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Maternal milk production influences calf weaning weight which is the major driver for economic return in a cow-calf operation. The objective of this study was to use measures of calf milk intake to estimate milk production of Angus (AA; n=43), Angus×Friesian (AF; n=32), Angus×Jersey (AJ; n=40) and Angus×Kiwi-Cross (AK; n=21) cows, and to determine how milk yield was related to calf growth rate (n=64) from birth to one year of age. Milk production was estimated by the weigh-suckle-weigh (WSW) technique at an average 32, 49, 80, 120 and 160 days (D) post-partum. Third-order Legendre polynomials were fitted to milk data using random regression to estimate the lactation curve for each cow. Live weight of all steers was recorded at birth and thereafter accompanying every WSW measurement. Postweaning live weight was recorded at an average D240, D330 and D350 of age. Growth curves for each steer were estimated by fitting third-order Legendre polynomials to live weight data using random regression. The average total milk production from D32 to D160 was 1337 ± 22 kg for AF cows, 1245 ± 20 kg for AJ cows, 1301 ± 32 kg for AK cows and 1017 ± 20 kg for Angus cows. The AF, AJ and AK cows produced more (P<0.05) milk from D32 to D160 than the AA cows. The AF cows produced more (P<0.05) milk than AJ cows, with AK cows being intermediate and not differing (P>0.05) from either AF or AJ cows. Crossbred cows produced more milk (P<0.05) at all stages of lactation when compared with straightbred AA cows. In the present study, as the proportion of Friesian or Jersey in the crossbreds increased from 0 to 50%, an extra 325 kg and 240 kg of milk, respectively, was expected compared to the AA cows. Total energy intake from milk was higher (P<0.05) for the AF-, AJ- and AK-reared steers compared to those reared by AA dams. This resulted in higher liveweight gains so that steers reared by crossbred cows were heavier (P<0.05) from D60 to D270 than those reared by AA cows. Results also revealed th

A simulation showed that calving heifers for the first time at two compared with three years of age increased profitability of a beef breeding herd; however, profitability of calving two-year-old heifers was dependent on the incidence of assistance at parturition. The predominant cause of dystocia (and hence assistance at parturition) in beef breeding heifers is feto-maternal disproportion. This condition could be alleviated by reducing birth weight of calves relative to live weight of heifers. In a survey of farmers, 20% of those currently calving heifers at three years of age indicated that if the need for assistance at parturition was eliminated, they would calve their heifers at two years of age. In two surveys conducted of the same farmers in consecutive years, mean incidence of assistance at parturition in primiparous, two-year-old heifers was 7.0% and 9.5%, and reached 100% in some herds. Mortality rate by four weeks postpartum was 30% for assisted calves and 11% for assisted heifers. Methods of reducing the need for assistance at parturition in primiparous, two-year-old, beef breeding heifers would be of value to the beef cattle industry in New Zealand. The objective of this research was to identify whether manipulation of liveweight gain of primiparous, two-year-old, Angus heifers in the first trimester of pregnancy could be used to regulate birth weight of calves, and to identify factors contributing to the need for assistance at parturition. Three experiments were conducted in which heifers were fed for various rates of liveweight gain: 1. moderate versus low for the first trimester of pregnancy; 2. a 2 x 2 factorial experiment in which liveweight gain was 1220 high versus moderate for ten days prior to insemination, and moderate versus a loss for the first trimester of pregnancy; 3. high and moderate, moderate and a loss, or moderate and moderate for days 0-42 and 42-90 of pregnancy, respectively. Birth weight of calves was not affected by treatment in e

