Maturity Rate

[HDRider]

Can someone rank in order of maturity rate different breeds? Or just tell me months to maturity if you know certain breeds. Or maybe just say fast maturity or slow maturity. I could not find a good reference on this subject.

Maturity in my way of thinking can be in either ready to breed or ready to slaughter.

Some of the breeds I read about regarding maturity are really not players. Players in the US market – Feel free to add the ones I missed. I know some of these are really minor players.

Red Angus
Black Angus
Gelbvieh
Hereford
Limousin
Murray Grey
Shorthorn
Charolais
Tarentaise
Beefmaster
South Devon
Waguyu
Brahman
Belted Galloway
Piedmontese
Braunvieh
Simmental
Fleckvieh
Pinzgauer
Maine-Anjou
British White
Longhorn

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

A lot will depend on the type of animal in any breed. Myself I have never had a problem with limousin being later maturing. The history of limousin says they were bred to calve at two years of age outside.

 

[HDRider]

I finally found something. Not sure I understand it.

Brahman, Limousin, Charolais, Chianina, Angus, Hereford, Simmental, Maine Anjou, South Devon, Tarentaise, Red Poll, Pinzaguer, Gelbvieh

This list from fastest to slowest maturing per table 2 on this page. Am I reading the right?

http://www.caes.uga.edu/publications/pu ... pk_ID=6894

RBB, that either says that Limousins are the 2nd fastest, or 2nd slowest maturing breed in that list. Confusing the way they represented it.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Pretty old research HD. A lot of the old limousin here in the states were huge cows and were late maturing. The more moderate cows of today are as early maturing as most other breeds. I have a picture of a young bull on here some where that's 10 months old in the picture. You look him up title of the thread was butt shot.

 

[Aaron]

The breed I have seen consistently be early maturing is Gelbvieh. Have seen more Gelbvieh straightbred and crossbreed heifer calves get bred before the age of 6 months than I can remember.

As far as late maturing, I'm not sure anything is later than a Highland.

 

[townfarmer]

My understanding (which is limited) is that there is a correlation between frame score and maturity patterns. This may not be relevant for sexual maturity but certainly with carcass finishing.

Andrew

 

[HDRider]

My understanding (which is limited) is that there is a correlation between frame score and maturity patterns. This may not be relevant for sexual maturity but certainly with carcass finishing.

Andrew

I used two measures of maturity, sexual and finished, I said slaughter.

I think you are right. I have heard smaller cattle mature faster. I think some even call that a rule.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Size is not the answer alone more to do type I think.

 

[JeffMills517]

I finally found something. Not sure I understand it.

Brahman, Limousin, Charolais, Chianina, Angus, Hereford, Simmental, Maine Anjou, South Devon, Tarentaise, Red Poll, Pinzaguer, Gelbvieh

This list from fastest to slowest maturing per table 2 on this page. Am I reading the right?

http://www.caes.uga.edu/publications/pu ... pk_ID=6894

RBB, that either says that Limousins are the 2nd fastest, or 2nd slowest maturing breed in that list. Confusing the way they represented it.

I think traditionally you have that backwards. Brahman are generally slower and Gelbvieh, Pinzgauer and Red Poll are quicker in general.

 

[heath]

According to the research HD linked to he has it right. I have a beefmaster bull and he got turned out at 13 months with 25 cows and he covered all of them.

 

[Nesikep]

Last year out of my 10 Gelbveih x Shorthorn heifers, 3 were in at 190 days on the button... They'll all be medium framed cows, One will have a big belly and be fat, the other is a more slender one, the 3rd got shipped... That being said, One of the heifers is bound to be a frame 8, she's really tall, and she only started cycling about 6 weeks ago

 

[Cross breeder #1]

Last year out of my 10 Gelbveih x Shorthorn heifers, 3 were in at 190 days on the button... They'll all be medium framed cows, One will have a big belly and be fat, the other is a more slender one, the 3rd got shipped... That being said, One of the heifers is bound to be a frame 8, she's really tall, and she only started cycling about 6 weeks ago

This is sort of evidence to the 'bigger cow - later puberty' theory. Nesikep has larger than average cows in general and he just said the frame 8 heifer (largest) was the last one to start cycling. I said sort of because it is such a small sample size. Here the biggest heifers cycle first but I think it has more to do with mom milking heavy and being very fertile, they are just more like their mothers. Once again a small sample size (we only breed 8-12 heifers a year).

 

[HDRider]

Size is not the answer alone more to do type I think.

Not sure what you mean by type?

 

[Nesikep]

Big and framey. The one I mentioned that was the last to come into heat is a full 4" taller than the others at 1 year old, but she isn't heavier.

Oh, if you want an idea of what the mother of the later maturing one looks like, see my "should I brace for twins" thread.. that's her mother. I'm 6' and I can pretty much reach her teats without bending over. Her sister was a shorter, stouter cow that I like a whole lot better.. a second calver this year, and probably going to be a frame 5-6.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

A bone rack is a bone rack, at any size.