Ideas on Crossbreeding

Highlands

Would we use the same genetic program in:

Arizona?Iowa?Upper

Michigan?

Probably Not!

Primary thoughts going into crossbreeding

system.

1. Utilize beneficial Highland traits as efficiently as possible.

2. Realize that we live in an Angus world.

So does a Highland make a better…

Cow

What do we know about Highlands?1. Longevity2. Low maintenance costs3. Efficient grazer 4. Ability to browse5. Calving ease6. Smaller frame

Because of their longevity, Highlands are uniquely suited for

terminal crossing.

Benefits of terminal crossing

1. Maximize hybrid vigor2. Specialized sires and dams3. Lower bull turnover rate4. Easier genetic choices5. Consistency

Negatives of terminal crossing

1. Must purchase replacement females.

2. Or have multiple levels of production on the same farm.

What do we know about crossbred cows

1. More productive due to hybrid vigor

2. Hybrid vigor maximized when pure British breed crossed with

pure Continental breed 3. More longevity

The increased vigor or general health, resistance

to disease, and other superior qualities that are often manifested in hybrid

organisms, especially plants and animals.

Hybrid Vigor

Auroch Cattle – Extinct 1627 All cattle descendants of

Aurochs

Increased separation of breeds of cattle by distance, natural barriers and selection pressure increases hybrid vigor when mated.

The increased vigor or general health, resistance

to disease, and other superior qualities that are often manifested in hybrid

organisms, especially plants and animals.

Hybrid Vigor

Would you rather?

1. Have more lbs of carcass/steer. 2. Have more lbs of carcass/acre.

We need to think of cattle as feedlot type and pasture

type

Feedlot type cattle have been used in grass fed operations with inconsistent results!

Market cattle weights were up 23 lbs to 1299 lbs in March 2012 over March 2011.

Dairy breeds in their appropriate environment

Increase cattle weight means increased pasture damage. Yields may be reduced as soon as 3 days

of pasturing.

Highland crossed with what to make female?

1. Continental breed.2. High weaning weight breed.3. Small frame size.4. Polled5. Popular breed for crossing with

Angus.

Astro - Gelbvieh Bull

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Ave Cow Weights at 4 yrs of age at Clay Center - Nebraska

Simmental 1353 poundsHereford 1348 poundsAngus 1342 pounds

Charolais 1339 pounds

Limousin 1330 pounds

Gelbvieh 1282 pounds

Highland Gelbvieh Cross

Gelbvieh Info

Gelbvieh produced the highest weaning weight per cow exposed to breeding at Clay Center

Gelbvieh Info Gelbvieh cattle are a

lean breed. Of all the breeds studied at Clay Center, they had the largest ribeye muscle area per 100  kg. Thus they have a high cutout yield.

Highland x Gelbvieh Performance

Balancer Bull = Gelbvieh x Angus

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Highland x Gelbvieh Cow breed to what bull?

Feedlot – Angus, Hereford, Simmental, Etc.

Show Cattle – Club BullKobe/niche market - WagyuGrass – Lowline Angus

Lowline Cattle History

The Australian Lowline cattle came from a cattle research project conduced by the New South Wales Department of Agriculture located in Trangie, Australia. The 30-year project was started in the early 1970’s with the ultimate goal being to produce more beef per acre.

Breed

Ave # of breeding cows per

100 acres*

Pounds of average

carcass per head wt. at 15 months off grass

Pounds of carcass

weight per acre

Retail carcass yield % saleable

weight

Pounds of retail

product per acre

Simmental 23 556 115 69% 79.4

Wagyu 38 442 151 55% 83.1

Shorthorn 28 532 132 65% 86.1

Hereford 30 552 147 64% 94.2

Murray Grey

32 547 158 67% 106

Angus 33 543 162 68% 110

Lowline 54 418 203 76% 154

Trangie Research Center

Lexus – Lowline Angus Bull

Highland Lowline Cross

AIET

Highland

Multiplication

CrossbreedingGelbvieh x Highland

Gelbvieh x Highland cow x Lowline bull

Genetics is improved at the top and

improvement flows down the pyramid

Top of pyramid

represents less cattle numbers

Pasture geneticspyramid

Rancher – Wagyu Bull

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Beef cows with a hair coat just one inch thicker than

average requires 20% to 25% less digestible feed intake to maintain body weight in cold

weather. – Montana State University

Hair Coat Benefit

Gelvieh x Highland Steer Sandhill Pines Farm

The U.S. beef cow herd has decreased 12 of the last 14

years, dropping from a cyclical peak of 35.3 million head in 1996 to the January 2010 level of 31.3 million head. This represents the

smallest beef cow herd since 1963. Because of drought, another 600,000 decline is

expected in 2012.