91 Assessing Variability of Herd Sire Economic Value for Commercial Operations

Abstract Number of calves (n = 596) and weaning calf value (n = 574) from natural service, multi-sire breeding groups were evaluated in a crossbred research herd. Sires and dams that were F1 crosses of Angus (A) and Nellore (N) were mated annually during 60 to 90-day breeding seasons to produce spring-born calves in 2009–2015. Numbers of sires used annually varied from 5 to 9; numbers of females exposed per bull ranged from 14 to 22 across years. Bulls were pastured together throughout the year as well as breeding seasons. Sires were identified based on calf DNA genotyping. Calf number, birth date, birth weight, weaning weight, and economic value were determined per bull annually. Calf value was based on weaning weight and reported prices for respective weaning dates. Calf prices were calculated separately for steers and heifers relative to 22.7 kg (50 lb) increments for corresponding weight class and year. Mixed model analyses were conducted that included fixed categorical effects of calf birth year, type of F1 sire (A-sired vs. N-sired), sire nested within type, calf sex, and the interaction of F1 sire type with calf sex. Covariates of Julian birth date and calf weaning age were included for birth weight and weaning weight, respectively. Large differences in calf numbers and performance (P < 0.05) were observed. Weaned calves produced annually per sire ranged from 0 to 48. Average annual calf performance per sire ranged from 28.4 to 50.8 kg for birth weight and 146.5 to 249.0 kg for weaning weight. Annual economic value per sire ranged from $0 to $30,870 when considering half of each calf’s value as attributed to the sire. Commercial producers should consider potential sire variability for calf numbers, birth date distribution, and ratio of female-to-male calves in combination with calf performance for economic assessments.

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EFFECT OF WINTER WEIGHT LOSS IN HEREFORD COWS ON SUBSEQUENT CALF PERFORMANCE TO WEANING

Canadian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.4141/cjas79-082 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 59 (3) ◽

pp. 635-637

Author(s):

S. D. M. JONES ◽

M. A. PRICE ◽

R. T. BERG

Keyword(s):

Weight Loss ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Weaning Weight ◽

Calf Performance ◽

And Performance ◽

Daily Gain

The effect of winter weight loss in Hereford cows on calf birth weight and performance to weaning was examined over a period of 4 yr. The average winter weight loss of cows (60 ± 36.2 kg mean ± SD) over the period of this study had a significant effect (P < 0.001) on calf birth weight, but no significant (P > 0.05) effect on the pre-weaning daily gain, or weaning weight of their calves.

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The effect of feeding salmon oil to sows throughout pregnancy on pre-weaning mortality of piglets

Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s135772980005846x ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 73 (3) ◽

pp. 489-500 ◽

Cited By ~ 65

Author(s):

J.A. Rooke ◽

A.G. Sinclair ◽

S.A. Edwards ◽

R. Cordoba ◽

S. Pkiyach ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Mixed Model ◽

Linear Mixed Model ◽

Gestation Length ◽

Nutritional Study ◽

Pregnancy And Lactation ◽

And Performance ◽

Long Chain

AbstractSalmon oil (16·5 kg /t), a source of long-chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids, was included in diets offered to multiparous sows during pregnancy and lactation to measure responses in pre-weaning mortality and performance of piglets in two studies. The first study, carried out under commercial conditions, included 196 sows which were offered salmon oil and control diets from immediately post service until weaning. The same diets were also offered to 10 sows per treatment from day 58 of pregnancy in a controlled nutritional study which measured the effects of salmon oil on piglet tissue fatty acid composition. Offering salmon oil to the sow significantly increased gestation length and decreased individual piglet birth weight but had no effect on litter size at birth. Overall, salmon oil reduced pre-weaning mortality from 11·7% to 10·2% mainly by reducing the incidence of deaths from crushing by the sow. More detailed analysis of mortality using a general linear mixed model and 2294 piglet records, demonstrated that the incidence of pre-weaning mortality was significantly decreased with increasing individual piglet birth weight and by inclusion of salmon oil in the diet; the incidence of mortality increased with average piglet birth weight in a litter. Salmon oil inclusion had no effect on weight of litter weaned, sow lactation food intake or subsequent reproductive performance. In both studies, dietary salmon oil increased the proportions of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in colostrum to a similar extent. In the nutritional study, inclusion of salmon oil reduced the proportions of 20: 4 n-6 in piglet liver and brain at birth and increased the proportions of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, despite reducing piglet birth weight, offering sows salmon oil reduced pre-weaning mortality of piglets. The nutritional study showed that the amount and type of marine oil used may not have been optimal.

