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Wann Ranch Eleventh Annual Production Sale

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Wann Ranch

The Science and Sense

of Cattle Breeding

In an OSU Extension publication, Dr. John Evans

and Dr. C. A. McPeake defined heterosis as the phe-

nomenon that causes crossbred individuals to have

an increased level of performance for certain traits

over and above the average performance of their

straightbred parents.

In 1974, Dr. Larry Cundiff of the USDA Meat

Animal Research Center (MARC) reported the

results of a five year crossbreeding study conducted

in the 1960’s. Heterosis reduced the interval from

calving to first breeding, increased the first service

conception rate and increased calf crop weaned in

crossbred cattle versus the straightbred breeds of

Angus, Hereford and Shorthorn. Actual weaning

weights of crossbred calves were 15% higher than

their straightbred counterparts. Overall the positive

effects in a carefully planned and managed cross-

breeding system totaled a 23% increase in pounds

of calf weaned per cow in the breeding herd. These

numbers have been repeated in many studies since

and are accepted as sound science in the academic

community.

The practical history of crossbreeding may have

begun when a Kansas rancher named George Grant

imported Angus bulls in 1873 to breed to his na-

tive longhorn cows. Certainly he noticed rapid

improvement in the growth and muscle of the

crossbred calves. Throughout the first 2/3rds of the

20th century Angus, Hereford and Shorthorn cattle

were the backbone of American beef. In the late 60’s

and early 70’s the importation of European cattle

changed forever the landscape of US cattle produc-

tion. The large-framed, high growth imports were

used widely to increase production. At some point

along the way careful planning and management of

a crossbreeding system went out the window. We

ended up with a mongrelized inconsistent cowherd

and by the mid 80’s beef was in trouble.

The American cattleman then made a wise deci-

sion to use EPDs and the Angus breed to straighten

out the mess our industry was in. Guess what…

Science and Sense worked!

Today the Angus breed dominates our industry.

That is a good thing.

In recent years, interest in the science of cross-

breeding has resurfaced. The question has become

can we take advantage of heterosis in a professional

manner while avoiding the extreme mistakes of the

past. We believe we can. Certainly we had become

aware of the growing use of the Simmental x Angus

composites. I then asked a feedlot acquaintance,

“What’s the deal here? Aren’t Angus cattle the best?”

His response was this. “I love feeding Angus cattle

but at some point they quit me and get a little fat

and I get a few too many yield grade 4’s. If I have a

quarter of the right Simmental influence in those

feeder cattle, my gain and feed conversion is bet-

ter and I can get them heavier more efficiently and

profitably.” Wow, that is real world stuff. About the

same time we had some of our Angus bull custom-

ers ask us to make a few SimAngus for them.

We have had a large positive response to our

decision to include SimAngus bulls in our sale. We

have eight of them in this sale. They are homozy-

gous polled and black just like our Angus. They

look a lot like our Angus. They will sire a little more

growth and leave some awesome replacement fe-

males. If you like this, let us know. We are willing to

make more of them. AI makes this easy.

Make no mistake however, we are Angus breeders

and will always be so. We believe the Angus cow is

the best beast on earth and we will continue to try

to make her better. We are just trying to meet cus-

tomer needs with a unique product. Help yourself

to some “Science and Sense.”