Ranking of Sire Breeds and Beef Cross Breeding of Dairy and Beef Cows

Abstract

Data from Grange Beef Research Centre in Ireland (Keane, More O'Ferrall and Connolly, 1989; More O'Ferrall and Keane, 1990; Keane et al., 1990; Keane and More O'Ferrall, 1992; Keane, 1994; Keane and Allen, 2002) and from the United Kingdom (UK) Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) (Southgate, Cook and Kempster, 1988; Kempster, Cook and Southgate, 1988) were used to compile a ranking for common production traits of progeny of straight-bred Holstein-Friesians (HF) and crosses out of HF cows and the common beef breeds. In the Grange studies, the animals were reared as steers to around two years of age and serially slaughtered. The MLC animals were also reared as steers in 16- or 24-month production systems and were slaughtered at an estimated constant proportion of subcutaneous fat.