J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1974. 38:728-745.
© 1974 American Society of Animal Science
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Effects of Heterosis on Maternal Performance and Milk Production in Hereford, Angus and Shorthorn Cattle1

Larry V. Cundiff2, Keith E. Gregory2, Frank J. Schwulst3 and Robert M. Koch4

U. S. Department of Agriculture and University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68503

Abstract

Effects of heterosis on milk production and maternal heterosis on preweaning growth traits and conformation score were evaluated in reciprocal crossbred and straightbred cows of Hereford (H), Angus (A) and Shorthorn (S) breeds. Maternal heterosis was estimated from the difference between progeny of crossbred and straightbred dams sired by the same bulls of a third breed. A total of 555 and 420 calves were produced by crossbred and straightbred dams, respectively. Milk production and composition were evaluated on a sample of 149 crossbred and 101 straightbred cows ranging from 2 to 5 years of age. Approximately one-half of the cows were developed and managed to calve first as 2-year-olds and one-half as 3-year-olds to evaluate effects of maternal heterosis expressed from 2 through 6 years of age and 3 through 8 years of age in each management regime, respectively.

Over all breeds, ages and management regimes, effects of maternal heterosis were 1.7% for birth weight (P<.05), 3.6% for weight at 135 days (P<.01), 4.7% for weight at 200 days (P<.01) and one-sixth of a grade (P< .01) for conformation. These effects of maternal heterosis did reflect greater and more persistent milk production in favor of crossbred cows over straightbred cows by 0.9% at 2 weeks postpartum, 7.5% at 6 weeks postpartum (P<.05), 6.1% at about 14 weeks postpartum and 38% (P<.01) at weaning at about 29 weeks postpartum.

Footnotes

1 Published with approval of the Director as Paper No. 3590 Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. Contribution from North Central Regional Project NC-1, Improvement of Beef Cattle Through Breeding Methods.

2 U. S. Meat Animal Research Center, North Central Region, A. R. S., Clay Center, Nebraska 68933.

3 Milk production data reported herewith are from the Ph.D. dissertation of Frank Schwulst, University of Nebraska. Present address: Department of Animal Science, American University, Beirut, Lebanon.

4 Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska, U. S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Nebraska 68933.




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