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Starting out with Dexters...
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<blockquote data-quote="VirginiaCattle" data-source="post: 1184636" data-attributes="member: 23052"><p>Black cows will stay warmer in the winter. It's a give and take. What it boils down to for me is if I can find bulls of a breed that compete against other breeds. I'm not a big proponent of heterosis because it's a "cheap thrill" if you will. You are taking advantage of different populations. That is very true. The problem lies in selecting the best amongst them. Are you selecting for the dominant traits in breed 1 or breed 2 and when you mate with breed 3 do you just hope that the dominant trait transfers instead of the recessive? I believe if you want to make real progress generation to generation you select for traits that you can and try to create homozygous animals for as many economically relevant traits as you can. If you break up segments of DNA by crossbreading you are likely exchanging short term results for long-term progress. </p><p></p><p>Getting back to my point about competing against other breeds. There are several studies done and USMARC does a good one each year to compare EPD's from breed to breed. I think you should be selecting bulls that meet the calf market in your area. If you have a niche market, then by all means produce for it. I had a city friend telling me I should raise "Kobe" cattle this weekend. I just grit my teeth and listened.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="VirginiaCattle, post: 1184636, member: 23052"] Black cows will stay warmer in the winter. It's a give and take. What it boils down to for me is if I can find bulls of a breed that compete against other breeds. I'm not a big proponent of heterosis because it's a "cheap thrill" if you will. You are taking advantage of different populations. That is very true. The problem lies in selecting the best amongst them. Are you selecting for the dominant traits in breed 1 or breed 2 and when you mate with breed 3 do you just hope that the dominant trait transfers instead of the recessive? I believe if you want to make real progress generation to generation you select for traits that you can and try to create homozygous animals for as many economically relevant traits as you can. If you break up segments of DNA by crossbreading you are likely exchanging short term results for long-term progress. Getting back to my point about competing against other breeds. There are several studies done and USMARC does a good one each year to compare EPD's from breed to breed. I think you should be selecting bulls that meet the calf market in your area. If you have a niche market, then by all means produce for it. I had a city friend telling me I should raise "Kobe" cattle this weekend. I just grit my teeth and listened. [/QUOTE]
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