Sul Ross Researchers Awarded $245,000 Grant to Develop Sustainable Cattle
Targeted News Service -- ALPINE, TX -- September 25, 2012 -- Sul Ross State University faculty members Dr. Scott Ericsson and Dr. Bonnie Warnock have received a five-year, $245,370.26 grant from the Dixon Water Foundation to develop a biological type of cattle through utilization of traditional Hereford genetics.This project will utilize Hereford bull semen frozen since the 1960's, donated by the National Animal Germplasm Program, to artificially inseminate the Sul Ross cow herd and the Mimms Ranch cow herd. Production traits and carcass merit will be assessed during the grant period to ascertain the feasibility of developing a biological type of cattle for a sustainable grass finished cow-calf operation. It is envisioned that at the end of this project, there will be two nucleus herds in which bulls can be produced as herd sires for crossbreeding in a commercial grass finished cow-calf operation.
Ericsson is a professor of Animal Science and Warnock is associate professor and chair of Natural Resource Management in the School of Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences at Sul Ross.
Sustainable beef production requires that a specific biological type of cattle (puberty, calving ease, mature weight, rebreeding, and longevity) be matched to the most economically available feed resources. Generally the "most economical" feed resources would be grazed forages rather than harvested or supplemented feeds. The majority of the market cattle produced in the United States are fed concentrates in the feedlot prior to harvest. This method of beef production is not sustainable due to the rising costs of energy, increasing price of corn, and reduction-contamination of underground water supplies.
Over the past several decades the selective emphasis on cattle for increased frame size, growth rate, and mature size has negatively affected many production traits such as calving ease and increasing brood cow maintenance costs. These modern types of cattle require substantially more resources (financial, land/forage, and labor) than previous biological types of cattle.
Cattle with traditional Hereford genetics were hardy, early maturing and capable of fattening on grazed forage. These cattle had good fertility and were easy calving with excellent mothering-milking qualities. In addition, they were docile, easily managed, and had great longevity. These cattle could efficiently and economically convert grass into beef products without having to grain finish them in order to produce a quality carcass. The National Animal Germplasm Program has conserved these traditional Hereford genetics in the form of frozen semen and has allowed industry and the research community to access the collection of semen from bulls born from the 1960's to the present.
Diet-health perceptions have raised consumer demand for grass-finished beef as there is some evidence that grass-fed beef might have some health advantages over grain-fed beef. The more environmentally friendly nature and reduced animal welfare concerns of grass-finished beef production when compared to grain-fed beef production have also increased consumer demand for an entirely grass-fed beef product. Uruguay and Argentina still employ grass based finishing systems and are able to effectively market this product in Europe.
(c) 2012 Targeted News Service
Copyright notice
This is a news service of NewsEdge Corporation ©2012. This content is for your personal use only, subject to Terms and Conditions. No redistribution allowed.
Editor's Picks from Recent eNews
Save the Date for Co-Located 2013 Soy & Grain Trade Summit and Women in Agribusiness Summit
Northstar Agri Industries Announces Oklahoma Expansion Plan
Current Reports in the Resource Library at Soyatech.com
Soyfoods: The U.S. Market 2012
This annual report provides detailed information on the U.S. market by category, sub-category, brand and distribution channel.
Soyfoods: The U.S. Market 2012
This annual report provides detailed information on the U.S. market by category, sub-category, brand and distribution channel.
Copyright © 2000-2013 Soyatech, LLC. • P.O. Box 1307 • Southwest Harbor, ME 04679 • USA