A note on the growth of Beefalo crossbred calves in Botswana

Abstract

In a trial to evaluate the growth of crossbred calves under semi-arid ranch conditions in Botswana, pure Tswana and crossbred beef cows were inseminated with Beefalo and Italian semen or mated naturally with Brahman, Simmental or Tswana bulls. The 424 calves produced were weighed at birth and at monthly intervals t o 18 months of age.Beefalo crossbred calves were significantly lighter at birth than all other calves (P<0·05). At weaning (7 months) Brahman-sired calves were significantly heavier than Tswana calves, but no heavier than the other breed types. At 18 months of age Brahman, Italian and Simmental crosses were all significantly heavier than Tswana calves (P<0·05), but there was no significant difference between Beefalo crossbred and pure Tswana calves.These results indicated that the Beefalo cross had no advantage over the indigenous Tswana breed and more-conventional breeds were superior when crossed with the Tswana.

Interspecific hybrids of animals - in nature, breeding and science – a review

“…The production of this hybrid was aimed at combining the features of these two species: body size and resistance of buffalo with carcass quality and growth rate of cattle. Hybrids named "Cattalo" (2n=60) were defined as hybrids of less than half bison parentage (Mason, 1975), and "Beefalo" (2n=60) was defined as 3/8 bison and 5/8 domestic cattle (Makobo et al, 1981). In Europe in the 1980s, a hybrid of the European bison (Bison bonasus) (2n=60) and domestic cattle (Bos taurus) (2n=60) was created, known as the Żubroń (2n=60) , and is still produced to this day.…”