A comparison of Charolais and beef X Friesian suckler cows.

Abstract

The studies carried out included comparisons of Charolais and Beef x Friesian suckler cows in terms of voluntary silage intake, colostrum yield and immunoglobulin level, calf immunoglobulin level and cow milk yield in addition to animal production experiments. In all experiments the Charolais animals used were a minimum of 7/8 Charolais and were the result of an upgrading programme at Grange commencing with Charolais x Friesians. In the production experiments, only Hereford x Friesian cows (and their progeny) were compared with the Charolais while in all other experiments the Beef x Friesians included both Hereford x Friesians and Limousin x Friesians.