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Performance and Variability of Offspring of Crossbred and Purebred Rams

University of California, Davis

Abstract

Hampshire, Suffolk and Hampshire-Suffolk crossbred rams from comparable parents were tested in topcross tests on commercial ewes in the Hopland Field Station flock and in four cooperator flocks. A total of twelve rams and approximately 270 ewes for each of the three groups were included in these tests.

No consistent differences among the three sire groups in lambing percent or lambing date were found. No undue lambing difficulty was noted in any case.

Crossbred-sired lambs showed an advantage of approximately 4% in lamb survival over the two-parent breed groups, which were similar when averaged over all trials.

Crossbred-sired lambs were intermediate between the two parent breed groups in birth weight and 120-day weight, though they approached the heavier breed mean in the latter. Crossbred-sired lambs had higher live grades than the Hampshire and Suffolk average in the Hopland flock, but not in the other trials. Carcass data supported the conclusion that crossbred-sired lambs carried more finish at weaning in the Hopland flock.

¹ Department of Animal Husbandry, Davis.

² Department of Animal Husbandry, Hopland.

³ The authors wish to express their appreciation to the ranchers: A. M. Alvares, Red Bluff; Roscoe Brothers, Petrolia; Floyd Farley, Merced and Elliott Redd, Kelseyville; to the Farm Advisors: L. V. Maxwell, J. Dunbar, D. A. Petersen and W. C. Lusk, and to the Extension Livestock Specialists, R. Albaugh and H. Strong, for their assistance with the field trials; to Richard Rainaldi, Hopland Field Station shepherd; and to Mrs. A. L. Vincent, for assistance with analysis of the data.