Increase Profit & Avoid Dystocia with SexedULTRA™.
What F1 Breeders Should Know About the New – Improved SexedULTRA™ Semen.
“QUEEN OF COW COUNTRY”
For commercial producers in the southern United States and even into the much of the west, the “Queen of Cow Country,” as the Brahman F-1 female has been crowned, needs no introduction. The harsh environment of the southern U.S. boasts high heat & humidity for many months out of the year which, in turn, encourages a wide variety of flies, parasites & vector-borne diseases not seen in more temperate climates. Therein lies the value of the Brahman influence, with their inherent adaptability, resistance to heat, humidity and parasites. However, the most valued benefit of the Bos indicus x Bos taurus cross is the addition of heterosis, or “hybrid vigor.” Heterosis can be observed in resulting offspring when two different breeds are mated together, however because Brahmans and the British breeds they are mated with are a completely different species from one another, we see the most extreme form of hybrid vigor on display in these F-1 offspring. Although there is often the misperception of dramatic increases in performance and weaning weights between the F-1 vs. purebred progeny, the traits most enhanced by hybrid vigor are the lowly heritable traits: fertility, longevity, calf survivability and weaning percentage. Because the F-1 is so resilient, adaptable and low-maintenance, the Brahman x Hereford or Brahman x Angus female is a favorite of southern cattleman and fetch premium prices in sales across the south.
Despite the proven success of the F-1 Brahman cross female, however, two obstacles prove to be a constant thorn in the side of producers striving to produce them: 1.) Bull Calves. The male counterparts of the F-1 female are generally not sought after by commercial cattleman as breeding bulls due to their high percentage of Bos indicus influence and they are heavily discounted by cattle buyers and feedlots because of their lower quality grades (as a general rule). 2.) Dystocia. As explained in the fascinating article below, taken from research performed by Texas A&M University, when Brahman bulls are bred to Hereford or Angus females, the hybrid vigor effect produces disproportionately large birth weights that can result in a high percentage of dystocia and create a trainwreck if a producer does not plan his matings accordingly.
THE BIRTH WEIGHT “PHENOMENON” IN BRAHMAN x BRITISH CATTLE
Reciprocal Differences in Birth Weight in Brahman x Bos taurus Crossed Cattle
SEXEDULTRA™ HIGH FERTILITY SEMEN PROVIDES SOLUTIONS TO BOTH PROBLEMS.
One of the newest tools that cattlemen have at their disposal today is SexedULTRA™ high fertility semen products. What is SexedULTRA™? SexedULTRA™ refers to the latest process of sex-sorting semen, developed by Sexing Technologies of Navasota, TX. More than a decade of research & development, new patented technologies & equipment, propriety medias and field trials have culminated in the creation of a new process for sorting semen with conception rates routinely performing within 5 percent of conventional semen when used properly. SexedULTRA™ semen products can help F-1 producers solve both of the aforementioned problems, become more profitable and more efficient.
1.) Bull calves. Why leave extra profit on the table? SexedULTRA™ semen products are up to 95 percent gender pure, meaning each straw of semen is packed with up to 95 percent of the gender of sperm cells selected for – in this case, females. No more relying on Mother Nature to deal you a favorable hand in regards to the gender ratio of your calf crop. You can control your breeding program and produce more of the real profit-makers for your operation – females. Even disregarding the genetic impact of the A.I. sire used, the gender value difference between an F-1 heifer calf and bull calf make SexedULTRA™ a no-brainer.
2.) Dystocia. For producers wishing to A.I. females to a Brahman bull or perhaps even to a heavier birth weight bull of another breed, SexedULTRA™ semen helps to mitigate and reduce your risk of dystocia.* As cited in the article above, Brahman-sired heifer calves out of Hereford or Angus cows can be 12 to 14 lbs lighter than their bull calf counterparts. Heifer calves are lighter at birth and suffer fewer complications.
*It is always recommended to use low BW Brahman bulls when crossbreeding to British breed females. Brahman EPD’s usually have low accuracies, particularly for non-parent bulls. Always do your research and examine both the sire and dam of the bull to help determine the potential for calving ease if calf data is not available.
STgenetics offers high fertility SexedULTRA™ semen on Brahman, Hereford & Angus sires for F-1 producers. Our complete sire lineup can be viewed at www.STgen.com. A.I. timing with sexed semen is significantly different than for conventional semen. To learn more about correct A.I. timing and synchronization protocols specifically for sexed semen, email us at beef@STgen.com or call us at 936.870.3960.
Photos courtesy of Sara Barrett & Kallion Farms.
