------------------------------------- 9 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS---------------------------------------------------1 APPENDIX------------------------------------------------------------- 10 FIRST PRINTING 4M, DECEMBER 1974 Auburn University is an Equal Opportunity Employer Effects of Brown Swiss, Charolais, Holstein, and Hereford Breeding on Production in a Grade Beef Herd T. B. PATTERSON, J. A. McGUIRE and R. A. MOORE' INTEREST IN CROSSBREEDING for commercial beef production has increased in recent years. Research has adequately demonstrated the existence of heterosis for reproduction and growth. Cundiff (3) in a comprehensive review of crossbreeding concluded that in the British breeds a conservative estimate of the increase in production due to the cumulative effects of heterosis on fertility, maternal ability, and growth rate would be 20 to 25 percent. With the exception of reproduction in one phase, the findings at this Station as reported by Collins et al. (2) agree with the conclusions reached by Cundiff in his review. In addition, Cundiff reported that preliminary results from several studies indicate that dairy females bred to beef bulls wean heavier calves than beef cows bred to the same bulls. A report by Deutscher and Whiteman (4) indicated that Angus x Holstein 2-year-olds backcrossed to Angus bulls produced more milk and weaned heavier calves than Angus 2-year-olds producing straight Angus calves. However, only 13 percent of the crossbred cows that nursed calves rebred as compared to 63 percent of the Angus cows. The authors concluded that the low performance was probably due to poor nutrition under range conditions. The primary purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of Charolais and dairy breeding in cows managed as a com' Professor, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences; Associate Professor, Research Data Analysis; and Superintendent, Upper Coastal Plain Substation. 4 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION mercial beef herd. Comparisons were made with straightbred Herefords. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Data were collected on 234 calves produced from 293 matings to four Hereford bulls. This study was conducted at the Upper Coastal Plain Substation, Winfield, Alabama from 1967 through 1970. The females used, with the exception of the Holstein crosses, were produced in a previous study and the results reported by Patterson et al. (7). The Holstein crosses were produced by mating the Hereford bulls to grade Holstein cows. All physically sound females were retained for 4 successive years and bred to calve first as 3-year-olds. Calves were produced from 3, 4, 5, and 6-year-old cows in each breeding group. The four female breeding groups were namely: grade Hereford, Brown Swiss x Hereford, Charolais x Hereford, and Hereford x Holstein. Throughout this bulletin the breed of sire will be listed first. Three Hereford bulls were purchased from the same source and were of similar breeding. They were selected on the basis of performance records. It was intended that the same bulls be used throughout the study. However, one Hereford bull was killed accidentally after use for only 1 year on the experiment and was replaced by an older bull of similar, breeding. The' breeding season was from February 15 through May 31. Cows were divided initially on the basis of breeding and age among the bull units. Thereafter, cows were re-allotted and replacement heifers assigned on the basis of breeding in order to minimize group differences. Only cows with physical defects and those that failed to produce a calf in 2 of the first 3 years were removed from the experiment. All cows were maintained under practical conditions and, except during the breeding season, were managed as a single herd with no deliberate environmental differences imposed. Winter feeding consisted of a full feed of corn silage supplemented with 1 pound per head per day of 41 percent cottonseed meal during the week days and Coastal bermudagrass hay was fed ad. libitum on weekends. In addition, wheat pasture was available about 60 percent of each winter period and cows were limit grazed for about 1 hour per day. During the spring, summer, and fall months, cows were grazed on permanent pastures con- BROWN SWISS, CHAROLAIS, HOLSTEIN, AND HEREFORD BREEDING 5 sisting of Coastal bermudagrass overseeded