The herd book of Hereford cattle.

Vols. 1 and 2 of the set in Mann Library are second edition published in 1862.

History and hand book of Hereford cattle and Hereford bull index /

"First edition, 1925."

History and hand book of Hereford cattle and Hereford bull index.

"Hereford bibliography": p. 289-291.

Evaluation of response to selection and inbreeding in a closed line of Hereford cattle /

Caption title.

Comparison of different nonlinear functions to describe Nelore cattle growth

This work aims to compare different nonlinear functions for describing the growth curves of Nelore females. The growth curve parameters, their (co) variance components, and environmental and genetic effects were estimated jointly through a Bayesian hierarchical model. In the first stage of the hierarchy, 4 nonlinear functions were compared: Brody, Von Bertalanffy, Gompertz, and logistic. The analyses were carried out using 3 different data sets to check goodness of fit while having animals with few records. Three different assumptions about SD of fitting errors were considered: constancy throughout the trajectory, linear increasing until 3 yr of age and constancy thereafter, and variation following the nonlinear function applied in the first stage of the hierarchy. Comparisons of the overall goodness of fit were based on Akaike information criterion, the Bayesian information criterion, and the deviance information criterion. Goodness of fit at different points of the growth curve was compared applying the Gelfand`s check function. The posterior means of adult BW ranged from 531.78 to 586.89 kg. Greater estimates of adult BW were observed when the fitting error variance was considered constant along the trajectory. The models were not suitable to describe the SD of fitting errors at the beginning of the growth curve. All functions provided less accurate predictions at the beginning of growth, and predictions were more accurate after 48 mo of age. The prediction of adult BW using nonlinear functions can be accurate when growth curve parameters and their (co) variance components are estimated jointly. The hierarchical model used in the present study can be applied to the prediction of mature BW in herds in which a portion of the animals are culled before adult age. Gompertz, Von Bertalanffy, and Brody functions were adequate to establish mean growth patterns and to predict the adult BW of Nelore females. The Brody model was more accurate in predicting the birth weight of these animals and presented the best overall goodness of fit.

Genetic associations between carcass traits measured by real-time ultrasound and scrotal circumference and growth traits in Nelore cattle

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the genetic correlations among real-time ultrasound carcass, BW, and scrotal circumference (SC) traits in Nelore cattle. Carcass traits, measured by real-time ultrasound of the live animal, were recorded from 2002 to 2004 on 10 farms across 6 Brazilian states on 2,590 males and females ranging in age from 450 to 599 d. Ultrasound records of LM area (LMA) and backfat thickness (BF) were obtained from cross-sectional images between the 12th and 13th ribs, and rump fat thickness (RF) was measured between the hook and pin bones over the junction between gluteus medius and biceps femoris muscles. Also, BW (n = 22,778) and SC ( n = 5,695) were recorded on animals born between 1998 and 2003. The BW traits were 120, 210, 365, 450, and 550-d standardized BW (W120, W210, W365, W450, and W550), plus BW (WS) and hip height (HH) on the ultrasound scanning date. The SC traits were 365-, 450-, and 550-d standardized SC (SC365, SC450, and SC550). For the BW and SC traits, the database used was from the Nelore Breeding Program-Nelore Brazil. The genetic parameters were estimated with multivariate animal models and REML. Estimated genetic correlations between LMA and other traits were 0.06 (BF), -0.04 ( RF), 0.05 (HH), 0.58 (WS), 0.53 (W120), 0.62 (W210), 0.67 (W365), 0.64 ( W450 and W550), 0.28 (SC365), 0.24 (SC450), and 0.00 ( SC550). Estimated genetic correlations between BF and with other traits were 0.74 ( RF), -0.32 (HH), 0.19 (WS), -0.03 (W120), -0.10 (W210), 0.04 (W365), 0.01 (W450), 0.06 ( W550), 0.17 (SC365 and SC450), and -0.19 (SC550). Estimated genetic correlations between RF and other traits were -0.41 (HH), -0.09 (WS), -0.13 ( W120), -0.09 ( W210), -0.01 ( W365), 0.02 (W450), 0.03 (W550), 0.05 ( SC365), 0.11 ( SC450), and -0.18 (SC550). These estimates indicate that selection for carcass traits measured by real-time ultrasound should not cause antagonism in the genetic improvement of SC and BW traits. Also, selection to increase HH might decrease subcutaneous fat as correlated response. Therefore, to obtain animals suited to specific tropical production systems, carcass, BW, and SC traits should be considered in selection programs.

