CATTLEMAN’S CHRONICLE FLYING H GENETICS
Spring Newsletter
2013
Vol. 12
Really? Don’t Crossbreed . . . That’s Crazy!
O
ver the last two years, I have read several articles, subjected myself to the Angus Association’s marketing blitz, and listened to a keynote speaker all trying to convince me NOT to crossbreed. That’s UNBELIEVABLE! If there is any sure fire, “slam dunk” way to increase profits in this business….. crossbreeding is one of them, hands down. The smoke screen wafting from these anti-crossbreeding advocates is driven by one simple argument – consistency/predictability. Opponents of crossbreeding say that using hybrids vastly decreases the genetic predictability of a calf crop, thus creating an inconsistent mongrelized set of calves. They believe that predictability far outweighs the merits of heterosis (hybrid vigor) to a fault. To them, it is better to breed cattle that are consistent for type and small rather than a set that is uneven and heavy. As you can see, arguments against crossbreeding are not profit driven. Therefore, we can conclude that the attacks on crossbreeding are not levied with YOUR profits in mind, only theirs.
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Let’s clear the air right now and establish that some crossbred cattle can be inconsistent for size, type, & kind. The real issue lies not with them being crossbred, but rather their breeding. To further explain, mating cattle that are unlike for size, type, & kind will tend to create inconsistencies in future generations. However, if you mate similar individuals of different breeds that have the same approximate patterns for growth, mature size, end product qualities, etc. then those cattle and their offspring will be quite predictable. All of this can be seen easily when one examines the poultry, pork, and seed industries’ successful use of hybrid stock to produce a product that is both reliable and profitable. Let’s use an example from farming to further illustrate this point. Most seeds used in modern agriculture are genetically sculpted hybrids that are very consistent in their performance and yields. The combination of modern technologies and trial & error have created a