Fescue Genetic Test

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I'll likely stick to the practical observations/Bonsma type evaluations here. Slick hair, adequate growth, short calving periods, ... and I'll save $29/head. A 46 or 47 day calving season is good enough for me.
 
Seems like it could be a decent process to implement into a program. Maybe a good selling point for people in fescue country. I'd probably pay a little more for heifers or younger cows if I had this information on them however, I almost exclusively grow and maintain my herd internally. I rarely buy cows or heifers from outside; mainly stick to changing bulls.

For now, I manage my susceptible cattle through culling seeing as the effects of toxicosis don't seem to really show up until cows are 6 years old or so (in my experience). It might add some value by being able to identify this trait in heifers I want to keep instead of waiting a few years to see if it shows up.
 
sim.-ang.king said:
Raise your own cattle on fescue, and nature will weed out the culls.

Or just raise corrientes, because ah, they are like the, best.

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You are partially correct. I have culled in the past because of this. It's easier to match the cow to the environment than to match the environment to the cow.
Never seen a longhorn or Corriente with fescue problems. Maybe you hit onto something.
 
I did get a response from AgBotanica and it appears the test is available but not yet integrated into an easy system for ease of use. The samples are processed by Neogen and results are sent to AgBotanica for interpretation and reporting to the customer. They readily conceded the website needed some work but that it is functional.
 
I agree on the cull from your own closed herd and it shouldnt be an issue. We have to bring in cows at some point and this seems to have merit if you aren't sure of the management those cattle were under or if they are coming in from outside of fescue country. Seems like it could prevent a lot of problems when starting a herd.
 
kenny thomas said:
You are partially correct. I have culled in the past because of this. It's easier to match the cow to the environment than to match the environment to the cow.
Never seen a longhorn or Corriente with fescue problems. Maybe you hit onto something.
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Never seen a deer with fescue problems either. They probably gain like a corriente.
 
Aero said:
I agree on the cull from your own closed herd and it shouldnt be an issue. We have to bring in cows at some point and this seems to have merit if you aren't sure of the management those cattle were under or if they are coming in from outside of fescue country. Seems like it could prevent a lot of problems when starting a herd.
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Bringing in cattle is always a low % success rate if you are 100% honest. The best thing to know is if they shed off quickly in the spring. There are some exceptions. The best option is to AI to selected bulls and let gestational programing help the calves fit. But what I have found is the 25% influence of an outside source and two gestational programing events make the best of the introductions.
 
While deer will graze stuff like winter rye/wheat/ryegrass/clovers/brassicas, they are primarily browsers, and probably don't eat much fescue, even if it's 99% of what's growing in someone's pastures.
Leaves, buds, tender twigs, berries/fruits/seeds are on the menu for the hooved rats.
 
Sometimes you all take things too literally. The point was the rate of gain, maybe we should crossbreed with deer since they're easy keepers.

Waiting for someone to tell me that deer and cattle won't crossbreed....
 
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