18 Beef Cattle Breeding
18.1 Overview
This chapter explains beef cattle breeding with emphasis on the seedstock industry, EPDs, and crossbreeding.
18.2 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
- Describe the structure of the beef cattle breeding industry
- Interpret EPDs and use them for sire selection
- Compare terminal and maternal breeding objectives
- Design a crossbreeding system for commercial beef production
- Explain the benefits of heterosis in beef cattle
18.3 Beef Industry Structure
Chapter Status
This chapter is currently under development.
18.4 Breed Diversity
- British breeds: Angus, Hereford, Red Angus, Shorthorn
- Continental breeds: Charolais, Simmental, Limousin, Gelbvieh
- Composite breeds: Brangus, Beefmaster, Santa Gertrudis
- Brahman influence: Heat tolerance, parasite resistance
18.5 Key Traits and Heritabilities
18.5.1 Growth Traits
- Birth weight: h² = 0.30-0.50
- Weaning weight: h² = 0.30-0.50
- Yearling weight: h² = 0.30-0.50
18.5.2 Carcass Traits
- Marbling: h² = 0.35-0.50
- Ribeye area: h² = 0.35-0.50
18.5.3 Maternal Traits
- Milk production: h² = 0.10-0.30
- Calving ease: h² = 0.10-0.30
18.6 EPDs (Expected Progeny Differences)
Content to be developed.
18.7 Selection Indices
- Terminal indices (growth and carcass value)
- Maternal indices (calving ease, maternal ability)
- All-purpose indices
18.8 Crossbreeding Systems
Content to be developed.
18.9 Summary
Beef cattle breeding is decentralized with many independent breeders. EPDs are the standard genetic evaluation tool.