Effect of inbreeding on growth and reproductive traits of Nellore cattle in Brazil

The objective of this study was to identify and quantify the influence of F (inbreeding coefficient) on weaning weight (WW), weight gain from weaning to 18 months of age (WG345), finishing visual score (precocity) at 18 months of age, muscling visual score at 18 months of age (MUS), hip height (HH), scrotal circumference at 18 months of age (SC), heifer probability of pregnancy at 14 months of age (PP14), and stayability (STAY) in Brazilian Nellore cattle. The complete pedigree included 417,552 animals born between 1984 and 2007 on 12 farms located in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Sao Paulo and Bahia. Following the observation of a statistically significant effect (P<0.05) of the covariates individual inbreeding coefficient (F) and maternal inbreeding coefficient, regression analysis of each trait, adjusted for all other effects, was performed as a function of the linear and quadratic effect of F and maternal F (when significant). Inbreeding negatively affected all traits studied (P<0.05), except for muscling. A quadratic effect of individual F on WW, WG345, HH and PP14, and a quadratic effect of maternal F on WG345 and HH were observed. Levels of inbreeding higher than 7-11% affected negatively growth and reproductive performance of Nellore cattle. Therefore, inbreeding should be avoided, except for purposes of genetic breeding whose main objective is the fixation of certain alleles in the population. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aplicação de modelos não-lineares para descrever a evolução de características de crescimento e carcaça em bovinos da raça Hereford

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Supplementation based on protein or energy ingredients to beef cattle consuming low-quality cool-season forages: I. Forage disappearance parameters in rumen-fistulated steers and physiological responses in pregnant heifers

Two experiments evaluated the influence of supplement composition on ruminal forage disappearance, performance, and physiological responses of Angus x Hereford cattle consuming a low-quality cool-season forage (8.7% CP and 57% TDN). In Exp. 1, 6 rumen-fistulated steers housed in individual pens were assigned to an incomplete 3 x 2 Latin square design containing 2 periods of 11 d each and the following treatments: 1) supplementation with soybean meal (PROT), 2) supplementation with a mixture of cracked corn, soybean meal, and urea (68:22:10 ratio, DM basis; ENER), or 3) no supplementation (CON). Steers were offered meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis L.) hay for ad libitum consumption. Treatments were provided daily at 0.50 and 0.54% of shrunk BW/steer for PROT and ENER, respectively, to ensure that PROT and ENER intakes were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. No treatment effects were detected on rumen disappearance parameters of forage DM (P >= 0.33) and NDF (P >= 0.66). In Exp. 2, 35 pregnant heifers were ranked by initial BW on d -7 of the study, allocated into 12 feedlot pens (4 pens/treatment), and assigned to the same treatments and forage intake regimen as in Exp. 1 for 19 d. Treatments were fed once daily at 1.77 and 1.92 kg of DM/heifer for PROT and ENER, respectively, to achieve the same treatment intake as percent of initial BW used in Exp. 1 (0.50 and 0.54% for PROT and ENER, respectively). No treatment effects (P = 0.17) were detected on forage DMI. Total DMI was greater (P < 0.01) for PROT and ENER compared with CON and similar between PROT and ENER (P = 0.36). Accordingly, ADG was greater (P = 0.01) for PROT compared with CON, tended to be greater for ENER compared with CON (P = 0.08), and was similar between ENER and PROT (P = 0.28). Heifers receiving PROT and ENER had greater mean concentrations of plasma glucose (P = 0.03), insulin (P <= 0.09), IGF-I (P <= 0.04), and progesterone (P = 0.01) compared to CON, whereas ENER and PROT had similar concentrations of these variables (P >= 0.15). A treatment x hour interaction was detected (P < 0.01) for plasma urea N (PUN), given that PUN concentrations increased after supplementation for ENER and PROT (time effect, P < 0.01) but did not change for CON (time effect, P = 0.62). In conclusion, beef cattle consuming low-quality cool-season forages had similar ruminal forage disappearance and intake, performance, and physiological status if offered supplements based on soybean meal or corn at 0.5% of BW.

