COMPARISONS OF CROSSBRED CALVES BY SOUTH DEVON, MAINE- ANJOU AND SIMMENTAL SIRES FOR SOME BEEF PRODUCTION TRAITS
Breed of sire comparisons are made amongst calves born to commercial Hereford cows and sired by bulls of the South Devon (SD, 10 bulls used), Maine-Anjou (MA, two bulls used) and Simmental (SIM, eight bulls used) breeds. Numbers of observations ranged from 239 bulls and 224 heifers for "ease of birth" to 98 bulls for carcass traits. The feedlot test period was 91 days and three feedlot treatments were imposed. Slaughter criteria were subjective and "breed-of-sire" differences in slaughter age and carcass weight were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Differences amongst breed-of-sire means attained statistical significance for "birth weight" (MA > SIM > SD; P < 0.001), weaning weight of males (MA > SIM > SD; P < 0.001), "on-test" weight (MA > SIM > SD; P < 0.001), average daily gain on test (MA > SIM > SD; P < 0.001) average fat depth/100 kg carcass weight (SD > MA = SIM, P < 0.05), trimmed, de-boned, defatted primal cuts per day of age (MA > SIM > SD; P < 0.01), meat marbling score (SD more marbled than SIM more marbled than MA; P <.05). A significant interaction existed between breed of sire and feeding group for average daily gain on test (P < 0.01) and cutability (P < 0.025). Breed-of-sire differences did not attain statistical significance for weaning weight of female calves, loin area/100 kg carcass weight, cut-ability, or meat color score.