Beef Cattle Breeds,

Breeding, and
Reproduction
Prepared by:
Jeric Manambay Luna
Daniel Banquile
 Beef Cattle Breeds
 1. Brahman: Known for their heat tolerance and disease resistance, Brahman cattle have a distinctive
hump over their shoulders and large droopy ears.

 2. Angus: Angus cattle are well-known for their marbled meat quality, adaptability, and ease of
calving. They are usually solid black in color.
 3. Charolais: Charolais cattle are large and muscular with a white or creamy white coat. They are
known for their fast growth rate and good carcass quality.

4. Limousin: Limousin cattle are known for their lean meat quality, high feed efficiency, and excellent
carcass yield. They have a distinct golden-red coat.
 5. Hereford: Hereford cattle are known for their docile temperament, good foraging ability, and
efficient feed conversion. They have a red body with a white face and belly

 .6. Santa Gertrudis: Santa Gertrudis cattle are a tropical composite breed known for their heat
tolerance, adaptability, and high fertility rates. They have a sleek red coat.
 7. Belgian Blue: Belgian Blue cattle are known for their exceptional muscle development and leanness.
They have a unique double-muscling genetic trait.

8. Simmental: Simmental cattle are large, dual-purpose cattle known for their good growth rates, high
milk production, and a distinct red and white coat color pattern.
 9. Shorthorn: Shorthorn cattle are a versatile breed known for their fertility, docility, and
adaptability to various climates. They can be red, white, or roan in color.

 10. Brangus: Brangus cattle are a cross between Angus and Brahman breeds, combining the best
traits of both. They are known for their heat tolerance, adaptability, and high meat quality.
Beef Breeding
Breeding – The controlled propagation of cattle to improve qualities desirable to man.

Variations due to Genetics and Environment

Cattle traits are either qualities or quantitative.

Qualitatively traits show discontinuous variations.

•Coat color
•Horned or polled
•Certain bloood characteristic
- Blood types
- Presence or absence of particular enzymes
Quantitative traits show continuous variations between the extremes. The mean types among the
characteristics are most frequent to change. These are:
•Growth rate
•Liveweight
•Body measurements and maturity
•Milk yield
•Milk composition
BREEDING SYSTEMS
-Are defined as several types of mating to combine desirable qualitative and quantitative
characteristics through mating systems which are planned or non-random.
A. Random mating( or unplanned) – this means each possible mating in a population has the same
probability or occurrence.
B. Inbreeding – mating of closely related individuals within a breed.
B1. Close breeding – matings of close relatives e.g., father-daughter, son-mother, brother, sister.
B2. Line breeding – breeding of not so close relatives, ex, cousins.
B3. Strain breeding – a very mild form of inbreeding which leads to increase homozygousity within
the strain in the long term.
C. Crossbreeding
Crossbreeding is the mating of two animals of different breeds. Superior traits that results in the
crossbred progeny from crossbreeding are called hybrid vigor or heterosis.

Crossbreeding systems
There are five basic crossbreeding systems available to the commercial beef producer.
Two breed cross
The two breed cross system produces first cross, or F1, progeny. In this system, the progeny
resulting from the cross of two breeds are usually all sold for slaughter or to another commercial
breeder. This system is frequently used in northern New South Wales where there are specific F1
sales.
Composite breed
Development of a composite or synthetic breed results from the crossing of two or more existing
breeds. There are many examples of this in Queensland: Santa Gertrudis, Droughtmaster, Braford,
Charbray, Brangus and Belmont Red.

Backcross
In a backcross system, all male calves produced from the first cross are sold for slaughter. Female
F1 crossbred progeny are mated to males of one of the parental breeds and all progeny are sold for
slaughter. This breeding system takes full advantage of heterosis for maternal traits such as fertility
of the cow, and milking/mothering ability (as the mother expresses 100% of possible heterosis) and half
of the possible heterosis for growth.
Three breed cross
Three breed cross requires the input of three separate breeds. Along similar principles as with backcross, all first cross
male progeny are sold. First cross females are joined with bulls of a third unrelated breed, instead of with one of the
parent breeds as in the backcross. All progeny of F1 dams are sold for slaughter.

Rotational cross
Rotational crossbreeding, sometimes referred to as sequence breeding, is when males of two or more breeds are
mated to crossbred females. Over a number of years, each breed will have contributed its strengths and
weaknesses equally.

Upgrading or Grading up
- the mating of purebred sires to nondescript or native female and their offspring generation after
generation.
 Beef Reproduction
Reproduction phenomenon Signs of Estrus
a. Mount others
Sexual Maturity(bulls/heifer): 6-8 months b. Reddening and swelling of the vulva
Estrus Cycle: 18-24 days (Ave: 21 days) c. Mucous discharge
d. Isolates herself
Estrus Duration: Exotic/European breeds- 14-18 hours e. Seem sickly and has no appetite
Indigenous/Zebu- 10-12 hours. f. Frequent urination, restlessness and
sometimes bellowing or mooing
Ovulation: 10-14 hours after end of estrus g. Standing still when mounted
Parturition: Average – 283 days
Signs of Calving
Bull Ejaculate: 2-12ml of 500 or more sperm cells/ml - Udder development
Sperm cells survive the oviduct up to a maximum of - Changes in behaviour
48 hours. - Cervical dilation
- Mucous discharge
- Nesting behaviour
- Swelling and relaxation of the vulva
Breeding Methods
[Link] Method – convention use of bull to impregnate a heifer or cow.
A. Handmating- a bull in good condition can serve 3-4 times a week or one service every other day.
I. 18 months old – 1:12-15
II. 2 years old- 1:20-25
III. 3 years old- 1:40-50
B. Pasture mating
I. 2-3 years old bull – 10-15 cows
II. 9 years old bull – 20-25 cows
2. Artificial Insemination- process of including fertilization in a female without the benefit of sexual contact
between male and female animals.
Some Indicators of Good Breeding or Reproductive Management
a. Conception rate (Pregnancy) – percent of breeding females that conceived versus total exposed females.
b. Calving rate- percent of breeding females that give birth versus the total exposed females.
c. Calving Interval- the average length of time ( in days) between successive calving.
- one year is ideal, 18 months is common.