3waycross":27keev1o said:
keysbottles":27keev1o said:
Do you get this same bump with a Balancer/Hereford cross...I guess what I'm asking is do the two breeds have to be full blood?
For my money and a lot of other folks that is the ultimate deal. The 3waycross adds the last little bit of available heterosis, and with that cross you will get growth and max your carcass traits. Personally I would much prefer a Red Gelbvieh crossed on the hereford cow then breed the resulting offspring to a hot terminal Angus bull. That gives you a red/red baldie cowherd that is more heat tolerant, has great maternal and should have real good disposition. Then the Angus gives them what the market seems to want. The blk hide. :2cents: :2cents: :2cents:
Keybottles and Forum contributors-
This contribution to this thread may be a little involved, but please bear with me.
Being retired these days, and not having to slug in the snow and mud to discharge mandatory obligations to my cattle charges, I am cozy and warm in my comfortable chair watching the 2011 National Football League Scouting Combine, by which Professional NFL Team Managers, Scouts, and Owners are analyzing (Judging!) potential draftees for their respective teams - which draft is coming at the end of April this year.
I agree with 3waycross in this thread in relationship to Heterosis and cross-bred vigor! The most
outstanding, bare, simple, naked fact that I have detected in this seeming unrelated activity to
beef cattle production and breeding is that Single Trait Selection protocols is NOT in the formula for choosing champions - in ANY activity! These football team Executives are using the most sophisticated electronic and human selection protocols I have ever seen! - - and they are using from 10 to 20
different methods and techniques in making their final decisions prior to drafting (buying!) their potential "money-makers!" They are not basing their selections on color, size, Phenotype (What the player "looks" like), or Functional abilities (Traits!). Potential (future)
performance is uppermost in their selection agendas.
Consider these few examples: any sports activity or game, manufacturing or growing ANY usable product for human consumption, and certainly in the breeding of beef cattle for
profit to the producer or consumer - ALL of these businesses require considerations of multiple factors before the final decisions are made to impose definitive actions!
In answer to your question as to whether the two breeds "have to be full blood" or not - of course not. The critical factors upon which to focus precludes specific breed decisions. Concentrating on the particular "Type" of cattle with which you are concerned will point you in the direction of seedstock you should acquire. Whether it is Purebred, Crossbred, 3waycross, or multiple breeds being employed in your Management decisions, the overall
quality of the seedstock used will determine the bottom-line results of the progeny - not just one or two or three "barn-blind" factors. The
tools that are applied are Visual Appraisal, Ancestral Performance, EPD's, DNA Technology, Individual Performance, Frame size, Structural Soundness, Fleshing ability, the afore-mentioned 'functional traits', and, of course, the particular traits of the individual Breeds being considered. There are, arguably, many other factors which can be thrown into the "decision" mix when selections are being made, but the one's mentioned above cover the majority of the most important.
The bottom line here that I am hoping to present in an understandable manner is, "Single Trait Selection" methods, whether breeds, or crossbreeds, or characteristics is NOT the acceptable method of making final choices. MANY thoughts and ideas and a lot of time should be involved in the last and final act of the ultimate decision point!
Thanks for reading this bit of Philosophy. I hope it helps.
DOC HARRIS