Abstract
Industrial crossing on dairy cows with large-sized and large-muscled breeds (more or less specialised beef breeds and dual-purpose breeds) represents an efficient method for increasing meat production. Therefore, according to the Common Research Programme of the EEC, a series of comparisons have been made between various paternal genotypes crossed with French Friesian cows. Among the 18 genotypes studied (Table 1), 8 were more specialised for ‘terminal crossing ‘and 9 were more fitted for production of breeding females (‘breeding type’); the Friesian breed was used as a reference. The results referred to in this report concern only calving difficulties and they have been obtained from 533 calvings, of multiparous cows during the first of the two replicates planned. Estimates for each paternal breed concerning calving difficulties, frequency of assisted calvings, frequency of dystocic calving s and birth weight, are given in Table 2 and Figure 1. It can be noticed that: 1) All breeds used increase the weight of calves more or less markedly, but calving difficulties only become frequent with a birth weight of over 42 – 45 kg. 2) British breeds (small sized) do not reach this birth weight, except perhaps the English Hereford. 3) Italian breeds cause calving difficulties either due to their size (Chianina) or to their morphology (Piemontese). 4) French beef breeds show large differences between breeds, but also between types. 5) The synthetic French lines give results similar to those of the paternal breeds of which they are composed, with variations probably due to their morphology. These first results emphasise the necessity of using an adequate sample of sires from each breed, notably in the case of breeds with multiple selection of goals.
EEC Contract number 301 — Beef Production and INRA number 652 Oll, realised in collaboration with two Selection Units: MIDATEST and Auvergne-Limousin-Charentes.
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© 1979 ECSC, EEC, EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg
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Ménissier, F., Sapa, J., Gogue, J., Bonaiti, B., Frebling, J. (1979). Comparison of the Main European Cattle Breeds Used in Industrial Crossing on French Friesian Dairy Cows: Preliminary Results on Calving Difficulties. In: Hoffmann, B., Mason, I.L., Schmidt, J. (eds) Calving Problems and Early Viability of the Calf. Current Topics in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-9315-0_13
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