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Selection of a suitable definition of environment for the estimation of genotype × environment interaction in the weaning weight of beef cattle

Czech Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.17221/351-cjas ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 53 (No. 10) ◽

pp. 407-417 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

L. Vostrý ◽

J. Přibyl ◽

V. Jakubec ◽

Z. Veselá ◽

I. Majzlík

Keyword(s):

Beef Cattle ◽

Evaluation Model ◽

Economic Value ◽

Information Criterion ◽

Ratio Test ◽

Residual Variance ◽

Environment Interaction ◽

Weaning Weight ◽

Genotype Environment Interaction ◽

And Performance

Genotype by environment interactions for weaning weight in beef cattle were tested using several definitions of environments. Four breeds of beef cattle (Hereford, Aberdeen Angus, Beef Simmental, and Charolais) were represented. The environments were defined according to five criteria: altitude, production areas, economic value of the land, less favourable areas, and performance levels of a breed within herds. Ten mixed models were compared including the effects of direct and maternal genetics, herd-year-season, maternal permanent environmental, breed, environment, genotype × environment interaction, sex of calf, and age of dam. The suitability of the models was tested by Akaike’s Information Criterion, likelihood ratio test, and magnitude of the residual variance. The most suitable definitions of environment were less favoured areas and herd levels of performance. Estimates of direct heritability ranged from 0.07 to 0.19. Genotype × environment interactions should be included in a genetic evaluation model for interbreed comparisons of beef cattle in the Czech Republic.

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Influence of Cattle Backgrounding Systems on Animal and Carcass Characteristics

Meat and Muscle Biology ◽

10.22175/mmb.10696 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

Author(s):

J. A. Langlie ◽

B. O. Omontese ◽

A. D. DiCostanzo ◽

R. B. Cox ◽

M. J. Webb

Keyword(s):

Mixed Model ◽

Average Daily Gain ◽

Carcass Characteristics ◽

Red Clover ◽

Cattle Grazing ◽

Carcass Composition ◽

Least Square ◽

Birth Date ◽

Weaning Weight ◽

Body Weights

ObjectivesCattle can be managed differently during the backgrounding segment, which may alter long-term animal and carcass characteristics. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to 1) measure carcass composition over time, and 2) determine the effect of different backgrounding diets on animal growth and carcass characteristics.Materials and MethodsAngus and Angus × Simmental crossed calves (n = 65) were stratified by dam age, birth date, weaning weight, breed, and sex post weaning in a completely randomized design to one of three treatments: (1) perennial pasture (PP; grazing quack grass, orchard grass; smooth brome grass, red clover, and alfalfa); (2) summer annual cover crop (CC; grazing cereal oats, purple top turnips, hunter forage brassica, and graza forage radish); and (3) dry lot (DL; bunk fed a haylage ration consisting of 28 NEm Mcal/50.8 kg DM) during backgrounding for 55 d. Concluding backgrounding, the CC and PP treatments were transported to pens where all treatments were sorted by gender and acclimated to a finishing ration over a period of 14 d and continued receiving 3 step-up diets over the next 25 d. Two pens during the finishing segment were utilized to house heifers and steers, respectively. The heifers were top dressed with melengestral acetate till harvest, which was determined by targeting a common backfat thickness per treatment. From backgrounding to harvest, cattle were weighed to determine body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG) and hip height (HH) measurements were recorded every 28 d. Five periodic carcass ultrasound measures were recorded to evaluate ultrasound rib eye area (uREA), rib fat thickness (uRFT), and percent intramuscular fat (uIMF). At harvest, carcass measurements included hot carcass weight (HCW), LMA, 12th rib backfat (FT), kidney, pelvic and heart fat (KPH), marbling and maturity score and objective color (L*, a*, b*). Statistical analyses were conducted using mixed model procedures and animal weaning weight was used as a covariate. Least square means were computed and separated using least significant differences when treatment effects were significant at α ≤ 0.05.ResultsCattle ADG, uREA, uRFT, and HH did not differ (P ≥ 0.05) among treatments from backgrounding to harvest (Table 2). Cattle in DL were heavier (P ≤ 0.05) in BW than CC and PP, which were similar (P ≥ 0.05). Percent uIMF was greater (P ≤ 0.05) for DL and similar (P ≥ 0.05) to PP though CC was lower (P ≤ 0.05) and similar (P ≤ 0.05) to PP.ConclusionTreatments utilizing different backgrounding diets influence average body weights and ultrasound intramuscular adipose. Cattle grazing forages have lighter body weights and lower ultrasound intramuscular adipose though, cattle grazing perennial pastures were most variable in carcass ultrasound intramuscular adipose.Table 2Least squares mean performance responses and ultrasound-measured composition (averaged across all periodic measurements) according to the backgrounding treatment1

