Breeding Black Baldies – Is there a price difference to consider?

There have been many national and international studies focused on evaluating the impacts crossbreeding can have on beef production.  The advantage of hybrid vigor, particularly in increasing growth rates, weaning weights and on traits of lower heritability are extremely well demonstrated.

Across man southern systems, the opportunity to join Hereford sires over Angus cows has long been a “go to” option for producers seeking to commence crossbreeding.  The value of the Black Baldy has been recognized for both its growth and additional weaning weight, as well as the demand by restockers seeking suitable F1 replacements for breeding other crossbred cattle. 

However, while the additional weight or demand for F1 females have been a key factor in many producers’ decisions, the impact on eating quality & MSA index has become an additional consideration. 

Recent research conducted through the University of Adelaide with the support of MLA and Herefords Australia, explored a range of results from on farm production through to MSA Index.  The Research described here (https://www.beefcentral.com/genetics/tassie-angus-herd-plays-key-role-in-black-baldie-trial/) was a significant undertaking using thirty Hereford and 22 Angus sires which were mated to 1100 Angus cows and heifers in a large commercial herd run on pasture at Musselroe Bay, Tasmania. As a result of these matings, approximately 1650 calves were born.  The steers were grown on pasture for an average of 23 months and then slaughtered.

 The project resulted in several useful insights for commercial producers.  On a production basis, the calves sired by Hereford bulls were heavier at birth and weaning than straightbred Angus calves.  As expected, these results were in keeping with many other research projects.  However, it is also worth noting that Hereford-sired calves from heifers (but not from mature cows) had more assisted births (+8.2%) and more calf deaths (10.0% vs 5.1%).

Although the additional weight of the Hereford sired calves resulted in higher Hot Standard Carcase Weights, carcase quality measurement including MSA Index were lower than strightbred Angus steers.  The research identified the Hereford-sired steers had a mean MSA index of 61.5, while the pure Angus steers had a mean MSA index of 62.0.

 In practical terms the 0.5 higher MSA index for pure Angus equates to a 1.56% increase in value to a producer.  However, as Hereford-sired carcasses had a 4.1% advantage in HSCW, pure Angus steer carcasses would need to attract a 4.1% premium for that level of eating quality to compete in value.

As producers evaluate crossbreeding options, particularly using Hereford & Angus genetics, it is important to consider how easily a 4% premium for straightbred steers can be achieved at sale.  More importantly while this premium can be a significant lift in return, crossbreeding has an impact across a range of factors which may cumulatively exceed the value of a 4.1% premium when analysed across a whole farm gross margin.

When considering a program, the research highlights the importance of using Hereford bulls over Angus cows rather than over Angus heifers.  At the same time, it is worth also considering selecting sires with EBVs for lower birth weight and higher calving ease.  Given that there is also a difference in marbling between crossbred steers and straightbred Angus steers, producers may also find value in selecting Hereford sires with above average EBVs for IMF%

Crossing into profit!

Last week I was part of a road trip with Shorthorn Beef, delivering several workshops on crossbreeding.  We were holding these workshops on properties in southern NSW and in Victoria.  The three places we visited were all running crossbreeding programs to target specific markets and to capture the advantages of hybrid vigour in their herds.

I reckon crossbreeding is a concept that many producers know of, and in many cases, are actually strong advocates for.  If you're a little unsure of what crossbreeding really means, I reckon its important to know what it actually is, before you implement a crossbreeding system in your herd. 

Crossbreeding uses two (or more breeds) to produce a calf that displays the attributes of both parents.  The impact of two breeds on that calf results in an expression of hybrid vigour, which means the progeny will perform to a greater degree when compared to straight breed animals. 

This extra performance is often seen in the important traits associated with beef production, such as improved weaning weights, improved growth rates and greater longevity in a herd.  

If you use crossbreed female in your breeding herd those traits also influence your fertility rate.

So there are positive benefits from crossbreeding!  If I needed to go a little further, one of the more obvious advantages of crossbreeding is to introduce new traits to your herd, such as adaptation to heat or pests, or to capture other production traits that are important to you and may take a long while to select for within a breed.

While crossbreeding systems offer these advantages, many people grow discouraged by crossbreeding.  I've wondered for a long time why that might be.  I reckon there are a few reasons.  Firstly, there are different strategies involved in crossbreeding.  The most simple is to use two breeds generating an F1 calf.  These calves display all the hybrid vigour effects and surplus females are always in demand for people wanting to use them in breeding herds.

In this simple system, there is a positive return from extra growth in the F1 progeny.  These extra kilograms result in an increase in gross margins when compared to the straight breed program.  

However the big increases start to occur when producers look to use crossbred females in the breeding program.  

When they do this, its very quickly apparent that the hybrid vigour effect in both the parent and the progeny result in increases across the range of production traits.  

The downside is, these systems need to be planned and followed in the joining program.  It seems that many people move away from crossbreeding systems because they forget to follow a plan, or they find difficulties in making the system work to their benefit.

So instead of using a crossbreeding system that allows you to have increased weaning weights, improved longevity in your herd and greater fertility in your cows, (both of which mean keeping less replacement heifers) many people step back from crossbreeding because they are frightened by a perception of complexity!  

Maybe the other concern is that people have dabbled with crossbreeding and have been disappointed by the results they have received.  I know of a few producers who have bought cheaper bulls to use over their second choice cows, "just to see what would happen".  While the progeny did grow well, the results weren't everything they expected, so it becomes a program that isn't "all its cracked up to be!"

Well, I reckon there are a few simple messages.  One,  is that if you want to increase your kilograms of beef producers and earn a greater return in your enterprise, you should be considering or implementing a crossbreeding strategy.  The only exception may be where you have a target market for straight bred animals that suits you and rewards you well enough already.  

The second message is you need to elect the best quality sires and dams from the breeds you want to use. Don't use second rate genetics!  Rubbish crossed with rubbish still results in rubbish!  

Thirdly follow the plan.  Most crossbreeding problems occur when people deviate from the plan, for example by keeping heifers that should have been sold or introducing a new breed without thinking about what will be done with the progeny.  

If you want to consider crossbreeding and if it will take your herd into a new direction of production, take the time to discuss options and ideas.  I've helped a few people in the last 12 months weigh up their options and we have come up with some very nice programs that will be exciting for their results and for the profits they will generate!