The onset of puberty and herbage intake in different selection lines of Angus cattle. MApplSc Thesis, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. 121 pp. Puberty onset and herbage dry matter intake was measured in four lines of Angus cattle selected for High and Low EBV-600 day weight (HG and LG respectively) and High and Low EBV-milk (HM and LM respectively). The heifers were generated on four industry farms in the North Island of New Zealand. Heifers from the HG line were younger at puberty (438.6 ± 9.3 days P < 0.01) than heifers from the HM (459.4 ± 7.1 days) and LM (476.1 ± 7.8 days) lines. No difference in age at puberty between HG and LG (455.1 ± 11.8 days) lines were found. Average weight at puberty across all genetic lines was (349.6 ± 9.9 kg). There was no difference among the four genotypes for this trait. Ninety-five percent of the animals reached puberty by the end of the trial and there was no difference in the percentage of animals reaching puberty by genetic line. Animals coming from Farms 1 and 3 tended to reach puberty earlier than animals coming from Farms 2 and 4. There was no differences in pregnancy rate among the genetic lines and the overall pregnancy rate was 90 %. Intake was measured on two occasions using n-alkanes (Ml and M2 respectively) and the pre- and post-grazing technique (M3 and M4 respectively). Average liveweight (LW) and estimated herbage intake at Ml was 240.2 ± 0.4 kg and 3.47 ±0.1 kg DM respectively. The values at M2 were 287.2 ± 1.9 kg LW and 6.50 ± 0.36 kg DM. No differences in estimated herbage intake among the genetic lines were detected in Ml or M2. In M3 heifers had an average LW of 247.1 ± 0.7 kg and mean estimated intakes of 4.86 ± 0.26; 4.17 ± 0.26; 4.37 ± 0.26 and 3.00 ± 0.26 kg DM for the HG, LG, HM and LM lines. The LM line having a significantly (P < 0.05) lower estimated intakes than the other lines. Average LW at M4 was 272.5 ± 0.6 kg. Animals from the LM (7.28 ± 0.19 kg DM) line had significantly (P < 0.

Bovine mannosidosis is an inborn lysosomal disease of Angus cattle, associated with a deficiency of acidic α-mannosidase and a consequent disorder in the lysosomal catabolism of glycoproteins. Affected calves characteristically show signs of neurological derangement and usually die within their first year of life. The enzymic defect causes abnormal storage of water-soluble oligosaccharide units within membrane-bound vacuoles in various cell-types. Vacuolation is particularly severe in neurones of the central nervous system, reticuloendothelial cells of lymph nodes and liver, and exocrine epithelial cells of the pancreas, salivary glands and lacrimal glands. Certain cell-types of mesenchymal origin, including fibroblasts, mesangial cells, smooth muscle fibres, pericytes and capillary endothelial cells are also affected. There is evidence that the process of crinophagy may be important in contributing glycoprotein substrates to the lysosomal system, at least in the exocrine pancreas, while in some tissues vacuoles appear to develop as dilatations of Golgi apparatus or smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The more usual picture however was that of storage within vacuoles consistent with the structure of enlarged secondary lysosomes. Mannosidosis is inherited as a simple autosomal recessive disease and whereas acidic α-mannosidase activity is almost completely absent from the tissues and body fluids of affected homozygotes, heterozygous individuals possess a partial deficiency of the enzyme. This gene dosage relationship forms the basis of methods for differentiating heterozygotes from normal animals. A test based on plasma α-mannosidase activity has been evaluated on over 5,000 Angus cattle, and the prevalence of heterozygotes was found to be approximately 10%. Although plasma α-mannosidase activity has been shown to vary between cattle of different age and sex, and significant seasonal, between-herd and even between-mob differences were demonstrated, the teat is suitable for

