Terminal sire comparisons of the Charolais and Murray Grey
breeds for calving difficulty, calf survival and growth
C.A. Morris, R.L. Baker, J.A. Wilson
Ruakura Animal Research Station, Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries, Hamilton
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1984, 44: 177-180
A trial at Tokanui and Templeton Research Stations was designed
to compare the Charolais and Murray Grey breeds as terminal sires.
There were calvings at both stations in 1980, and at Tokanui in 1981.
Ten Murray Grey and 7 Charolaise sires were used over crossbred cows to
calve at 3 years or older in 1980, with the same cows in 1981,
generating respectively 231 and 223 calves/breed. Sires were used in
common across years and stations by artificial insemination, and
reference sires were used to link earlier Charolais data. Of calves
born, 1.7% sired by Murray Greys and 7.2% sired by Charolaise bulls had
birth difficulties; in total 3.5% and 7.6% of calves respectively died
before weaning. Relative to Murray Grey-sired calves, birth weights of
Charolaise-sired calves were 8 kg (24%) higher; weaning weights at 4 to
5 months of age were 22 kg (13%) higher, with a similar percentage
margin at 12 and 16 months. Weight of calf weaned per cow calving was
6% higher for Charolais-sired calves, making due allowance for different
calf death losses and gestation lengths.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Beef cattle; breeds; growth; calving difficulty; calf survival;
Charolaise; Murray Grey
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Last Updated 03-05-1997
