Traits simulated can be subdivided
into growth and body weights, energy
requirements, milk production, reproduction
and carcass characteristics.
Tables 1 (calf and cow weights, milk
production, reproduction and calving
difficulty), 2 (feed energy requirements),
3 (carcass characteristics and value under
Equal Age slaughter), and 4 (carcass
characteristics and value under Equal
Fat slaughter) contain purebred values
for samples of the traits. Value per pound
of carcass for slaughter steers and heifers
was based on yield grade, marbling
and breed type using regression equa-
Table 1. Purebred animal weights (1b), milk production (lb/205 days), reproductive performance
and calving difficulty used in simulations.
Breed Birth weight// 200-day Breeding wt//Milk// % weaned// % calving
Hereford 83 431 1151 2156 83.3 49
Angus 78 465 1155 2846 84.7 32
Simmental 92 540 1332 4105 82.4 45
Limousin 86 474 1273 3258 85.2 34
Charolais 95 522 1416 3137 85.2 42
Brahman 75 517 1352 4262 84.0 7
Red Poll 85 484 1168 3752 84.4 58
Gelbvieh 91 543 1330 4045 85.1 53
Maine Anjou 92 505 1407 3876 85.4 48
Braunvieh 94 542 1326 4475 85.2 51
Chianina 92 509 1415 3117 86.4 37
Brangus 84 468 1302 3543 83.3 41
Pinzgauer 96 525 1278 4061 84.2 53
Tarentaise 82 506 1279 3783 83.2 36
aData simulated for 2-year-old, 3-year-old, and mature dams; data from only mature dams shown here.
bAverage for steers and heifers.
cData simulated for 2-year-old, 3-year-old, and mature dams; data from only 2-year-old dams shown here.
Table 2. Purebred energy requirements and milk production used in the simulations.
Breed// Maintenance Preweaning Feedlot Feedlot
energya gain energy gain energyb gain energyc
Kcal/kg.75/day Mcal/lb Mcal/lb Mcal/lb
Hereford 108 2.27 5.56 5.39
Angus 109 2.38 5.59 5.39
Simmental 121 2.55 5.32 5.39
Limousin 118 2.38 5.33 5.39
Charolais 116 2.50 5.31 5.39
Brahman 109 2.54 5.40 5.39
Red Poll 117 2.41 5.44 5.39
Gelbvieh 116 2.57 5.31 5.39
Maine Anjou 110 2.46 5.39 5.39
Braunvieh 117 2.56 5.34 5.39
Chianina 125 2.47 5.38 5.39
Brangus 109 2.37 5.40 5.39
Pinzgauer 114 2.50 5.33 5.39
Tarentaise 113 2.49 5.40 5.39
aNon-lactating, gestating cow; all other cow and calf simulated maintenance costs derived from this
base value.
bData simulated for steers and heifers; steer data shown here for "Equal Age" slaughter scenario.
cData simulated for steers and heifers; steer data shown here for "Equal Fat" slaughter scenario.
Table 3. Purebred steera carcass characteristics used in Equal Age (440 days) at slaughter
simulations.
Breed //Yield grade //Marbling score// Carcass weight, lb Value, $/lb
Hereford 3.32 421 675 1.05
Angus 3.46 441 697 1.04
Simmental 2.29 380 767 1.09
Limousin 1.89 343 728 1.10
Charolais 2.34 371 767 1.08
Brahman 2.91 351 743 1.05
Red Poll 3.11 430 694 1.06
Gelbvieh 2.09 353 750 1.09
Maine Anjou 2.49 368 747 1.08
Braunvieh 2.13 384 747 1.09
Chianina 2.24 317 732 1.09
Brangus 2.99 381 747 1.05
Pinzgauer 2.32 416 757 1.08
Tarentaise 2.91 393 728 1.07
aHeifer data were simulated from steer data.
Page 5 — 2001 Nebraska Beef Report
profitable systems under this scenario.
Okay, I know these graphs don't come out right, this is a pdf file from the univ of Nebraska called "the beef herd" and is a 120 page file... I would have been happy to have given you the link but I can't find it on their website anymore (or maybe I'm looking in the wrong place).
He's going to a smaller cow (however, my heifers came out of cows very similar to the size of charolais). He's also going to a smaller calf. If he follows them through in the feedlot, he's increasing his marbling and grade but he's also switching from continental to english so that is to be expected.
My heifers won't be a year old until feb/mar and my 2 bull calves are six months old so I can't give you figures as to how the calves sell. I will say that mine are very gentle, docile in the pasture or in the chute. They are early maturing and many of the people who raise red polls tell me they have longevity. I researched the red angus and red poll quite a bit before I purchased any.
It's like any other breed, not one single breed out there can do it all. The red poll breed isn't well known, but so far I'm satisfied with mine. Time will tell.
The herd I bought my calves from does not supplement their cows with grain, but they also wean them at 400-450 lbs so I don't know if they'd have to supplement if the calf stayed on until 7 months.
You didn't say, has he switched to all red polls or is he keeping a simmy bull on the red poll cows?
