Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T19:11:57.898Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The performance of different breeds of beef cattle in Cuba

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

M. B. Willis  and
T. R. Preston
M. B. Willis
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado 24, San José de las Lajas, Habana, Cuba
T. R. Preston
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado 24, San José de las Lajas, Habana, Cuba
Get access

Extract

A method for performance testing beef bulls on a high-energy diet from 90 days of age to 400 kg is described. Test results for 81 bulls showed that both in weight-for-age at 400 kg and feed conversion on test there were significant differences between breeds in favour of the Charolais followed by Santa Gertrudis, Criollo and Zebu in that order. Results for 8 Holstein bulls reared artificially were similar to those for Santa Gertrudis.

Comparative data on birth weights, weaning weights and pre-weaning mortality indicate that the Zebu was inferior to the other beef breeds in all these traits.

Of 60 bulls slaughtered, liver abscesses were encountered in only 2 animals, both of which had been reared artificially from birth.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , February 1968 , pp. 77 - 83
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1968

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Broadbent, J. S. and Watson, J. H. 1967. Sires' own performance as an indication of progeny performance in testing Suffolk rams for growth rate. Anim. Prod. 9: 99–106.Google Scholar
Brumby, P. J., Walker, D. K. and Gallagher, R. M. 1962. Growth rate in beef cattle. Proc. Ruakura Fmrs Conf. Wk: 34–41.Google Scholar
Brumby, P. J., Walker, D. K. and Gallagher, R. M. 1963. Factors associated with growth in beef cattle. N.Z. J. agric. Res. 6: 526–537.Google Scholar
Buck, S. F. 1964. A comparison of pigs slaughtered at different weights. 1. Carcass quality and performance. J. Agric. Sci., Camb. 60: 19–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chagas, E. C., Riggs, J. K., Smith, J. C. and Cooper, R. J. 1966. Rotational crossbreeding for beef production. J. Anim. Sci. 25: 264 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Christian, L. L., Hauser, E. R. and Chapman, A. B. 1965. Association of preweaning and postweaning traits with weaning weight in cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 24: 652–659.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Alba, J., Munoz, H. and Edwards, C. 1964. Peso al destete y aumento de pesos en ganado de carne. Turrialba 13: 164–167.Google Scholar
Dickinson, A. G. 1960. Some genetic implications of maternal effects—a hypothesis of mammalian growth. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 54: 378–390.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dodsworth, T. L., Ball, C. and Ravell, J. 1963. Performance and progeny testing of beef bulls at Craibstone. Scot. Agric. 42: 194–198.Google Scholar
Flint, J. C. and Jensen, R. 1958. The effect of chlortetracycline fed continuously during fattening on the incidence of liver abscesses in beef cattle. Amer. J. vet. Res. 19: 830–832.Google ScholarPubMed
Haskins, B. R., Wise, M. B., Craig, H. B. and Barrick, E. R. 1967. Effects of levels of protein, sources of protein and an antibiotic on performance, carcass characteristics, rumen environment and liver abscesses of steers fed all-concentrate rations. J. Anim. Sci. 26: 430–434.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Horak, I. G., Rattray, M. L. P. and Charls, B. 1964. Performance testing of beef cattle under ranching conditions. J. S. Afr. vet. med. Ass. 35: 287–299.Google Scholar
Keith, T. M. 1955. Bovine hepatic abscesses due to Spherophorus necrophorus. North Amer. Vet. 36: 911–914.Google Scholar
Koger, M., Reynolds, W. L., Kirk, W. G., Peacock, F. M. and Warwick, A. C. 1962. Reproductive performance of crossbred and straightbred cattle on different pasture programs in Florida. J. Anim. Sci. 21: 14–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lewis, W. H. E. 1966. Report on the 1965/66 Hereford Bull Performance Test. Beef Ree. Ass. Tech. Rep. No. 3, 12 pp.Google Scholar
Luna, D. J. A. 1964. Comparación de aumento de peso de toretes de tres razas puras y seis cruces recíprocos. En 4° Dia de Campo Ganadero, Turrialba, Costa Rica, Instituto de Ciencias Agrícolas de la OEA, pp. 3–8.Google Scholar
Magruder, N. D. and Nelson, J. W. 1964. The performance and carcass evaluation of dairy bulls to market weight. J. Anim. Sci. 23: 83 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Minyard, J. A. and Dinkel, C. A. 1965. Weaning weight of beef calves as affected by age and sex of calf and age of dam. J. Anim. Sci. 24: 1067–1071.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Preston, T. R. 1968. Intensive beef production. In International Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition, p. 17. Ed. Cuthbertson, D. P.. Pergamon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Soller, M., Bar-Anan, R. and Pasternak, H. 1966. Selection of dairy cattle for growth rate and milk production. Anim. Prod. 8: 109–119.Google Scholar
Turton, J. D. 1964. The Charolais and its use in crossbreeding. Anim. Breed. Abstr. 32: 119–130.Google Scholar
Vianna, A. T., De Alba, J., Paez, G. and Magofke, C. 1964. Metodo de inherencia del peso al nacer y del período de gestacion en ganado Charolais. Turrialba 14: 120.Google Scholar
Wieser, M. F., Preston, T. R., Macdearmid, A. and Rowland, A. C. 1966. Intensive beef production. 8. The effect of chlortetracycline on growth, feed utilisation and incidence of liver abscesses in barley beef cattle. Anim. Prod. 8: 411–423.Google Scholar
Willis, M. B. and Preston, T. R. 1967. Algunos aspectos de las pruebas de comportamiento en la raza Charolais. Revta cub. Cienc. agric. 1. (In press.)Google Scholar