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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Genetics and Animal Breeding » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #171491

Title: REPRODUCTION AND MATERNAL PERFORMANCE OF F1 CROSS FEMALES SIRED BY HEREFORD, ANGUS, NORWEGIAN RED-SWEDISH RED AND WHITE, FRIESIAN AND WAGYU SIRES

Author
item Cundiff, Larry

Submitted to: Midwestern Section of the American Society of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2004
Publication Date: 3/1/2005
Citation: Cundiff, L.V. 2005. Reproduction and maternal performance of F1 cross females sired by Hereford, Angus, Norwegian Red-Swedish Red and White, Friesian and Wagyu sires [abstract]. Midwestern Section of the American Society of Animal Science 83(2):39.

Interpretive Summary: No interpretive summary is required.

Technical Abstract: The objective was to characterize reproduction and maternal traits of F1 cross females calving at 3 through 7 years of age in cycle VI of the Germplasm Evaluation Program at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center. The females were produced in the spring of 1999 and 2000 as a result of artificial insemination matings of Hereford (H, 32), Angus (A, 30), Norwegian Red-Swedish Red and White (NS, 14 and 16, respectively, considered the same breed because of open herd books), Friesian (F, 24 non-Holstein influenced), and Wagyu (W, 19) sires to Hereford, Angus, and composite MARC III dams. With 32 twin births excluded, data included 1904 records for females exposed, 1740 calves born, and 1687 calves weaned in the fall of 2000 through 2004 as a result of natural service multi-sire matings to Charolais bulls. Data on calf crop born and weaned, calving difficulty score, unassisted births, birth weight (BW, kg), survival to weaning, 200-d weaning weight of progeny (WW, kg), and 200-d weaning weight per cow exposed (WW/CE) were analyzed by least squares procedures using a model that included random effects for maternal grandsire in maternal grandsire breed, and fixed effects for maternal grandsire breed, maternal grandam breed, sex of calf (BW and WW only), year-age of cow, and maternal grandsire breed x maternal grandam breed. Effects of maternal grandsire breed were significant (P<.01) for BW, WW, and WW/CE but not for any other trait. The means for progeny with H, A, NS, F, and W maternal grandsires were 43.8, 42.8, 43.2, 42.7, and 40.0 kg, respectively for BW; 245, 255, 267, 259, and 231 kg, respectively for WW; and were 222, 221, 232, 232, and 207 kg, respectively for WW/CE. The mean least significant difference among maternal grandsire breed means for BW, WW, and WW/CE was 1.5, 7, and 16 kg, respectively (P<.05). Females sired by breeds that have had a history of selection for milk production (NS, F) weaned heavier calves than those that had not been used for dairy production (A, H, W).