The breed structure and genetic history of the New Zealand pedigree Angus breed were analysed by Robertson and Asker's (1951) modification of the Wright-McPhee (1925) pedigree sampling method. The pattern of the breed structure obtained is generally similar to that found in other studies, but it is both diffuse and dynamic owing to the present rapid expansion of the breed. There are changes taking place in the herd composition of the major breeders' herds and many new herds have yet to find their level in the structure. Considerable emphasis has been placed on the use of imported animals in the development of the breed. Of all herds registering in Volume 61 of the herd book, 20.5% used imported sires, and the percentage of genes in the breed in 1966/67 derived from animals imported since 1863 was 85.4. The most important herd in 1969 has a genetic contribution to the breed of 21.9 per cent:, while the contributions of the four next most important herds were 8.72, 8.7, 4.7 and 3.7 per cent. In the four-generation pedigrees from which these figures were derived, the contribution of imported animals was 42.4%. The relationship between herd size and importance of the herd was considered. Herd duration was also discussed, in so far as it relates to improvement of the breed. The animal with the highest relationship to the breed was Blackleg (11.65% in the 1900 pedigree sample). But overall, the most important animal over the period 1900-1966/67 was Lancer of Advie. Of the 33 sires and 9 dams whose direct relationships are 3.0% or more in any of the 8 sample years, 19 sires and 3 dams were imported. The total inbreeding in 1966/67 (base year 1863) was 1.80%. This comprised 0.09% current inbreeding, 0.95% long-term inbreeding, and 0.76% strain inbreeding. The index of subdivision calculated from the non-current and long-term inbreeding is 1.79, indicating that there is only a slight tendency towards family formation in the breed. The effective generation length is approxima

The main objective of this study was the investigation of behaviours which might influence the number and/or weight of calf weaned from single-suckled Angus cows. The behaviour patterns involved were those relevant to parturition, the cow-calf bond and nursing. The effect of such factors as maternal experience, sex, and age of calf and the presence of non-lactating cows were also investigated. In addition, the liveweight of the calves was taken at birth and thereafter at regular intervals throughout the course of the study. Observations began on average 31 d (range 4 to 65 d) pre-partum and continued until 3 weeks post-weaning, c. 33 weeks after the start of the investigation and involved >900 h of field observations. Eighteen pregnancy-tested Angus cows were involved of which 14 calved. Of these,5 primiparous and 6 multiparous reared their own calf. Two calves, 1 born from a primigravid and the other born from a multigravid cow, appeared to die as the result of abnormal maternal behaviour. These maternal behaviours resulted in either physical injury to the neonate and/or refusal by the cow to allow the calf to nurse. The latter behaviour was followed by hypothermia in the calf, although adverse weather conditions probably accentuated this heat loss. Two primigravid cows rejected their calves and had to be isolated for up to 5 d and restrained before the cow would accept the calf's presence and nursing activities. A method of predicting the order and time of calving for each cow was devised. Determination of the calving order was possible in 12 of the 14 cows prior to the birth of the first calf. The use of 24 physical signs allowed prediction of calving time to within 48 h in all 14 cows. Changes in such behaviours as posture and social activity were associated with calving within the following 3 to 4 h in all except 1 cow. This animal was found to exhibit dystocia, i.e., an extended parturition of >19 h. On average the physical signs were observed before the behav

A system of wintering and calving beef cows on a sawdust cattle pad was compared with the traditional method of wintering unsupplemented cows on hill country pasture. Comparisons were made over four years, beginning in 1970. Two herds of Angus beef cows were used in the experiment. One herd was originally the Massey University Stud herd, which included approximately 50 cows aged from three to ten. Three-year-old replacements were added to this herd each year. This herd was designated the Stud herd. The other herd designated the Commercial herd, was based on 67 yearling heifers bought in 1969. These cows were all of the same age, and no replacements were added. In 1969 25 cows from this herd were mated to calve at two-years-of-age. The two herds were run together as one unit during the trial, distinction only being made for the purpose of statistical analysis. The pad consists of two yards with sawdust packed on top of tile drains. A concrete apron runs along the side where the feeding racks are situated. A stand of pampas grass protects the pad from the prevailing wind. Half gates were installed, and the bottom rails of the yard were removed to allow the calves to get out and creep feed on the adjoining pasture. Three weeks before calving begins cows were allotted to the pad or the hill treatment using a table of random numbers. In 1971, 1972, 1973 a switchover design was adopted, whereby some animals alternated between the two treatments in successive years, while others wintered on the same treatments. Over 1970 the cows were confined all the time. In 1971 the cows on pad I were allowed to break feed saved pasture over a week. In 1972 and 1973 the cows and calves were removed from the pad for three and four days after birth respectively. This enabled the calf to obtain colostrum without interference, allowed the cow to build up reserves of vitamin A, helped form a bond between the calf and its mother, and enabled the calf to have the benefit of a healthier environ

