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COWS-fed-barely-sprouting-fodders, page : 3
Crossbred cows are more fertile.
They are hardier and have a higher survival rate.
They gain weight faster, grow bigger and adapt to harsher environments.
Crossbred calves are usually 20% heavier than pure bred.
If your target is for milk rather than meat, pure bred cows such as Holstein cows are best.
If you want cattle that produce fast-growing calves, you need cows that milk well. Bulls whose mothers milked well produce daughters that are better than average in milk production, weaning bigger calves.
Defects can be inherited and include:
Extra toes. Double muscling, recessive trait received from both parents in which the muscles have extra fibers, giving an extremely muscled appearance. Two toes joined together. Hairlessness, this can also be caused by disease. Dwarfism, which is a recessive trait in which the skeleton is small and the forehead bulges.
Many defective traits are the result of inbreeding.
Udders:
If beef cattle are the target, start with cows that have good udders, that is, well developed and nicely shaped, but not too large. Udder size is not what determines milking ability. A large pendulous udder is easily injured and can lead to mastitis. It is also harder for a newborn calf to nurse.
Bulls:
Buy calm bulls, not bossy or aggressive.
They are hardier and have a higher survival rate.
They gain weight faster, grow bigger and adapt to harsher environments.
Crossbred calves are usually 20% heavier than pure bred.
If your target is for milk rather than meat, pure bred cows such as Holstein cows are best.
If you want cattle that produce fast-growing calves, you need cows that milk well. Bulls whose mothers milked well produce daughters that are better than average in milk production, weaning bigger calves.
Defects can be inherited and include:
Extra toes. Double muscling, recessive trait received from both parents in which the muscles have extra fibers, giving an extremely muscled appearance. Two toes joined together. Hairlessness, this can also be caused by disease. Dwarfism, which is a recessive trait in which the skeleton is small and the forehead bulges.
Many defective traits are the result of inbreeding.
Udders:
If beef cattle are the target, start with cows that have good udders, that is, well developed and nicely shaped, but not too large. Udder size is not what determines milking ability. A large pendulous udder is easily injured and can lead to mastitis. It is also harder for a newborn calf to nurse.
Bulls:
Buy calm bulls, not bossy or aggressive.