Darrh Bullock: This is Not Your Grandfather’s Breed

Darrh Bullock University of Kentucky Beef Specialist

I am at the point of my career, nearly 30 years at UK, where I can without a doubt say that things change whether you want them to or not. Some change is for the better, others, not so much. When I started at UK a Simmental was red to yellow with a predominantly white face and often spotted, now they are mostly solid black! Angus would have been considered a moderate to smallish breed, now they have the largest mature weight and highest growth rate of any breed. I think it is important to recognize these changes because how we used a particular breed 40, 30 or even 20 years ago may not be the same as how they should be used today. One of the greatest resources that the US beef industry has is the USDA Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) in Clay Center, Nebraska. This is the location that does the primary research on breed differences to monitor how the breeds have changed over time. The USMARC germplasm evaluation program began in 1970 and has been monitoring breed differences ever since. This program has evaluated all of the heavily used breeds and others that many of us may have never heard of; how many Boran breeders do we have in KY? This program has been the foundation for many of the genetic evaluation programs that include multiple breeds and are used in the computation of Expected Progeny Differences (EPD). Additionally, the information generated from this program can be used to see how the breeds compare for various traits to assist beef farmers in determining which breeds work the best for their management, market, and production environment.

To assist beef farmers in their task of comparing breeds, Dr. Larry Cundiff, with USMARC, developed a star system to show the level of production that each breed had for each trait. The more stars a breed had for a trait indicated the more relative units of measurement for that trait. More stars could be a benefit or a liability depending on the trait. For example, more stars for marbling means a higher percentage of that breed are likely to reach the Choice Grade under similar circumstances, while having more stars for fat thickness indicated lower yielding carcasses. This system enabled producers to easily make comparisons of breeds without getting bogged down in a lot of numbers. The last time Dr. Cundiff updated the table was in 2003 and he retired in 2007. Since that time the breeds have gone through significant changes and more traits have been studied in the USMARC germplasm program. For these reasons I have developed a new table, based on Dr. Cundiff’s original work, using the most recent data

Table 1. Relative breed comparisons for various traits based on data from the USDA Meat Animal Research Center

Birth Wt. (lb)1 Weaning Wt. (lb)1 Yearling Wt. (lb)1 Mature Wt. (lb)1 Maternal Milk (lb)1 Marbling Score2

Ribeye Area (in2)3 Fat (in)4 Carcass Wt. (lb)1 Lean to-fat5

Bodily Condition Score6

Feed Efficiency Index Steers7

Feed Efficiency Index Heifers8

Angus                                              Beefmaster                          Brahman                                         Brangus                        Braunvieh                                   Charolais                                               Chiangus                                       Gelbvieh                                          Hereford                                        Limousin                                         Maine-Anjou                                  Red Angus                                          Salers                                        Santa Gertrudis                                     Shorthorn                                      Simmental                                            South Devon                               Tarentaise              

Adapted from: Encyclopedia of Animal Science – Beef Cattle: Breeds and Genetics. Cundiff, 2003 Sources:

Birth, weaning, yearling and carcass weight, maternal milk, marbling, ribeye area, fat, carcass weight (Kuehn and Thallman, BIF 2022)

Mature weight and body condition score (Ribeiro et al., 2022)

Feed efficiency indexes (Retallick et al., 2017) * Sire Breed; Hereford-Angus on dam side. Differences in 's does not imply statistical differences! 1 Breeds with more ’s indicates greater weight for this trait (X = lighter weight,      = heavier weight) at the same age 2 Breeds with more ’s indicates higher marbling score ( = lighter marbling,      = heavier marbling) when fed to the same age 3 Breeds with more ’s indicates greater ribeye area ( = smaller ribeye,      = larger ribeye) when fed to the same age 4 Breeds with more X’s indicates greater fat thickness at the 12th rib ( = less fat,      = more fat) when fed to the same age 5 Breeds with more X’s indicates more lean compared to fat based on calculated yield grade ( = higher yield grade,      = lower yield grade) when fed to the same age; yield grade calculated assuming

equal kidney, pelvic and heart fat 6 Breeds with more ’s indicates higher cow body condition scores ( = lower condition,      = higher condition) at the same stage of production 7 Breeds with more ’s indicates a higher index value (better feed efficiency;  = less efficient,      = more efficient) on a high concentrate finishing diet 8 Breeds with more ’s indicates a higher index value (better feed efficiency;  = less efficient,      = more efficient) on a low-concentrate, high forage heifer development diet

available (Table 1). If you would like to see the actual numbers used to develop the table, you can go to: https://beefimprovement.org/wpcontent/uploads/2022/02/21_ABEPD_ pressreleaseandfactsheet.pdf. Based on the USMARC data, which has been fully adjusted for sire sampling within breed, it is easy to see that Angus is now one of the largest mature weight and high growth breeds, while maintaining lower birth weights and high marbling. It can also be seen that their carcasses tend to be fatter and lighter muscled compared to many other breeds at the time of slaughter. This is important information to help guide beef farmers in their breed selection decisions and to help guide seedstock producers in making selection decisions to improve their breed for various traits. As you can see, there is no perfect breed, each has their plusses and minuses, but this information can be useful in deciding which breeds to use in your crossbreeding program because one breed can offset the weaknesses of another and vice versa.

