Animal Husbandary 2 Flashcards
What do breeds help manage
Genetic diversity
Specific characteristics
Why have different breeds developed
To fill specific economic and ecological niches
Why are most cattle cross breeds
To exploit hybrid vigour
What is the effect of trading genetic material (semen embryo)
Reduce number of effective population size
What is meant by effective population size
Number of individuals that contribute to offspring of next generation
Effects gene pool
Natural selection
What are 3 catalogues of temperate beef
Early maturing - British
Late maturing - continental
Low maintenance (hill)
Give examples of dairy and beef breeds
Dairy Holstein friesian Jersey Red breeds Brown Swiss
Beef Shorthorn Hereford Limousine Aberdeen Angus
Give example of indicus beef
Beef Nguni Brahman Zebu Nellore
What is the issue with friesian
Have small effective population size
Lack of genetic variability
Jersey
Smaller
Less milk
High protein and fat
Red breeds
Disease resistant (mastitis)
High fertility
Brown Swiss
Low maintenance
Winter - outdoors
Examples of hill breeds
Galloway
Highland
Low maintenance
Long dense coats
Smaller
Continental breeds (5)
- Larger in frame
- Later maturing 12-14 months
- Less intramuscular fat (no marbling)
- Less tender meat
- Produce more meet in shorter time
Reach target weight earlier
British
Smaller More intramuscular fat Early maturing 9-10 months Meat more palatable Good temperaments
