Profitability of calf-fed and back-grounding yearling systems was determined based on actual production data and prices from 1996 to 2007, and variability across years was compared. The two systems exhibited similar profits, on average, but the calf-fed system showed less profit variability, suggesting there is more risk inherent in a yearling back-grounding and finishing system. Also, profitab...

Restricted maximum likelihood estimates of covariance components and the resulting genetic parameters were obtained for birth, weaning, yearling and final weights and postweaning gain of Australian Charolais cattle fitting an animal model including genetic or permanent environmental maternal effects. No 'carry-over' of maternal effects till weaning on postweaning weights w& found. Direct herita...

A Senepol demonstration project was conducted on three commercial ranches in Paraguay starting in 1998. One calf crop was produced sired by 10 Senepol sires mated to native Zebu x British cows of varying percentages. A total of 337 calves were produced with a least one recorded measurement. Traits measured included birth, weaning and yearling weights as well as long yearling ultrasound fat thic...

In beef cattle farming, growth and carcass traits are important for genetic breeding programs. Molecular markers can be used to assist selection and increase genetic gain. The ADIPOQ, OLR1 and PPARGC1A genes are involved in lipid synthesis and fat accumulation in adipose tissue. The objective of this study was to identify polymorphisms in these genes and to assess the association with growth an...

In organisms with flexible and indeterminate growth, demographic density dependence can affect both individual fitness and population dynamics. Recent work in stream salmonids suggests that individual growth rates can be depressed even at low population densities, which warrants examination of populations previously assumed to be below carrying capacity. We investigated the effects of populatio...

The objectives of the present study were to investigate the effects of breed, sex, parity, year of birth and season of birth on birth weight, weaning weight and yearling weight recorded on 713 calves born between 1996 and 2008. The data included offspring from five local cattle breeds (Dhanni, Lohani, Dajal, Red Sindhi, Cholistani) and crossbreds (Holstein or Jersey crosses) maintained at Baran...

The aim of this study was to estimate the components of variance and genetic parameters for the visual scores which constitute the Morphological Evaluation System (MES), such as body structure (S), precocity (P) and musculature (M) in Nellore beef-cattle at the weaning and yearling stages, by using threshold Bayesian models. The information used for this was gleaned from visual scores of 5,407 ...