with vetch and on a dallisgrass-white clover mixture. These pastures were used in sequences, utilizing the vetch and white clover in the spring, the Coastal bermuda and dallisgrass in late spring and summer, and dallisgrass in the fall. All calves were raised on pasture without creep feed. Calves were weaned at an average age of 242 days, weighed, and assigned feeder and condition scores. Data were analyzed by the least-squares procedure with unequal subclass numbers as outlined by Harvey (5). The linear model used to analyze the reproductive data contained the main effects of year, sires within year, breed of cow, age of cow, and the two-way interaction between year and breed of cow. The linear model used to analyze the production data contained the main effects of year, age of dam, breed of dam (completely confounded with breed of calf), sex of calf, and some interactions. These analyses for reproduction and production are given in appendix tables 1 and 2, respectively. Kramer's (6) modification of Duncan's multiple range test was used to test significance between individual means. Analysis of variance (9) using year by breed unweighted means and Duncan's multiple range test were used test the difference in pounds of calf weaned per cow bred among the breeding groups. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Reproduction Brown Swiss x Hereford cows calved and weaned a higher percent calf crop than Charolais x Hereford and Hereford x Holstein cows, Table 1. Although there was no significant difference in percentages of cows calving, the Brown Swiss x Hereford cows weaned a higher percentage of their calves than Hereford cows. There were no significant differences among Charolais x HereTABLE 1. AVERAGE REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE 1 BY BREEDING OF COW Performance measure Number of cows exposed Breeding of cow Brown Swiss Charolais x x Hereford Hereford Hereford 79 72 67 Hereford x Holstein 75 Number of calves born 59 88.lab 54 80.6b 65 65 59 Percent of cows calving Number of calves weaned.__..... Percent of cows weaning calves... 90.3a 64 88.9a 82.3b 63 79.8b 78.7b 54 72.0b SMeans with different superscripts differ at P<0.05. 6 TABLE 2. ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION AVERAGE REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE' BY YEARS Year Performance measure Number of cows exposed________________ Number of calves born Percent of cows calving_________________ Number of calves weaned_______________ Percent of cows weaning calves._____ 1967 55 53 96.4a 51 92.7a 1968 84 82 97.6a 77 91.7a 1969 103 77 74.8b 71 68.9b 1970 51 36 70.6b 36 b 70.6 1 Means with different superscripts differ at P<0.01. ford, Hereford x Holstein, and Hereford cows for percentage of calves born or weaned. There was a significant difference in calving and weaning percentages when the first 2 years are compared to the last 2 years, Table 2. The poor reproductive performance for 1969 and 1970 can be attributed to the bull used as a replacement for the bull that was killed. Cows bred to the replacement bull calved and weaned 49 and 37 percent of calves, respectively in the 1969 season as contrasted to 88 and 85 percent born and weaned, respectively for cows bred to the other bulls in the same year. Even though this bull was eliminated after only one season, the redistribution of cows among the other two bull units could have resulted in the spread of a disease. This is likely since a poor 70:6 percent calf crop was born and weaned for 1970 and the onset of poor reproduction coincides with his introduction. However, because of the method of re-allotting cows each year and the even distribution of cows on the basis of breeding and age, it is doubtful that the poor reproduction during the last 2 years biased the results of reproduction differences among the breeding groups of cows. Calf Weights and Grades The 3/4 Hereford-1/4 Holstein calves were heavier at birth than the straight Hereford calves, Table 3. There were no other significant differences in average birth weights among the other possible comparisons. The backcross calves out of crossbred cows were heavier at weaning than the straightbred Hereford calves. In addition, the 1 3/4 Hereford- /4 Brown Swiss and the 3/4 Hereford-1/ Holstein calves had heavier weaning weights than the 3/4 Hereford- 1/4 Charolais calves. The advantage at weaning over the straight Hereford calves was 53, 75, and 83 pounds, respectively for the 0 z TABLE 3. LEAST-SQUARES MEANS' OF PRE-WEANING TRAITS 0 34 Charolais 1/ Hereford 63 67.9ab 475.5b Breeding of calves Performance trait Number of Hereford 54 64.la 422.5a 34 Hereford '/ Brown Swiss 64 67.1,ab 34 Hereford 1/ Holstein 532 0 -1 m ----------------------- ----------------------at 242 days, lb.