As a beef geneticist I am fascinated by how rapidly our industry can change and sometimes concerned with how we choose to change. Just because we can change does that mean we should? Has there been any strategy within breeds to determine how they have changed, or did it just happen? An example of what I am getting at is in the Simmental breed. In the 70’s and 80’s they were noted as one of the heaviest milking breeds in the US, however, they were getting market signals from bull buyers that maybe they had too much milk. As a result, we saw downward genetic trends for Simmental for milk and now they would be considered a moderate milking breed. This was a deliberate change within the breed, however, during that same period we saw other breeds that were moderate for milk have strong genetic trend for increased milk that now surpass Simmental for milking ability. When are these breeds going to get signals from their customers that they have gone too far. I suspect soon! The other trait that is deeply concerning to me is our inability to control mature cow weight. We have controlled mature size (frame), but weight continues to rise, and we feed based on weight not frame. The older I get the more resistant to change I become, but sometimes it really is for the better. I could care less about social media, and I am concerned with the grip it has on many, but I can’t imagine how we ever got by without cell phones. Can you find the right bull for your operation within any breed? Probably, but you will likely find it easier to locate him if you start with a breed that has the production levels that fit your management, market, and environment. The best way to identify that breed is with data and there is none better than the research out of USMARC and this table should help you navigate those differences.

TIMELY TIPS FOR FEBRUARY

Get ready for calving season this month! • Have calving equipment, supplies and labor ready for the spring calving season. Some supplies that may be needed are: eartags and applicator (put numbers on eartags now), tattoo pliers and ink, record book, scales for calf weights, iodine for calves' navels and colostrum supplement. Calving equipment (puller and chains, etc.) and facilities should be ready and clean. Keep your veterinarians phone number handy! • Overall condition of the cow herd should be evaluated. Cows losing weight now are more likely to have weak or dead calves. These cows will likely be a poor source of colostrum milk for the newborn calf. Feed cows, if necessary, to keep them in good body condition. Cows need to calve in a BCS of 5, minimum, to expect them to rebreed in a timely fashion. Calve you heifers a little heavier, BCS of 6. • Heifers may begin head-start calving in early February. Move them to a clean, accessible pasture, away from cow herd and near facilities so that calving assistance can be given. Cows may start calving later this month. Signs of calving are relaxation of pelvic ligaments, enlargement and swelling of the vulva, and enlargement of the udder. Expect calving difficulty if (1) calf's head and two feet are not visible, (2) only the calf's tail is visible, and (3) the cow has been in labor for 1½ hours. Be sure calf is being presented normally before using calf puller. Recognize situations that are beyond your capability and seek professional help as early as possible. Calves that aren’t breathing should receive assistance. Try sticking a straw in nostril to stimulate a reflex or try alternate pressure and release on rib cage. Commercial respirators are also available. Calves should consume colostrum within

30 minutes of birth to achieve good immunity. • Record birthdate, cow I.D., and birthweight immediately (use your Beef IRM calendar). Identify calf with an ear tag and/or tattoo. Registered calves should be weighed in the first 24 hours. Male calves in commercial herds should be castrated and implanted as soon as possible. • Separate cows that calve away from dry cows and increase their feed. Increase feed after calving to 25-27 pounds of high quality hay. Concentrate (3-4 lb. for mature cows and about 8 lb. for first-calf heifers) may be needed if you are feeding lower quality hay. Hay analysis will greatly aid any decisions regarding type and amount of supplementation. Supplementation may have a beneficial effect on date and rate of conception. It’s an important time to feed a beef cow after calving.

Thin cows don't come into heat very soon after calving. We must have cows in good condition, if we plan to breed them early in the season for best pregnancy rates, especially on high-endophyte fescue pastures. • Sub-zero weather can mean death for newborn calves. During extremely cold spells, bring the cow(s) into a sheltered area as calving approaches to protect the calf. Be prepared to warm-up and feed newborn, chilled calves. Calving in mud can also cause problems. • Watch for scours in newborn calves. Consult your veterinarian quickly for diagnosis, cause, and treatment. Avoid muddy feeding areas so that cows' udders won't become contaminated and spread scours. Don't confine cows to muddy lots. • Replacement heifers should be gaining adequately to reach target breeding weights by April 1st. Be sure that their feeding program is adequate for early breeding. • Start looking for herd sire replacements, if needed.

• Breeding season should end this month – maybe

Valentine’s Day. Remove bulls and confine them so that they regain condition. • Consider creep feed or creep grazing (wheat, etc.) to supply extra nutrition to fall-born calves which may have to depend solely on their dam’s milk supply for growth. They are not getting much except their dam’s milk now (i.e. there is nothing to graze). February/March is the worst time of the year for fall-born calves. • Provide windbreaks or clean shelter for calves.

• Increase feed as temperature drops. When temperature falls below 15 degrees, cattle need access to windbreaks. For each 10 degree drop below 15 degrees, add three pounds of hay, two pounds of corn, or six pounds of silage to their rations. • Provide water at all times. Watch for frozen pond hazards. If cattle are watering in a pond, be sure to keep ice “chopped” to keep cattle from walking on the ice and, possibly, breaking through. Keep automatic waterers working. • You should be feeding a mineral supplement with adequate magnesium to prevent grass tetany (~ 15% Mg) now. The Hi-mag UK Beef IRM mineral can be used. • Control lice. Watch for signs such as rubbing. • Begin pasture renovation. You can overseed clover on frozen or snow-covered pastures. For more information on frost seeding clover, look at the January issue of Off the Hoof or go to the UK

Forages website. (www.forages.ca.uky.edu).