MAKING THINGS HAPPEN. ON-GOING PROJECTS. INNOVATION WITH NEW GENETICS THROUGH BREEDING UP TO BRANGUS First-generation Brangus bull Pathfinder was born in 1987. He represented new breed genetics evolving from Angus and Brahman foundation bases. Pathfinder was the number one used A.I. sire in the Brangus breed for many years. It was written that never before had the breed been in need of such a bull. In recent times, expansion of the Brangus genetic base within the breed has been limited. Five years ago, Town Creek Farm embarked on a mission to develop new, first generation 3/8-5/8 Brangus genetics We are utilizing in vitro fertilization to accelerate candidate population and improve odds of producing outcross, first generation Brangus. Foundation Brahman genetics are sourced from Kempfer Cattle Company, one of the few registered Brahman herds in the United States that centers on fertility, early puberty, function, feet and legs and longevity. We are crossing them with proven Angus sires. By-product crosses from our breeding up program, like our VigorMax™ half-blood bulls, have generated a high level of interest to impart higher levels of heterosis in cowherds. We believe innovation is necessary to create value that our customers expect. Sons of first generation bulls offer our customers Brangus bulls that will transmit higher levels of heterosis than with multigenerational Brangus.
DNA PRODUCT TO MEASURE PERCENT BOS INDICUS AVAILABLE SOON Town Creek Farm has been a driving force in initiating the launch of a DNA product to determine percent Bos Indicus of Brahman derivative cattle. Having accurate knowledge of Bos Indicus or Brahman content is essential in evaluating adaptability to environments. Town Creek Farm pitched the idea to Neogen leaders one year ago in June. Neogen agreed that industry conditions were favorable for a breed composition product. Neogen is now in a 10 stage process for bringing a new product to market. Nearing its final stage, Neogen is beta testing DNA from Town Creek Farm animals and leading Brangus and Ultrablack sires. The product is expected in the near future. “The research and exploration opportunities ahead of us are monumental, and we greatly appreciate the opportunity to partner with Town Creek Farm,” says Tom Shultz of Neogen. The product is expected to be reasonably priced and can assist producers in managing Brahman content of cow herds and mating replacement heifers.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA PROFESSOR, DR. RALUCA MATEESCU, RIGHT, IS PICTURED WITH MILTON SUNDBECK AND JOY REZNICEK.
RESEARCH TO DETERMINE HETEROSIS ESTIMATIONS IN BRANGUS CATTLE FUNDED BY TOWN CREEK FARM Town Creek Farm is committed to investing in projects from which our customers stand to benefit. Town Creek Farm has partnered with University of Florida to determine heterosis estimations in Brangus cattle. Dr. Raluca Mateescu, University of Florida Associate Professor of Animal Science, and her doctoral student, Joel Leal, have set out to determine estimations of heterosis levels in Brangus cattle, and crosses of Angus and Brahman cattle. “Brahman and Angus genomes are quite different, and many genetic markers across the genome have different alleles in the two breeds,” says Mateescu. This allows us to track the breed origin of each chromosomal fragment and estimate the exact amount of heterozygosity in first generation Brangus as well as the decay in heterozygosity in subsequent generations.” “For many genes, both breeds have the same allele (alternative forms of a gene), and for those genes there is no heterosis effect. The maximum heterosis comes from genes which are in homozygous state for alternative alleles in the two breeds,” Mateescu says. High density 250K genotypes on more than 1500 DNA samples will be utilized.
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