The growth rate and carcass characteristics of rangy and short conformation types of steers in Angus, Hereford and Beef Shorthorn breeds were compared in two trials (Trials X and XI) at Massey University. Rangy and short type weaner steers were chosen on the basis of visual assessment of conformation by experienced stockmen. The Angus steers in Trial X came from the one herd as did the Hereford steers in Trial XI. The two types of Angus (Trial XI) and Beef Shorthorn (Trial X) steers were bred in four different herds. Types within a breed were chosen by the same people, but different persons selected the representative steers in each breed. The steers were grazed together at pasture (except for a short period on a wintering yard in their second year of life) and weighed "full" at various intervals. They were slaughtered at an age of about 30 months. They were processed according to normal commercial practice and various aspects of carcass yield, composition and data on carcass weight, grade, fat colour, and chiller shrinkage were collected, various carcass measurements were taken and the weights of fat and bone were recorded for the right side quarters of each carcass. Fifteen steers were purchased of each type. Trial X concluded in March 1976 (after a period of 625 days) with 13 rangy and 14 short Angus steers, and 14 rangy and 15 short Beef Shorthorn steers. There were no animal losses in Trial XI (633 days) which finished in April 1977 (with 15 steers in each type group) in which the two types in the Angus and Hereford breeds were compared. The results were analysed within trials by the fitting constants procedure using fixed-effects linear models. Type effects were compared within each breed group. One model included the right side of the cold carcass as a covariate for some aspects of the carcass data analysed within a breed. Rangy type steers in each breed had heavier initial and final liveweights and carcass weights than short type steers. Rangy steers grew mo

From the files of the Beef Cattle Weight Gain Performance Recording Scheme of the New Zealand Meat Producers Board and the New Zealand Wool Board, the weaning weights of 7771 Hereford calves born in 18 herds, and 16666 Angus calves born in 37 herds, from 1964 to 1972, were analysed. Objectives of the study involved estimation of the effects of age and sex of calf, and age of dam, in order that methods of adjustment currently used in the National Beef Recording Service for these environmental influences could be evaluated. Each calf was classified according to herd, year of birth, age-of-dam group, and sex, with age at weaning as a covariate. The data were analysed within breeds by least squares to investigate the main effects of these five factors and the first-order interactions among herd, year, age-of-dam group, and sex effects. The importance of each interaction was examined by comparing the proportionate reduction in intra-class residual variation after all main effects had been fitted. The results of the analyses of main effects indicated that for each breed, all effects contributed to more than a 2 percent reduction in intra-class residual variance. The results of the interaction analyses showed that only the herd x year interaction for Hereford calves, and the herd x year and herd x sex interactions for Angus calves, contributed to at least a 2 percent reduction in residual variance after all main effects had been fitted. Within-subclass linear regression coefficients of weight on age at weaning for Hereford and Angus calves, were 0.70 ± 0.01 and 0.62 ± 0.01 kg/day, respectively. Least-squares estimates for sex indicated that the weaning weights of Hereford and Angus males were heavier than those of females by 29.8 and 25.6 kg, respectively. Estimates for age of dam indicated that the weights of Hereford calves out of dams of 2, 3, 4, 5 and, 10 years of age and older, deviated from the weights of Hereford calves out of mature dams (6 to 9 years-old) by 33.3

