Minnesota Cattle

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Crossbreeding offers two primary advantages: heterosis (also called hybrid vigor) and the opportunity for breed complementarity. When the performance of crossbred offspring exceeds the performance of the purebred parents, the difference is called heterosis. In other words, the whole can be greater than the sum of the parts. For instance, if straightbred Hereford and Angus calves average 500 pounds at weaning and Hereford x Angus calves average 525 pounds, the heterosis realized is (525-500)/500, or 5 percent. Maximizing Heterosis Realization of heterosis is the closest thing to a free lunch that can be found in the cattle business. Thus, all commercial beef cattle producers should seek to maximize heterosis in their herds. Some crossbreeding systems offer a greater degree of heterosis than others, and some traits respond more to crossbreeding than others. Heterosis is realized in inverse proportion to heritability for a given trait. In other words, lowly heritable traits offer the most heterosis, highly heritable traits the least. Table 1 lists beef cattle traits of economic importance and their heritability estimates. In general, reproductive traits are lowly heritable, growth traits are moderate and carcass traits are highly heritable. Thus, differences in reproductive performance between herds are virtually all due to environment and management, while differences in growth or carcass traits are due primarily to genetics. Also, reproductive traits will respond the most to crossbreeding, carcass traits the least. Read more...

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Cattle Today
Articles about the production of beef cattle and livestock.

YOUNG ANGUS PRODUCERS ATTEND ANNUAL BEEF LEADERS INSTITUTE
Twenty Angus producers from across the U.S. explored various segments of the beef industry May 31-June 3, 2009, during the second annual Beef Leaders Institute, hosted by the American Angus Association® and funded through the educational efforts of the Angus Foundation.
APPALACHIAN CLASSIC CHAROLAIS SALE HELD
The Appalachian Classic Charolais Sale was held April 25, 2009 in Knoxville, Tenn.
NATIONAL BRAUNVIEH SPRING BULL SALE HELD APRIL 18TH
The Braunvieh Association of America Spring National Braunvieh Influencer Bull Test Sale on April 8th was a success. This premier sale was held at the Green Springs Bull Test Center, Nevada, Mo., and the best 77 out of 144 performance-tested bulls sold to commercial and seedstock producers in 14 states.
RESEARCHER LOOKS AT THE GENETIC ASPECTS OF MARBLING
Marbling drives value-based beef marketing. How to infuse enough of this quality-grade potential into herd genetics – or even how much is enough - has remained something of a mystery.
SOUTHEAST BRANGUS BREEDERS ASSOCIATION BREEDERS SHOWCASE SALE HELD APRIL 4 IN...
The Southeast Brangus Breeders Association Breeders Showcase Sale was held April 4, 2009 in Perry, Ga.
VIRGINIA ANGUS ASSOCIATION TO HOST PRESIDENTIAL TOUR
The Virginia Angus Association will host a “Presidential Angus Tour” Aug. 23-25, 2009. Attendees will have the opportunity to take pleasure in Virginia's well-known Southern hospitality, view some outstanding cattle from premier breeders in the state and experience some of the United States' historical landmarks.
QUALITY SHOULD BE FACTORED IN THE PRICE EQUATION
Feeders bid on cattle by penciling out the highest price they can pay and still maintain a shot at profit. Packers need a certain number of cattle harvested through their plants, bought at a particular price, to stay afloat. That cost/sales formula follows beef as it continues toward consumers.
NEW TAX COURT CASE STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF RECORDKEEPING
In a lengthy decision, the Tax Court recently underscored the difficulties taxpayers have in convincing the IRS that family-run farms are engaged in for profit.
SOMETIMES THE GRASS IS WEEDIER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE
Farmers and ranchers are seeing more weeds – both common and unusual varieties – this year, according to Dr. Vanessa Corriher, Texas AgriLife Extension Service forage specialist based at Overton.
VITAMIN E IMPORTANT TO IMMUNITY AND REPRODUCTION
Vitamin E was first identified as nutritionally essential for animals about 60 years ago. Rats fed purified diets without vitamin E did not reproduce, plain and simple. Many similar studies have shown similar results in domestic, managed species.
SOUTHEAST ANGUS CLASSIC SALE AVERAGES $2,561
The Southeast Angus Classic Sale was held May 16, 2009 in Opelika, Ala.
IT'S THE PITTS -- CROSSBRED COWBOYS
Scholars say that people work for four reasons: habit, money, power or pleasure. I would add a fifth reason after conducting an informal survey of my entire family.
MACEDON FARMS & FRIENDS ANGUS SALE AVERAGES $2,813
The Macedon Farms and Friends Angus Sale was held May 9, 2009 at the farm in Madison, Ala.
BLACK INK -- WHY "TRADE DOWN?"
Demand for beef is down. Can you blame the recession? Not entirely, but it's a darned inconvenient coincidence.
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HOOTER MCCORMICK -- READING THE STARS
Peetie and Hooter were swapping thoughts about the economy, the state of the world and how it was that ammunition and gun sales were off the charts.

Minnesota Cattle Links

Ag Universities

University of Minnesota
We are a landgrant college whose mission is to teach, conduct research, and share our findings through outreach efforts.
http://www.coafes.umn.edu/
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