Date: October 10, 2003
The following are summaries of items contained in "Beef Cattle Research in Texas - 2002"
published August, 2003 by the Texas A&M Animal Science Department.
COMPARISON OF F1 BRAHMAN, BORAN, AND TULI FEMALES
Researchers at the TAES-McGregor Experiment Station compared females sired by Brahman (Br), Boran (Bo), and Tuli (Tu) sires and out of Angus or Hereford dams. Boran is a Zebu (humped) breed native to east Africa. Tuli is a Sanga (humped-humpless intermediate) breed native to Zimbabwe in Africa. Birth weights out of Br and Bo females averaged 78.1 lb, compared to Tu at 76.5 lb. Weaning weights produced by the three types of females were 505 lb (Br), 472 lb(Bo), and 441 lb (Tu). However, Br females averaged weighing 1322 lb at palpation, compared to 1130 for Bo and 1128 for Tu. So, ratios for weaning weight in relation to predicted cow nutritional maintenance requirements were 100 (Br), 105 (Bo), and 98 (Tu). Weaning rates were 80.8% (Br), 87.4% (Bo), and 83.7% (Tu). Combining weaning rates and weaning weight/cow maintenance requirement, ratios were 100 (Br), 114 (Bo), and 102 (Tu). Boran-cross females may offer some advantages over Brahman-crosses in efficiency of production to weaning.
TIFTON-85 VS. COASTAL FOR 1/2 - AND 1/4-BRAHMAN STOCKERS
Researchers at TAES-Overton compared Hereford X Brahman (1/2) and Hereford X Angus-Brahman (1/4) weaned calves. Calves were weaned on JUN 9, kept in drylot for a week and grazed until AUG 31 on either Tifton-85 (unsupplemented) or Coastal supplemented with 2 lb/hd/day of a 28% CP mix. For the first 41 days after weaning, ADG was similar on both treatments at about 1.65 lb/da. Calves on TIF-85 gained slightly more during the final 42 days (late JUL through AUG). But stocking rate was over twice as high on TIF-85, resulting in 551 lb gain/acre, compared to 225 for Coastal. Over the entire 83 days,1/4 calves gained about 1.4 lb/da on both pastures, but 1/2 calves gained 2.2 on TIF-85 and 1.83 on supplemented Coastal. TIF-85 produced faster gains and more gain per acre, and 1/2-Brahman was superior to 1/4.
GRAZING HYBRID FORAGE SORGHUMS
Workers at the TAMU-Amarillo Center grazed brown midrib (B) and normal (N) Sorghum X Sudan hybrids in two successive years. Grazing was from JUL 20 to AUG 30 the first year and JUL 5 to SEP 13 the second year. Stocking rates were similar both years, averaging 115 head-days/acre for B and 114 for N. ADG and gain/acre averaged 2.94 lb/day and 337 lb/acre for B and 2.62 and 300 for N. Authors noted that ADG was higher than often seen, due to shorter than usual grazing periods. They stressed the need to balance stocking rate and length of grazing to optimize forage quality, animal performance, and total production. In the third year, B was planted MAY 23 for continuous grazing and MAY 23, JUN 4, and JUN 14 for rotation grazing. Grazing on both treatments was from JUL 9 to SEP 27. ADG was very similar (2.44 vs 2.45) but rotation grazing yielded 10 more head-days/acre and 25 lb/acre more gain. The authors stated that, not only was total gain higher by rotating, the system also works better for a combination of grazing and haying.
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