This experiment was designed to study the influence of autumn live weight and nutritionally-enforced live weight change on calf birth weight and the subsequent productivity of three-year-old, primiparous Angus heifers, calving in the spring of 1975. All heifers were pasture fed on "Tuapaka", No. 3 sheep farm, Massey University, and the treatments imposed followed those normally experienced by cattle on hill country. This was achieved by altering pasture intake by the manipulation of stocking rate during first pregnancy. The research herd of 54 heifers was comprised of animals reared to two-and-a-half-years-of-age at three different origins, namely Massey (Tuapaka), Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa, which consequently gave the three autumn live weight groups. On 1 May, 1975, a switchover design for pre-calving nutritional plane was initiated by allocating heifers within origin to one of three treatment groups. The first group of 19 heifers was fed at a high plane continuously to calving. A second group of 18 heifers was fed at a high plane of nutrition for 70 days (to 10 July, 1975) until three weeks before the start of calving (30 July, 1975). The third group of 17 heifers was fed on a low plane of nutrition from 1 May to 10 July, 1975, when it was switched to a high plane. The three groups were identified as HP-HP, HP-LP and LP-HP, respectively. The least squares means for the live weight of the groups at the start of the experiment, at switchover 70 days later, and at the last weighing date before calving were: 1 May, 1975: HP-HP, 382.4kg; HP-LP, 382.0kg; LP-HP, 380.1kg (NS). 10 July, 1975: HP-HP, 381.3kg; HP-LP, 382.1kg; LP-HP, 362.2kg (p<0.01). 25 July, 1975: HP-HP, 395.7kg; HP-LP, 376.0kg; LP-HP, 375.0kg (p<0.01). The live weight of the heifers, as classified by origin at the last weighing date before calving (25 July, 1975), did not differ from that at the start of the experiment (1 May, 1975) by more than 1.7kg. The least squares means for the weight of the heifers

The sale of the Grand Champion 4-H Club steer at the livestock auction in the Coliseum arena is always a big event. The 1050 pound Angus steer, owned by John Stewart of Greensburg, Indiana in Decatur County, was sold to Kingan & Co. Left to right: John Stewart, D.W. Allerdice, Manager of the Beef Department, C.H. Keehn, VP, W.R. Sinclair, Pres., Maxwell Shaw, cattle buyer. At right, T.R. Johnson, Purdue and State Fair Publicity Director, Gilman Stewart, brother of prize winning steer owner, Roy Johnson was the auctioneer from Decatur, Indiana.

Patsey Rumple of Berne, Indiana, in Adams County is seen here with her Grand Champion Angus steer at the 1949 State Fair. Her steer was sold at auction for $6.75 per pound for a total of $7,493.

Jim Hallar from Tippecanoe County is here with his Grand Champion 4-H Club Angus steer. Lt. Governor Charles Dawson holds the Angus heifer Hallar received as an award. Governor Schricker is in the white hat standing next to the buyers.

The Champion Angus heifer in the 4-H Club Class during the 1946 State Fair was shown by J. Westley Pershing from Lafayette in Tippecanoe County.

John Coltrain, of Darlington, Indiana, in Montgomery County is presented with an Angus heifer by Mr. O.C. [Orville] Redenbacher of Princetown Farms. Mr. Redenbacher later became famous for his popcorn.

The high selling steer at the sale of 4-H Club animals after the 1930 State Fair was owned by James Lockwood, of Vallonia, Indiana in Jackson County. The Grand Champion Club Steer over all breeds was purchased by Kingan and Company at $19 per 100 pounds. Behind the steer from left to right are: James Lockwood, Maxwell Shaw, head cattle buyer at Kingans; Camp Davis, assistant cattle buyer; Harry Ainsworth, of Purdue, State Calf Club leader.

Kenneth Torr from Greencastle, Indiana, in Putnam County receives a Hamilton watch from Mr. Cummings for Showmanship in the 4-H Club Angus Contest during the 1951 State Fair.

James Little of Lowell, Indiana, in Lake County shows his Champion Angus heifer in the 4-H Club Class at the 1950 State Fair.

The 1933 State Fair Champion steer in the 4-H Club Class was sold to Kingan & Company. Left to right: William Dickinson, the Delphi Club Boy from Carroll County who owned the Angus steer; from Kingan & Co.: John Gordon Kingham, City Manager; R.S. Sinclair, President; and Maxwell Shaw, Head Buyer.

