THE GROWING ANGUS ADVANTAGE

Two recent feedlot surveys on more than 86,000 head suggest that the Angus breed has developed to a point where there may not be any benefit from cross breeding in some situations.

The feedlot surveys found that the more Angus genetics an animal has the higher its ADG will be and the less days on feed it will need. Angus genetics also performed the best in regards to carcase quality. This corresponds with data from the USDA Meat Animal Research Centre that says the Angus breed has caught up to many of the traditionally high growth rate European breeds. This is a direct result of Angus breeders using tools & research to put a lot of selection pressure on traits such as yearling weight over the last decade.

Many cattle breeders cross Angus with these European breeds in an effort to improve animal performance though heterosis. However now that research has shown that purebred Angus have become superior to many of these European breeds for several traits crossbreeding no longer offers the advantages it once did. For example if the growth rate of a purebred Angus is higher than that of an Angus x Limousin cross animal it makes sense to have the straight bred Angus. Although heterosis may still offer advantages in terms of reproduction this must be considered in conjunction with growth and carcase performance.

One place where Angus cross cattle will continue to play a role is in areas of Australia where a level of Bos Indicus content is needed so the cattle can cope with the environment. If Angus are the superior breed for carcase quality and also offer a much better growth rate than many of the other breeds it makes sense to incorporate them into a crossbreeding program. Many northern producers have realized this and as a result the sale of Angus bulls into these areas continues to increase each season. 

Read the full article in the Angus Australia eNews