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30 Calf Performance and Sex Ratios in Second Generation Reciprocal Nellore-angus Crosses

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skab235.024 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽

pp. 14-15

Author(s):

Dana Mickey ◽

James Sanders ◽

David G Riley ◽

Andy D Herring

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Mixed Models ◽

Bos Taurus ◽

Bos Indicus ◽

Sex Distribution ◽

Weaning Weight ◽

Important Variation ◽

Reciprocal Differences ◽

Calf Performance ◽

Main Effects

Abstract The objectives of this study were to analyze calf weight and sex distribution differences in reciprocal F2 Nellore-Angus calves (n = 559) born 2010–2015 and calves out of these F2 females through 4 yr age (n = 469) born 2012–2018. The F2 animals were produced by 4 F1 parent type combinations from Nellore-sired (NA) vs. Angus-sired (AN) sires and dams. Weight traits were analyzed using mixed models, and sex distribution was analyzed through PROC GLIMMIX in SAS. Sire type and dam type affected birth weight (P < 0.05) but not weaning weight of the F2 calves. However, the interaction between sire type and dam type accounted for weaning weight differences (P = 0.038). Birth weight averaged 3.5 kg heavier from NA vs. AN sires, and 2.4 kg heavier from NA vs. AN dams. Weaning weight displayed a different pattern than observed in birth weight with the heaviest calves being NAAN (224.5 ± 3.7 kg) and lightest being ANAN (215.9 ± 3.9 kg). Sire type accounted for important variation (P = 0.036) in the calf sex distribution at birth among F2 calves. Percentage males at birth exceeded the expected ratio for NA-sired calves (66.6%, n = 168) but not for AN-sired calves (49.9%, n = 105). The sire and dam type main effects in the F2 females did not influence weight traits or sex distribution in their calves (from predominantly Angus sires). However, the interaction of sire type x dam type x sex showed a trend in birth weight (P = 0.080) and importance for weaning weight (P = 0.010) where only from ANNA and NANA dams were males heavier than females. These results suggest that some of the calf weight reciprocal differences typically observed among F1 Bos indicus-Bos taurus crosses can persist in later generations.

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Factors affecting birth weight and performance to weaning of Bunaji calves

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859600083386 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 111 (2) ◽

pp. 407-410 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

O. O. Oni ◽

V. Buvanendran ◽

N. I. Dim

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Beef Cattle ◽

Beef Cows ◽

Genetic Differences ◽

Economic Returns ◽

Weaning Weight ◽

Breeding Values ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Sources Of Variation ◽

And Performance

Birth weight and pre-weaning performance are recognized as important components in determing economic returns from beef cattle. The accuracy of ranking animals based on their breeding values, and hence the effectiveness of selection, will be increased when allowance is made for non-genetic sources of variation. Furthermore, the proper evaluation of identifiable sources of variation in calf weaning weight aids in more accurate appraisal of genetic differences in mothering ability among beef cows.

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Weaning age and post-weaning nursery feeding regime are important in improving the performance of lightweight pigs

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skz337 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 97 (12) ◽

pp. 4834-4844

Author(s):

