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Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Baton Rouge
Abstract
A genetic analysis was made of the data resulting from an experiment designed to evaluate breeds of beef cattle and crosses among breeds of beef cattle in the Gulf Coast Region. Six herds of cows were formed, each composed of eight cows from the Angus, Brahman, Brangus, and Hereford breeds. Each of these herds was bred to a bull of a different breed for five breeding seasons. The bulls used in this study were from the Angus, Brahman, Brangus, Charolaise, Hereford, and Shorthorn breeds. Data were available on 597 heifers and steers for 180-day weight and slaughter calf grade and on 275 steers for slaughter grade, rate of gain on feed, and weight per day of age.
A significant or highly significant heterosis effect was found for 180-day weight, slaughter grade, rate of gain on feed, and weight per day of age, but none for slaughter calf grade.
General combining ability effects were found to be significant for all five traits.
1 This work is cooperative with the U. S. Department of Agriculture and is a part of the S-10 Southern Regional Beef Cattle Breeding Project.
2 Present address: Biometrical Services, U.S.D.A., A.R.S., Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland.
3 Biometrician, in charge Livestock Research Staff, Biometrical Services, U.S.D.A., A.R.S., Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland.
4 The authors wish to express their appreciation to E. H. Vernon and the U.S.D.A. for loaning the Brahman-Angus cattle used in this study, and to Mrs. Fred W. Turner of Weslaco, Texas for supplying several of the Charolaise bulls used in the course of this experiment.
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