Effects of Heterosis on Lifetime Production in Beef Cows

Authors

Larry V. Cundiff, U.S. Meat Animal Research CenterFollow
Rafael Nunez-Dominquez, Universidad Autonoma ChapingoFollow
Gordon E. Dickerson, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center
Keith E. Gregory, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center
Robert M. Koch, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center

Date of this Version

1985

Document Type

Article

Comments

Published in Beef Research Program Progress Report (1985) No. 2: 13-14

Abstract

Results from a crossbreeding experiment conducted at the Fort Robinson Beef Cattle Research Station with Herefords, Angus, Shorthorns, and their reciprocal crosses demonstrated that weaning weight per cow exposed to breeding was increased 23 percent/year by favorable effects of heterosis on survival and growth of crossbred calves and by improved reproduction and maternal ability of crossbred cows. More recent results have shown that heterosis also increases longevity of beef cows. The present study was conducted to evaluate total effects of heterosis on longevity, calf crop percentage weaned, and weaning weights of progeny when combined into one trait (lifetime production of calf weight weaned per cow entering the breeding herd).