---------W eight per cow bred, lb.------------. Pounds of calf weaned --- -- --- --- -------------- --- -- --- --- -- Conformation score Birth weight, calves -- ------------ lb.---- 70.Ob 505.1e 449.0b 12.1b 10.b 479.6c 358.3a 12.4ab 9.7ab - 340.5a 12.4ab 3794a 12.6a 9.Gab zm z z m 0 m OnI Condition score- -- 9.1a ------------------------------- 'Means with different superscripts differ at P<0.01 except for Pounds of calf weaned per cow bred and Conformation and Condition scores. 2 '9 One calf born early before calving season not included. low Good; 10= average Cood; 11 = high Good; 12 = low Choice; 13 - average Choice. m m z 8 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION ford-1/4 Brown Swiss. The advantage of the part Brown Swiss cows over the other groups is best seen by examining the average pounds of calf per cow bred also seen in Table 3. The Brown Swiss x Hereford cows weaned an average of 449 pounds of calf per cow bred compared to the weighted average 360 pounds for the other three groups combined, a difference of 89 pounds. These results are similar to the production of Angus x Hereford cows backcrossed to Hereford bulls, Collins et al. (1) and Patterson et al. (8). The 3/4 Hereford- 1/4 Brown Swiss calves had a lower average conformation score than the 3/4 Hereford-14 Charolais calves. However, these calves were fatter than the average of the straight Hereford calves as indicated by condition score, Table 3. The Brown Swiss x Hereford crossbred cows have combined the essential ingredients of a successful cow-calf operation, which are the ability to calve regularly, to wean a high percentage of these calves, and to wean a heavy calf with conformation and quality acceptable to the industry. The Hereford x Holstein cows produced the heavy weaning weights but lacked the ability to breed back and wean a calf the following year. The Hereford cows had an acceptable percentage of calves born but probably due to lack of vigor, had a high percent death loss prior to weaning. As a result, all crossbred groups of cows produced more pounds of calf per cow bred than the straight Herefords. These conclusions are based on limited numbers of cows sired by only a few bulls of each breed. Further, these cows were maintained on an adequate nutrition level which is essential if they are expected to perform regularly at these higher levels. SUMMARY Comparisons were made between straightbred Hereford cows, crossbred Brown Swiss x Hereford, Charolais x Hereford, and Hereford x Holstein cows when all cows were bred to Hereford bulls. The following results were obtained in a 4-year study: 1. Brown Swiss x Hereford cows had a higher calving percentage than Charolais x Hereford or Hereford x Holstein cows. 2. Brown Swiss x Hereford cows weaned a higher percentage of their calves than any other breeding of cows tested. 3/4 Hereford- 1 4Charolais, 3/4 Hereford- 1/4 Holstein, and 3/ Here- BROWN SWISS, CHAROLAIS, HOLSTEIN, AND HEREFORD BREEDING 9 3. Year differences in percent calf crop born and weaned were attributed to the introduction of another bull during the third year of the test. 4. Hereford x Holstein cows produced calves that were significantly heavier at birth than calves from straight Hereford cows. 5. Brown Swiss x Hereford and Hereford x Holstein cows (cows with dairy breeding) weaned calves that were heavier than calves from Charolais x Hereford and Hereford cows. 6. All crossbred cow groups weaned heavier calves than Hereford cows. 7. On the basis of pounds of calf weaned per cow bred, the Brown Swiss x Hereford cows produced at a considerably higher level than cows in the other breeding groups. 8. Conformation scores for the 3/4 Hereford-/ 4 Brown Swiss calves were only slightly lower than the other calves, but they had the highest condition scores of any calves. LITERATURE CITED (1) (2) (3) COLLINS, J. C., T. B. PATTERSON, W. M. WARREN, L. A. SMITH, AND H. W. GRIMES. 1972. Crossbreeding Beef Cattle. Auburn Univ. (Ala.) (4) (5) (6) (7) Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 433. COLLINS, J. C., T. B. PATTERSON, W. M. Warren, and G. B. Meadows. 