Anne M S Huting ◽

Ian Wellock ◽

Steve Tuer ◽

Ilias Kyriazakis

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Mortality Rate ◽

Feed Intake ◽

Birth Date ◽

Morphometric Measurements ◽

Weaning Weight ◽

Feeding Regime ◽

Second Stage ◽

Performance Predictors ◽

Weaning Age

Abstract The aim was to investigate the effect of weaning age, weaning weight, and nursery feeding regime on post-weaning performance. The focus was on pigs weaned light, as they may be better off when weaned at a later age and/or offered a specialist nursery feeding regime. Piglets (n = 1,448) from one farrowing batch of 110 sows that farrowed over 2 wk were individually weighed and their morphometric measurements were taken at birth. Pigs were weaned on the same day, but variation in birth date resulted in variable weaning ages (mean age day 34.1, SD = 2.5). The youngest 50% at weaning were classified Y and the oldest 50% as O; within an age class, the lightest 50% were classified L, the heaviest 50% as H, and housed accordingly. Pigs were individually weighed at weaning, 7 and 15 wk post-weaning. At weaning, Y were 6 d younger and 1.4 kg lighter than O pigs, whereas L were 3.2 kg lighter than H pigs. Pigs were randomly allocated to a 3-stage superior (SUP) or control (CON) nursery feeding regime, with SUP pigs having a 65% greater allowance (on a kg/pig basis) of the first and second stage feeds than the CON. Pigs weaned Y had a higher mortality rate from weaning to 7 wk post-weaning than pigs weaned O (9.14% vs. 4.98%; P = 0.046). As expected, age and weight significantly (P < 0.001) affected performance to both 7 and 15 wk post-weaning: at 15-wk pigs weaned Y were 5.5 kg lighter than pigs weaned O; pigs weaned L were 9.0 kg lighter than H pigs. It was estimated that pigs weaned YL needed ~4 d more (P = 0.018) to reach 60 kg BW than pigs weaned OL. Feed intake was not affected by feeding regime, age and weight, or their interactions. Performance was not affected by feeding regime (P > 0.05), but was affected by the weight × feeding regime interaction (P = 0.044) to 7 wk post-weaning: L pigs on SUP were 1.2 kg heavier than L pigs on the CON regime; this was not the case for the H pigs. Performance up to 7 wk post-weaning was positively associated with birth weight to cranial circumference ratio and weaning weight (P < 0.05) for both YL and OL pigs; for the latter, additional performance predictors were weaning age (P = 0.044) and feeding (P = 0.027). Improved growth for L pigs up to 7 wk post-weaning could be obtained by a greater allowance of the nursery diets. However, weaning at a later age benefitted the performance of L pigs to a common BW, suggesting that this might be a strategy with longer term benefits.

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Least Square Analysis of Variance for the Assessment of Natural Consequences for Birth Weight, Weaning Weight, Yearling Weight, Pre-weaning Daily Weight Acquire, and Greasy Fleece Weight of Kajli Sheep in Pakistan

Journal of Infectious Diseases & Case Reports ◽

10.47363/jidscr/2021(2)147 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Farm anullah ◽

◽

Momen Khan ◽

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Mixed Model ◽

Average Daily Gain ◽

Least Square ◽

Essential Difference ◽

Birth Season ◽

Weaning Weight ◽

Fleece Weight ◽

Generation Information ◽

Male Sheep

The current study was completed to analyze the effect of natural components on various improvement affecting traits of Kajli sheep in Pakistan. For this reason, we apply two huge contemporary datasets in sheep to explore factors that influence the traits. Therefore, the generation information record of 13715 Kajli sheep lambing accumulated from 1994 to 2010 at Livestock Experimental Stations Khushab and Khizarabad, Punjab. Information records were genuinely analyzed through utilizing PC modified Mixed Model Harvey’s Least Squares and Maximum Likelihood. The two farms information data was analyzed by utilizing an animal model program. The factual model was incorporated to evaluate the Birth Weight (BW), 120 days at Weaning Weight (WW), Pre-Weaning Average Daily Gain (PRADG), Yearling Weight (YW) and Greasy Fleece Weight (GFW). Year of Birth (YOB), Birth Season (BS), Birth Types (BT) and sex was the fix effect in the model. Results indicated that, the overall general values for birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight, pre-weaning weight and fleece weight were noted. Year of birth, type of birth, sex, and herd was influenced altogether significantly while, birth weight and greasy fleece weight, the period of birth showed no essential difference. In weaning weight and pre-weaning increment normally, year of birth, sort of birth and herd showed a critical contact except for sex. Male sheep were heavier than female sheep and single conceived sheep were also basically heavier than twins were during offspring birth. Results emulate that the Kajli sheep breed can be improved on through selection and further developed management. The cascade type of influence of the current investigation has levelheaded ramification not just for sheep farming by and by just as for intensified associate of boundaries which definitely convince deviation of weight, weight has become itself essential forecaster of in a matter of seconds wellness results. These outcomes displayed there are complex associations among hereditary qualities and ecological elements of parental, placental and fetal beginning. These are profoundly affected traits by maternal sustenance, genes, be concerned, the executive, environment, occasional diversity of seasons.

