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Regardless of production stage or industry sector, Burris said producers would benefit from evaluating their own cattle and breeding those cattle to genetics that will complement their herd. “Breed to improve structure and soundness or breed to improve carcass or performance,” Burris said. “Find those weaknesses within your herd and work to eliminate those weaknesses.” It comes down to using the tools available to select genetics that will compliment a producer’s herd, coincide with his production goals, and work well in his environment, not against it. Burris also said disposition of Bos indicus cattle was a concern among cattlemen. Let’s be realistic. Docility was a problem in the past for producers raising Brahman-influenced cattle. Although, since Beefmaster producers in cooperation with Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) have recognized the issue, they have worked to effectively minimize the problem by selecting for
improved disposition within their operations. “Disposition seems to be more of a problem in some other Brahman-influenced breeds than in the Beefmaster breed,” Burris said. “I always look at docility and disposition and select for that. When I bring a bull in, I want to be sure I’m not bringing in problems, and I do the same thing with Angus cattle. If my herd has a problem, that’s what I’m going to try to take care of first.” In regards to the perception that all Brahman-influenced cattle have problems with disposition, Burris said it would be a mistake for producers to affirm those negative perceptions and give critics something else to pick apart. “In my experience, Brahman-type cattle tend to respond better and more quickly to the way they’re handled and the way they’re treated,” Burris said. “There are always some outliers, but they need to be culled and disposition needs to be
looked at within all Bos indicus breeds.” Burris keeps approximately 200 brood cows at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center and tries to maintain some Brahman-influenced cattle in the herd. He keeps a few purebred Angus and Brahman-influenced bulls and breeds replacement females to uphold a 3/16 Brahman-cross. Because of their hardiness and adaptability, longevity is an indirect advantage of Bos indicus cattle. “Longevity, to me, is the biggest benefit of Brahman-influenced cattle—their ability to stay structurally sound, stay in the herd and continue producing,” Burris said. Ultimately, implementing Beefmaster and/or Brahman-influenced genetics provides tremendous profit potential for cow-calf producers as well as stockers, introducing benefits from heterosis, more longevity and improved performance on high-endophyte fescue. “Infusion of Brahman
The Beefmaster Pay Weight
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genetics seems to offer an alternative means of reducing the impact of fescue toxicosis on both cow-calf and stocker performance,” Browning said. “Use of Brahman genetics to overcome challenging environmental conditions is not a new concept. Somewhat overlooked, however, may be the potential of Brahman germplasm to enhancing cattle performance in another challenging production environment, the high endophyte-infected tall fescue pasture.” For more information about Brahman-influenced genetics or to find a Beefmaster seedstock provider, visit www.beefmasters.org.
Brittni Drennan Freelance Writer