1972. Crossbreeding British Beef Breeds. Auburn Univ. (Ala.) Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 436. CUNDIFF, L. V. 1970. Experimental Results on Crossbreeding Cattle for Beef Production. J. Ani. Sci. 30:694. DEUTSCHER, G. H. AND J. V. WHITEMAN. 1971. Productivity as TwoYear-Olds of Angus-Holstein Crossbreds Compared to Angus Heifers Under Range Conditions. J. Ani. Sci. 33:337. HARVEY, W. R. 1960. Least-Squares Analyses of Data with Unequal Subclass Numbers. USDA, ARS 20-8. KRAMER, C. Y. 1957. Extension of Multiple Range to Group Correlated Adjusted Means. Biom. 13:13. PATTERSON, T. B., W. W. COTNEY, AND R. A. MOORE. 1972. Brown Swiss, Charolais, and Hereford Breeding in a Grade Beef Herd - Effect on Performance and Carcass Characteristics. Auburn Univ. (Ala.) Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 430. PATTERSON, T. B., L. A. SMITH, AND H. W. GRIMES. (8) 1973. A Com- (9) parison of Calves by Charolais and Hereford Bulls. Auburn Univ. (Ala.) Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 449. STEELE, R. G. D. AND J. H. TORRIE. 1960. Principles and Procedures of Statistics. McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, N.Y. 10 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT 10 ALABAMA GRICULTURLEPRMN STATION TTO ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors acknowledge the contributions to this study of W. W. Catney, former Superintendent, and B. J. Wallace, former Assistant Superintendent, Upper Coastal Plain Substation. APPENDIX 1. APPENDIX TABLE ANALYSES OF VARIANCE FOR REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE Mean squares for Source Years------ - --- -------Breeding of _-Age of cows---------___- d 3 3 3 Percent cows calving cows ----------- Years x bedn Sires within Error years --------_-------- 9 6 268 1.84* 0.390*.6 0.410 0.11 0.67**0 Percent cows weaning calves 0.08 .1 1.94**0 0.6400 -- _--- 0.10 0.12 0* P<.01. *P<0.05. z APPENDIX TABLE 2. ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE FOR PERFORMANCE TRAITS FROM BIRTH THROUGH WEANING Birth weight Years _--_______ __3 Age of cows ---_________ Breeding of calves ___-------Sex of calf ---------------------------_---_- Weaning Weight 104,512.9** 19,825.3** 53,241.6** 51,1$1.9** 2,243.4 Conformation score 1.28 1.64 1.66 17.97** 0.74 Condition score 54.14** 11.82** wendper cow -----------------calf bred _-------- Year x breeding of calves- Year x sex of _-Breeding x sex of _______------Year x breeding x sex----__w-----___ calf - ---------- ---- -- 3 3 1 9 161.9 118.0 200.9* 457.2** 1.0 45,470.4** 0 5.41* 8,654.2* - _-----_ 9.17* 0.94 3 3 9 1 1 1 38.0 116.4 52.5 530.3* 562.9 3,143\9 3,592.1 1,576.1 1,454.4 1,798.7 2,402.3 1.76 1.54 1.01 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.72 1.97 3.49 1.45 0.60 0.69 0.80 2.02 Birth date regression Linear-_--------__---------Quadratic------- z 1,371.21 m m Cubic Error ---1 --- _--_------- __---------------_------------------ __---- ----_196 466.4**0 421.2** 67.8 * **P<0.01. Error df for pounds of calf per cow bred was 9. P<0.05. __---------- m 0 z Al IR1 PInN I !I.M1VCDC!TY With an agricultural research unit in every major soil area, Auburn University serves the needs of field crop, livestock, forestry, and horticultural producers in each region in Ala- bama. Every citizen of the State has a stake in this research program, since any advantage from new and more economical ways of producing and handling farm products directly benefits the consuming public. Research Unit Identification 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 1. Tennessee Valley Substation, Belle Mina. Sand Mountain Substation, Crossville. North Alabama Horticulture Substation, Cullman. Upper Coastal Plain Substation, Winfield. Forestry Unit, Fayette County. Thorsby Foundation Seed Stocks Farm, Thorsby. Chilton Area Horticulture Substation, Clanton. Forestry Unit, Coosa County. Piedmont Substation, Camp Hill. Plant Breeding Unit, Tallassee. Forestry Unit, Autauga County. Prattville Experiment Field, Prattville. Black Belt Substation, Marion Junction. Tuskegee Experiment Field, Tuskegee. Lower Coastal Plain Substation, Camden. Forestry Unit, Barbour County. Monroeville Experiment Field, Monroeville Wiregrass Substation, Headland. Brewton Experiment Field, Brewton. Ornamental Horticulture Field Station, Spring Hill. Gulf Coast Substation, Fairhope.