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222 Effect of genetic line and parity of dam on litter birth weight and weaning weight in swine

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skaa054.086 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽

pp. 47-48

Author(s):

Marcie I Christianson ◽

Kenneth J Stalder ◽

Alejandro Ramirez ◽

Donald Beitz ◽

Aileen F Keating

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Mixed Model ◽

Random Variable ◽

Genetic Line ◽

Weaning Weight ◽

Birth Month ◽

The Difference ◽

Time Of Year ◽

Weight Model

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of parity and genetic line of the dam on her offspring and their ability to thrive until weaning. Data were obtained from 17 purebred litters and 72 crossbred litters and the parity of the dam ranged from 1-13. Parities were grouped into the following categories: parity 1, parity 2, parity 3-5, and parity 6+. Entire litters were weighed at birth and weaning (~28 days of age). Litters were grouped into four weight categories based on the time of year they were born: February, April, May, and July 2019. Data were analyzed by using mixed model methods (Proc Mixed, SAS V. 9.4, SAS Inst. Inc. Cary, NC). The birthweight model included fixed effects of parity and genetic line. Birth month was included as a random variable, and number born alive was used as a covariate. Mean litter birth weight was significantly different between parity 1 and parity 3-5 (P=0.001), parity 2 and parity 6+ (P=0.031), and parity 3-5 and parity 6+ (P=< 0.0001). The difference between parity 2 and parity 3-5 approached significance. Birthweight differed between genetic line (< 0.0001): Crossbred litter birthweight was 4.15kg greater than purebred litter birthweight. The weaning weight model included genetic line, parity, and number of pigs after fostering. Birth month was included as a random variable, and age at weaning and birth weight were used as covariates. Weaning weights for parity and genetic line did not differ (P >0.05).

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Impacts of heifer post-weaning residual feed intake classification on reproductive and performance measurements of first, second and third parity Angus beef females

Translational Animal Science ◽

10.1093/tas/txab061 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

C T Parsons ◽

J M Dafoe ◽

S A Wyffels ◽

M Van Emon ◽

T DelCurto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Feed Intake ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Weight Ratio ◽

Residual Feed Intake ◽

Dry Matter Intake ◽

Birth Date ◽

Performance Measurements ◽

Weaning Weight ◽

Conception Rates ◽

And Performance

Abstract This study evaluated heifer post-weaning residual feed intake (RFI) classification on reproductive and performance measurements of first, second and third parity Angus beef females. We analyzed the annual, as well as, cumulative production of 347 Angus females from birth through weaning of their 3 rd calf. Heifer post-weaning RFI was calculated as the actual dry matter intake minus the predicted dry matter intake based on the average daily gain of the contemporary group on an annual basis. Heifers were categorized based on RFI as either low (< -0.50 SD from mean), average (± 0.50 SD from mean), or high (> +0.50 SD from the mean) within year. There was no RFI × Parity interaction (P ≥ 0.14) observed for all production/reproduction traits except for conception rates (P =0.02). Julian birth date of cows was influenced by RFI classification (P < 0.01) and displayed a quadratic (P = 0.02) effect with high RFI cows being born earlier in the calving season than average RFI cows (71.2 vs 75.3 days), but did not differ from low RFI cows (74.0 vs 75.3 days). Cow birth weight, weaning weight, as well as, all other cow weight and body condition measurements were not influenced by RFI classification (P ≥ 0.14). As expected, there was a linear increase in cow body weight at weaning with increasing parity (P < 0.01). Cow RFI classification had no influence on progeny weaning weight, birth date, calving interval, or postpartum interval (P ≥ 0.15). Calf birth weights displayed a quadratic parity effect (P < 0.01) with 1 st calf heifers having calves with lower birth weights than 2 nd and 3 rd parity calves. Calf 205 day adjusted weaning weights displayed a quadratic effect (P = 0.01) with 1 st calf heifers weaning lighter calves than 2 nd and 3 rd parity cows. Weaning weight ratio displayed a linear decrease with increasing parity (P < 0.01). Cow conception probability displayed a linear tendency for pregnancy 2 (P = 0.09), and a quadratic tendency for pregnancy 4 (P = 0.07) as a function of RFI classification, but no effects were observed for pregnancy 1 and 3. Cow artificial insemination (AI) conception rates differed by year of pregnancy (P < 0.01) but not RFI classification (P = 0.81). In summary, heifer post-weaning RFI classification had minimal effects on beef cattle production and reproductive efficiency.

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