Double Line bred (sp.??)

[FLJoe]

I have a reg. Beefmaster calf due in the next week or so. The dam is a granddaughter of Levi. The sire is also a grandson of Levi. Different parents of course. I think this is called double line or line breeding? Are there any drawbacks or dangers with this? If we have a heifer, I plan on keeping her and breeding her to my Beefmaster bull who is out of Country Western lines. That is, if she has no health issues. Any thoughts would be great!

 

[TheBullLady]

If they are grand - siblings, you're probably okay. We see a lot of that in the Brahman breed. I would stay away from that line when you breed the heifer (if you get one)

The biggest drawback of linebreeding is that you run the risk of getting double the bad qualities as well as the good.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Selective linebreeding can work for you as well as not work. Can accentuate the positive (or negative). Avoid father/daughter, mother/son, brother/sister. Go back a minimum of one generation for linebreeding. "incest" breeding increases chances of "defective" offspring considerably.

 

[ollie]

What would you conseder incest? I think that is a term reserved for the human race.

 

[txshowmom]

While its a good idea to avoid moth/father breeding in cattle. One generation should not be effected but I would not breed back a third generation.

 

[Larry Sansom]

I have a reg. Beefmaster calf due in the next week or so. The dam is a granddaughter of Levi. The sire is also a grandson of Levi. Different parents of course. I think this is called double line or line breeding? Are there any drawbacks or dangers with this? If we have a heifer, I plan on keeping her and breeding her to my Beefmaster bull who is out of Country Western lines. That is, if she has no health issues. Any thoughts would be great!

As mentioned above, linebreeding will lock in the good and the bad traits, so make sure you like all the traits of the bull you are linebreeding. The best book out there ever is "The Basis of Linebreeding" by Jim Lents ([email protected]) Jim's book starts with the biblical explaination of linebreeding, then gives a very good example by example of linebreeding. The basic rule is to never have over 50% of any one animal in the pedigree. Example 50% sire X 50 % Dam . This allows for half brother, half sister mating ( grand sire of the resulting calf is 25% times 2 for 50%). I do not know much of your breed - but if you like the calf - keep her and you will probably get good calves from most any other sire on her.

 

[greenwillowherefords]

When someone like Coopers or Holdens, to use an example I know about in the Hereford breed, has proven a line-bred group of cattle for years, they have usually been successful. The key is to cull very hard against the undesirable traits. Linebred animals really give a genetic boost when out-crossed.
One reason for sire-daughter matings is to check a bull that will be marketed AI for weaknesses, for they will show up if there are any. Gary Witherspoon told me of a Prospector bull that was mated to over 100 of his own daughters, never producing a single defect. That would be a bull to rely on!

 

[J Baxter]

While its a good idea to avoid moth/father breeding in cattle.

How ya'll come across calves? :shock: ;-)

 

[txshowmom]

txshowmom wrote:
While its a good idea to avoid moth/father breeding in cattle.


How ya'll come across calves?

_________________

Oops I meant to say father/daughter

 

[dcara]

I've heard that before AI, father/daughter breeding was how they checked the bulls genetics since flaws were much more easily seen in the calves from this breeding