 With
a lot of today cattlemen breeding for black, many breeds have lost
their identity as confirmation and breed traits have scarified all
in the name of color. Crossbreeding has always produced the hybred
vigor the commercial operation has required.
The day is soon approaching when breed identity will play an important
part in selecting sires for commercial herds. Pinzgauers will put
the distinctive white tail on these calves along with the other
breed traits of growth, muscling feed efficiency, fertility,
milking, adaptability, and quiet disposition. No cattleman, buyer,
feedlot or packer will have to guess what cross has made these
superb calves.
The keys to economical, efficient beef production are:
- Fertility
- Milk
Production
- Feed
Efficiency
- Carcass
quality
Pinzgauer
possess these qualities, and will prove they are profitable because
they are The Practical Breed.
CROSS
BREEDING FACTS
All purebred
cattle are inbred as a result of breed
 formation
and selection over the years. Crossbreeding provides two advantages;
Heterosis and Complementarity. Heterosis results when different
breeds are mated. Their progeny are less inbred therefore they
perform at a level above the average of their parents. Traits with
low heritability, fertility, mothering ability and calf survival
tend to exhibit high heterosis. Traits with high heritability,
tenderness, calving ease, retail yield, lean to fat ratio, milk
production, continue with high complementarity.
The value of a crossbreeding program can be expected to increase
calving ease, number of calves weaned and milk yield. Crossbreeding
can increase productivity in the cow herd by 20%-25% over a
comparable straight breeding program due to heterosis.
There are many crossbreeding systems:
1. Rotational system
2. Terminal system
3. Rotational/Terminal
4. Composites
Which system selected will depend on each breeders
needs and goals. The fact remains - Crossbreeding is a vital factor
in a commercial cattle operation.
Scientist involved in breed evaluation research generally agree a
mix of British and Continental breeding of about 50/50 for the cow
herd is optimal for most operations. Where abundant feed resources
are available and/or maximum lean yield is desired, a higher
percentage of Continental breeding is recommended. Do not over use
any one particular breed.
Pinzgauers have been long recognized as an ideal breed for
crossbreeding due to their purity of breed and natural desireable
characteristics. The Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) operated by
the USDA in Clay Center, Nebraska has developed the MARC III
composite which is the main cow (70%) in their research herd of 6500
cows. It is 75% British breeds(1/4 angus, 1/4 hereford, 1/4 red pol)
and 25% Continental (1/4 pinzgauer). The resulting calves provide
maximum performance for research and evaluation.
Pinzgauer steers have out performed most others when ever they have
beed tested .
Olds College, Alberta Canada - 1st 1988-89
Olds College, Alberta Canada - 1st 1990-91
Great Western Beef Expo - 1979 All Choice+
Great Western Beef Expo - 1984 Reserve Champ
2006 Florida Bull Test one 28 day ADG 6.14 lbs
Nebraska Bull Test best feed conversion-1974
J.Anim.Sci 1994 Most tender by shear force
2nd tender by sensory panel
1997 Ala. Pasture to Rail REA 14.4 YG2.09
UofF steer feeding project 1993-94 #1,2,3,5
Cross bred heifer and group of steers
North, South, East and West Pinzgauers have consistantly performed
at or near the top even though they are limited in numbers.
Pinzgauer genetics have been included in many Branded Beef programs
where "Tenderness is Guaranteed". DNA testing for Tenderness markers
Pinzgauer cattle have better than 85% GeneSTAR 2 stars or better.
Tenderness is a strongly heritable trait passed on through
complementarity
MARC Crossbred calves
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