Assessing land use by cattle in heterogeneous environments

The aim of this note is to describe preliminary results on assessment of land use by cattle, obtained in a pilot study using Geographic Information System (GIS). The research was carried out on a semi-natural pasture in Sweden, where the geographic positions of one cow were recorded during 25 consecutive days during summer. The cow, wearing a GPS collar, was integrated in a herd of 53 Hereford cattle. Each location point registered for the animal was considered as a sampling unit (N=3,097). The spatial distribution of ground declivity, water sources, cattle tracks, and classes of woody vegetation cover (forest, grassland with trees and open grassland) were recorded. The storage, processing and data analysis were carried out using the Idrisi and GS+ softwares. Three occupation zones were identified in function of the variation in the space used by the animal, which were occupied in a cyclical pattern; with the animal moving from one zone to another in cycles of five days. It was also clear that the cattle distribution in the area was neither random nor uniform, and it was affected by environmental characteristics that act as conditioners on its distribution. These preliminary results suggest that definition of zones of occupation and the environmental conditioners are promising tools to understand the land use by cattle

Epidermolysis bullosa in Danish Hereford calves is caused by a deletion in LAMC2 gene.

BACKGROUND Heritable forms of epidermolysis bullosa (EB) constitute a heterogeneous group of skin disorders of genetic aetiology that are characterised by skin and mucous membrane blistering and ulceration in response to even minor trauma. Here we report the occurrence of EB in three Danish Hereford cattle from one herd. RESULTS Two of the animals were necropsied and showed oral mucosal blistering, skin ulcerations and partly loss of horn on the claws. Lesions were histologically characterized by subepidermal blisters and ulcers. Analysis of the family tree indicated that inbreeding and the transmission of a single recessive mutation from a common ancestor could be causative. We performed whole genome sequencing of one affected calf and searched all coding DNA variants. Thereby, we detected a homozygous 2.4 kb deletion encompassing the first exon of the LAMC2 gene, encoding for laminin gamma 2 protein. This loss of function mutation completely removes the start codon of this gene and is therefore predicted to be completely disruptive. The deletion co-segregates with the EB phenotype in the family and absent in normal cattle of various breeds. Verifying the homozygous private variants present in candidate genes allowed us to quickly identify the causative mutation and contribute to the final diagnosis of junctional EB in Hereford cattle. CONCLUSIONS Our investigation confirms the known role of laminin gamma 2 in EB aetiology and shows the importance of whole genome sequencing in the analysis of rare diseases in livestock.

The Hereford in America; a compilation of historic facts about the breed's background and bloodlines.

Mode of access: Internet.

Hereford husbandry,

Mode of access: Internet.

American Hereford record and Hereford herd book.

Brief history of Hereford cattle: v. 1, p. 359-375.

The productivity effects of cattle tick (Boophilus microplus) infestation on cattle, with particular reference to Bos indicus cattle and their crosses

In response to uncertainty among cattle producers in Australia regarding the need to treat Bos indices and B. indicus crossbreeds, the scientific literature relating to the productivity effects of Boophilus microplus on cattle of all breeds was reviewed. Estimates of the mean effect of each engorging tick (damage coefficient, d) were made from a simple analysis of the reported data. On average, each engorging female tick is responsible for the loss of 1.37 +/- 0.25 g bodyweight in B. taunts cattle. The comparable value for B. taurus x B. indicus cattle is 1.18 +/- 0.21 g/engorging tick. These values were not statistically significantly different, indicating that if a threshold approach to tick control were taken, then the threshold number of standard ticks would be the same regardless of cattle genotype. No studies provided useable estimates of the effect of tick infestation on pure B. indices cattle. An economic threshold for treatment, below which acaricide application is not beneficial, can be predicted, using known values for the cost of acaricide application and the price of beef. However, the application of a threshold approach to control has not been embraced by government advisers and runs contrary to the accepted principals of strategic control programs. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.