Abstract

A trial at Tokanui and Templeton Research Stations was designed to compare the Charolais and Murray Grey breeds as terminal sires. There were calvings at both stations in 1980, and at Tokanui in 1981. Ten Murray Grey and 7 Charolaise sires were used over crossbred cows to calve at 3 years or older in 1980, with the same cows in 1981, generating respectively 231 and 223 calves/breed. Sires were used in common across years and stations by artificial insemination, and reference sires were used to link earlier Charolais data. Of calves born, 1.7% sired by Murray Greys and 7.2% sired by Charolaise bulls had birth difficulties; in total 3.5% and 7.6% of calves respectively died before weaning. Relative to Murray Grey-sired calves, birth weights of Charolaise-sired calves were 8 kg (24%) higher; weaning weights at 4 to 5 months of age were 22 kg (13%) higher, with a similar percentage margin at 12 and 16 months. Weight of calf weaned per cow calving was 6% higher for Charolais-sired calves, making due allowance for different calf death losses and gestation lengths.

MW, Harbord

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 44, , 171-172, 1984