Raymond Lee Goff, Lebanon, Indiana, in Boone County is seen here with his Reserve Champion Angus steer in the Gold Medal Class during the 1949 State Fair. He also won the Champion Angus Showmanship award that year.

Robert Dale Pentecost from Centerville, Indiana, in Wayne County is shown with his Grand Champion Angus steer in the 4-H Club class at the 1947 State Fair.

The Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion steers in both the 4-H Club and Open Shows during the 1937 State Fair are seen here. The Grand Champion is an Angus owned by Anna Marie Van Hoy, of Loogootee in Martin County. The Reserve Grand Champion is a Shorthorn owned by Herman Purdy of Noblesville in Hamilton County.

Glenn E. Carson from Liberty, Indiana, in Union County is seen here with his 4-H Club Grand Champion Angus steer at the 1946 State Fair. The steer was purchased by Stark & Wetzel Company for $6 per pound at the auction. The buyers and other livestock men are in the arena with Glenn after the auction.

Buyers, State Fair officials, and others stand with Frances Wilbur and her Grand Champion Angus steer just as it sold for $1.75 per pound at the 1939 State Fair. Frances is from Attica, Indiana in Fountain County.

Anna Marie Van Hoy of Loogootee, Indiana in Martin County is seen here with her 4-H Club Grand Champion Angus steer that sold for seventy cents per pound during the 1937 State Fair cattle auction. Lt. Governor Schricker is to her left and the other men are the buyers from Kingan & Co. of Indianapolis and commission men.

President of the State Fair Board, E.S. Priddy is seen here congratulating William Dickinson of Delphi, Indiana in Carroll County. William won the Grand Championship over all breeds with his 4-H Club Angus steer in the Club Show at the 1935 State Fair. County agent Ralph J. Maggart from Delphi is standing by.

The Grand Champion Angus bull at the 1930 State Fair was owned by H.A. Thompson of Cortland, Indiana in Jackson County.

Sale of the Grand Champion 4-H Club steer owned by William Dickinson of Delphi, Indiana in Carroll County at the 1935 State Fair. A large crowd is on hand to watch the event and Lt. Gov. Townsend is in the ring standing beside the steer. Kingan & Co. purchased the Angus steer for .50 cents per pound.

The Grand Champion Angus steer that won over all breeds in the 4-H Club Show at the 1931 State Fair was exhibited by Raymond McManaman. Raymond was the 10 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall McManaman of Swayzee, in Grant County, Indiana.

The Coliseum is filled with spectators as the Grand Champion Club Steer is being auctioned off at the Annual State Fair Sale. The steer, owned by Charles Quigle from Newton, Indiana, was purchased by the Kingan Company at .50 cents per pound.

Patricia Meade from Camden, Indiana, in Carroll County displays the ribbon she won and her Champion Angus heifer in the 4-H Club Class at the State Fair in 1949.

The sale of the Grand Champion Angus steer at the 1938 State Fair brought .62¢ per pound. The Steer was owned by George Howey from Jackson Township in Tippecanoe County. The buyers and others are in the sale ring with Howey and his steer.

Warren Singleton of Oaktown, Indiana and his champion Angus steer and grand champion over all breeds at the 4-H Club Show.

The Champion angus steer in the open class at the State Fair was shown by W.W. Wilson and Son of Muncie, Indiana.

Ann Holder of Otterbein, Indiana and her Grand Champion steer in the 4-H Club class. The steer is an Angus named 'Tobey' and weighed 1104 pounds. Ann is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. A. Holder.

Warren Singleton of Oaktown, Indiana and his champion Angus steer and grand champion over all breeds at the 4-H Club Show.

Calf Club Girl and Angus calf for M.K. Derrick, the Sullivan County Agricultural Agent, Sullivan, Indiana. The girls were not identified by the photographer.