Heterosis or homozygous

[Jalopy]

When dealing with terminal crosses for cattle one should look for the best hybrid vigor or heterosis. Right?
But to get the best hybrid vigor you need two parents that are polar opposites and carry the traits for which you are striving for in your calves. Therefore the seed stock producers aim to create cattle with homozygous genes. If you can forgo any breed prejudices for the sake of discussion can anyone agree that by
continually heading in one direction the cattle industry will make itself suceptible to disease or worse yet market manipulation? I do not think we are headed as a whole in any one direction but there are trends or fads that have in the past and present lead me to wonder about our industry's direction. Anyone ever wonder about this or is just the day to day management enough to keep everyone occupied?

 

[Frankie]

When dealing with terminal crosses for cattle one should look for the best hybrid vigor or heterosis. Right?
But to get the best hybrid vigor you need two parents that are polar opposites and carry the traits for which you are striving for in your calves. Therefore the seed stock producers aim to create cattle with homozygous genes. If you can forgo any breed prejudices for the sake of discussion can anyone agree that by
continually heading in one direction the cattle industry will make itself suceptible to disease or worse yet market manipulation? I do not think we are headed as a whole in any one direction but there are trends or fads that have in the past and present lead me to wonder about our industry's direction. Anyone ever wonder about this or is just the day to day management enough to keep everyone occupied?

Crossbred COWS are shown to produce more pounds of calf, be more fertile, and live longer than straight bred cows.

But, in my opinion, if you're raising "terminal crosses" that are headed to the feedlot, you should be more concerned with consistency and quality than heterosis.

Heterosis isn't magic. Crossbreeding doesn't affect highly heritable traits like carcass quality and feedlot gain.

http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare ... 150web.pdf

 

[KNERSIE]

But, in my opinion, if you're raising "terminal crosses" that are headed to the feedlot, you should be more concerned with consistency and quality than heterosis.

I agree with Frankie. (what is this world coming too?!! :shock: ;-) )