Assessment of weight growth potential of Kalmyk and their crossbred herdmates with Red Angus breed of the first and second generation

Abstract

Based on the existing experience on combining the heredity of the Kalmyk cattle during breed development, we have developed a program to create a new type of beef cattle based on a combination of genotypes of Red Angus of American selection and Kalmyk breed in the Republic of Kalmykia in a dry steppe climatic zone. The purpose of work was to identify the potential weight growth in purebred Kalmyk heifers and daughters of the Red Angus sires of American breeding. For the study, 3 groups of heifers with 20 heads each were formed: Group I-purebred, II-crossbreed of the 1st generation: Red Angus×Kalmyk, III group-crossbred of the 2nd generation. Control rearing continued from birth to 18 months of age in the Republic of Kalmykia. Daughters of fathers of imported origin were relatively large-fruited. In the rearing period, intergroup differences in live weight were insignificant. At pre-weaning period until the end of the control rearing, the distance in weight growth between heifers of different genotypes increased. At 18 months of age, the difference reached 21.9-34.1 kg, the progeny of the 2nd generation had the maximum value. Half-blood daughters at all stages of live weight control were characterized by intermediate expression of the trait. The combined chick genotypes differed in long-growth, demonstrating a high growth rate up to 15 months of age. Influence of fathers on live weight variability of progeny increased with age, reaching a level of 26.65 % Лв 18 ЦШЧЭСs (P≤0.001).

Selection of Kalmyk Cattle in Kazakhstan

“…However, according to several researchers, these qualities of animals have low heritability and without assessing the productivity of relatives and the combination ability of lines, the selection effect is limited (Kayumov et al, 2018).…”