Growth performance and carcass characteristics of Beef x Dairy crossbred cattle in the feedlot: A research and extension campaign
Animal Science
Brooke Latack
Livestock Advisor
University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Holtville
Abstract
The Imperial Valley of California houses approximately 400,000 head of cattle on feed, of which the majority are purebred Holstein steers originating from dairy farms in California. Although most of the cattle on feed in California are purebred Holsteins, a recent survey of California dairies revealed that 80% of the respondents are using beef semen in more than 30% of their cows. However, research investigating nutrition and management strategies to feed beef-on-dairy crossbred steers has been limited. Therefore, a research project and outreach campaign were developed to address this gap in knowledge to help producers understand the growth performance of beef-on-dairy crossbred steers. Eighty purebred Holstein and 80 Angus-Holstein steers were used to evaluate the effects of breed on growth performance and carcass characteristics. Cattle were fed a steam-flaked corn-based diet for 329 days. Body weight and feed intake data were collected every 28 days. Carcass characteristics data were collected at the end of the study. Average daily gain of both breeds was similar throughout the study. Dry matter intake was 4.5% less for crossbred steers (P<0.01), leading to an increased feed efficiency (P<0.01) for crossbred steers compared to the Holstein steers. Holsteins steers decreased kidney pelvic heart fat percentage, backfat thickness, ribeye area, marbling score, and yield grade compared to the crossbred steers (P<0.01). Holsteins steers tended (P=0.07) to have a 2.4% decrease in hot carcass weight compared to crossbred steers. Results from this study were disseminated through the monthly CattleCal Newsletter, presentations, and individual conversations. In order to maximize outreach of the limited data available, the CattleCal Podcast was used to present existing reviews and studies performed within the last few years related to dairy-beef crossbred cattle. This included discussions with extension professionals currently researching crossbred dairy-beef from Penn State University, Michigan State University, and University of Kentucky along with six episodes dedicated to research articles discussing crossbred cattle. This research data and outreach will be critical as producers make management decisions related to using crossbred cattle in their operations. Through 2023, further research will be aimed at identifying differences between Holstein-Angus versus Holstein-Charolais calf-fed steers.
Authors: Richard Zinn, Pedro Carvalho, Brooke Latack, Marcos Ferraz Junior
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Richard Zinn Professor, University of California - Davis, California, 92250-9615
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Pedro Carvalho Assistant Professor and Feedlot Specialist, Colorado State University, Colorado, 80523
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Brooke Latack Livestock Advisor, University of California Cooperative Extension, California, 92250
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Marcos Ferraz Junior Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California - Davis, California, 95616