A Comparison of Brahman Crossbred with British Crossbred Cattle

Records of 98 birth weights, 87 weaned weights, 44 slaughter grades, carcass grades and dressing percentages, and 43 feedlot gains were available for comparison in studying the performance of Brahman × Hereford and Angus × Hereford calves. The only statistically significant advantage of the Brahman × Herefords over the Angus × Herefords was heavier birth weights; however, these crosses were somewhat heavier at weaning and had a slightly higher dressing percent. The Angus × Hereford steer calves graded slightly higher as slaughter animals and as carcass beef, and also gained somewhat faster and more efficiently in feedlot than the Brahman × Herefords. None of these differences were statistically significant. Cows of each cross were bred to either Hereford or Shorthorn bulls (both groups were bred to the same bull within a season) to compare the performance of the two crossbred groups as brood cows. The differences in birth weights noted in studying 89 records were not significant. Calves from Brahman × Hereford cows were 18% heavier (highly significant statistically) at weaning than calves from Angus × Hereford cows. The average slaughter calf grade for the 57 calves weaned was slightly higher (not statistically significant) for calves from Brahman × Hereford cows. Limited data for carcass grades and dressing percent (29 records) and feedlot gain (20 records) indicated that there was little difference in the offspring of the two groups of cows in respect to these traits. Differences in cow weights taken at an average age of 3.5 years, as an indication of mature weights, were minor.