Comparison of Retaining Replacement Heifers in a Straight-bred Angus System Versus Purchasing Crossbred Replacement Heifers to Be Bred to a Terminal Sire

Author

Grady D. Ruble, South Dakota State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

2018

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Animal Science

First Advisor

Cody L. Wright

Keywords

crossbreeding, purchased, raised, replacement heifer

Abstract

Two evaluations were conducted to evaluate the biological and economic production efficiency of retaining replacement females in a straight-bred Angus herd (HR) as opposed to purchasing crossbred replacements for a terminal sire production system (PR) where maximum maternal and individual heterosis is achieved. The first study was a comparison of the HR system versus PR system. It was modeled after a 100 hd, straightbred Angus cowherd that raises their own replacement females. The (NASEM, 2016) model was used to determine the required metabolizable energy (ME)/animal for each stage of production. Stages were broken into segments including weaning – d 28, d 29 – breeding, breeding – mid-gestation. It was determined, that on the same ME resources, an operator can run 117 cows and produce 7,833 more kilograms in the PR system compared to the 100 cows in the HR system. Economically, the PR system produced $10,949 more dollars of net income than the HR system. In the second study, 25 Angus and 29 SimAngus heifers were placed in the South Dakota State University Cow Calf Education and Research Facility Insentec feeding system, where they were evaluated for dry matter intake, average daily gain, gain:feed, metabolizable energy intake, predicted dry matter intake, and residual feed intake based on NRC prediction equations. At the start of the trial there was no difference in initial BW. The first period (d 1 - 98) featured no difference in BW, DMI, G:F, ME intake, predicted DMI or RFINRC. However, Angus heifers exhibited a greater ADG (P ≤ 0.02) than SimAngus heifers. During period 2 (d 99 - 167), heifer BW, G:F, and RFINRC were not different between breeds; however, Angus heifers had a greater ADG (P ≤ 0.02), DMI (P < 0.01), ME intake (P

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Heifers -- Breeding.
Heifers -- Selection.
Aberdeen-Angus cattle.

Description

Includes bibliographical references

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

103

Publisher

South Dakota State University

Recommended Citation

Ruble, Grady D., "Comparison of Retaining Replacement Heifers in a Straight-bred Angus System Versus Purchasing Crossbred Replacement Heifers to Be Bred to a Terminal Sire" (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2950.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/2950