Genotype-environment Interactions for Reproduction and Maternal Performance of Bos indicus and Bos taurus Crosses in Nebraska and Florida

Authors

Larry V. Cundiff, U.S. Meat Animal Research CenterFollow
Timothy A. Olsen, University of Florida
K. Euclides Filho, National Beef Cattle Research Center
M. Kroger, University of Florida
W. T. Butts, USDA-ARS
Keith E. Gregory, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center

Date of this Version

1993

Document Type

Article

Comments

Published in Beef Research Program Progress Report (1993) No. 4 (Part 1): 65-66

Abstract

In the U.S., cattle of diverse breeds and crosses are maintained in diverse climatic environments ranging from the temperate-continental conditions of the North Central region, characterized by wide fluctuations in temperate from winter to summer, to subtropical conditions of the Southeastern region, characterized by relatively moderate winter temperatures but high temperatures and humidity in the summer mo. The genetic range is spanned by Bos indicus (humped cattle) breeds, that originally evolved under tropical conditions of India and Pakistan, and by Bos taurus (nonhumped) breeds, that originally evolved under temperate conditions of continental Europe and the British Isles. The present experiment was conducted to investigate genotype- environment interaction for reproduction and maternal performance of Bos indicus x Bos taurus (Bi X Bt) F1 cross cows compared to Bos taurus x Bos taurus (Bt X Bt) F1 cross cows in a temperate (Nebraska) and a subtropical (Florida) environment. The term genotype-environment interaction applies when differences between genotypes (e.g., breeds, lines within breeds, sire progeny groups) found in one environment (e.g., climate, diet, location) change in magnitude or even rank when compared in other environments.