Investigating conception rate for beef service sires bred to dairy cows and heifers. 2020

T M McWhorter, and J L Hutchison, and H D Norman, and J B Cole, and G C Fok, and D A L Lourenco, and P M VanRaden
Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Athens 30602. Electronic address: taylor.mcwhorter@uga.edu.

The widespread use of sexed semen on US dairy cows and heifers has led to an excess of replacement heifers' calves, and the sale prices for those calves are much lower than in the past. Females not selected to produce the next generation of replacement heifers are increasingly being bred to beef bulls to produce crossbred calves for beef production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of beef service sires bred to dairy cows and heifers and to provide a tool for dairy producers to evaluate beef service sires' conception. Sire conception rate (SCR) is a phenotypic evaluation of service sire fertility that is routinely calculated for US dairy bulls. A total of 268,174 breedings were available, which included 36 recognized beef breeds and 7 dairy breeds. Most of the beef-on-dairy inseminations (95.4%) were to Angus (AN) bulls. Because of the limited number of records among other breeds, we restricted our final evaluations to AN service sires bred to Holstein (HO) cows. Service-sire inbreeding and expected inbreeding of resulting embryo were set to zero because pedigree data for AN bulls were unavailable. There were 233,379 breedings from 1,344 AN service sire to 163,919 HO cows. A mean (SD) conception rate of 33.8% (47.3%) was observed compared with 34.3% (47.5%) for breedings with HO sires mated to HO cows. Publishable AN bulls were required to have ≥100 total matings, ≥10 matings in the most recent 12 mo, and breedings in at least 5 herds. Mean SCR reliability was 64.5% for 116 publishable bulls, with a maximum reliability of 99% based on 25,217 breedings. Average SCR was near zero (on AN base) with a range of -5.1 to 4.4. Breedings to HO heifers were also examined, which included 19,437 breedings (443 AN service sire and 15,971 HO heifers). A mean (SD) conception rate of 53.0% (49.9%) was observed, compared with 55.3% (49.7%) for breedings with a HO sire mated to a HO heifer. Beef sires were used more frequently in cows known to be problem breeders, which explains some of the difference in conception rate. Mean service number was 1.92 and 2.87 for HO heifers and 2.13 and 3.04 for HO cows mated to HO and AN sires, respectively. Mating dairy cows and heifers to beef bulls may be profitable if calf prices are higher, fertility is improved, or if practices such as sexed semen, genomic testing, and improved cow productive life allow herd owners to produce both higher quality dairy replacement and increased income from market calves.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D002417 Cattle Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor. Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D003612 Dairying Production, storage, and distribution of DAIRY PRODUCTS. Dairy Industry,Dairy Industries,Industries, Dairy,Industry, Dairy
D005260 Female Females
D005298 Fertility The capacity to conceive or to induce conception. It may refer to either the male or female. Fecundity,Below Replacement Fertility,Differential Fertility,Fecundability,Fertility Determinants,Fertility Incentives,Fertility Preferences,Fertility, Below Replacement,Marital Fertility,Natural Fertility,Subfecundity,World Fertility Survey,Determinant, Fertility,Determinants, Fertility,Fertility Determinant,Fertility Incentive,Fertility Preference,Fertility Survey, World,Fertility Surveys, World,Fertility, Differential,Fertility, Marital,Fertility, Natural,Preference, Fertility,Preferences, Fertility,Survey, World Fertility,Surveys, World Fertility,World Fertility Surveys
D005306 Fertilization The fusion of a spermatozoon (SPERMATOZOA) with an OVUM thus resulting in the formation of a ZYGOTE. Conception,Fertilization, Delayed,Fertilization, Polyspermic,Conceptions,Delayed Fertilization,Delayed Fertilizations,Fertilizations,Fertilizations, Delayed,Fertilizations, Polyspermic,Polyspermic Fertilization,Polyspermic Fertilizations
D000068618 Selective Breeding A process in which offspring possessing desired genetic traits are produced. Breeding, Selective,Breedings, Selective,Selective Breedings
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012661 Semen The thick, yellowish-white, viscid fluid secretion of male reproductive organs discharged upon ejaculation. In addition to reproductive organ secretions, it contains SPERMATOZOA and their nutrient plasma. Seminal Plasma,Plasma, Seminal

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