Comparison of body weight and reproduction performance in cows of various beef breeds managed under equal conditions in West Pomerania

R Pilarczyk,J Wójcik

doi:10.5194/aab-51-318-2008

Abstract

Abstract. The aim of the study was to compare the body weight and the parameters of reproductive performance in beef cows of various breeds following their import to Poland from 1995–1997. The analyses included cows of five beef breeds: Red Angus, Salers, Hereford, Limousin and Simmental. We have compared the body weights and calving intervals during the period from their arrival to Poland in 1995 until 2002, with subsequent calvings included in the analyses. Other aspects included calving difficulty, abortions, stillbirths and twin births. The analysis of the cows’ reproductive performance has revealed that the studied breeds differ in the calving interval. Best results were achieved by Simmental and Limousine cows, while Red Angus cows exhibited the poorest performance. The effect of subsequent calving on the calving interval was also confirmed. We have observed no differences among the mature cows with respect to the body weight and calving ease.

Highlights

Beef production in Poland is mostly based on the breeds that are managed for dairy or dairy-beef purposes
The analysis of the mean cow body weights (Table 1) has demonstrated that the lowest body weight until the 3rd calving was found in the Red Angus cows, while between the 4th and the 6th calving – in the Simmental cows
The target height is reached by the cows before they attain their maximum body weight, with three-year-old cows having 96 % of a mature cow’s height (ARANGO et al, 2002)

Summary

Introduction

Beef production in Poland is mostly based on the breeds that are managed for dairy or dairy-beef purposes. Selection of breeds of medium frame sizes puts emphasis on their growth rate rather than calving ease or low body weight at birth, which is the case in the selection of large-frame-size cattle (NÚÑEZ-DOMINGUEZ et al, 1993) It is a rule in beef cattle management that cows are used only for reproduction and calf nursing. Comparisons would need to be made among cattle breeds raised under the same conditions and preferably over a range of conditions to evaluate the possibility of genotype × environment interactions Such ideal comparisons require a large input of financial resources (JAKUBEC et al, 2003). The aim of this study, which was to compare reproductive performance and body weight of cows of various beef breeds over a several years' period following the import of the cows to Poland on a farm where cows are systematically inseminated with the semen of modern-type polled bulls

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion