Читать книгу Bovine Reproduction - Группа авторов - Страница 361
Breed
ОглавлениеAge and weight at puberty are affected by several factors, including breed. Generally, breeds of a larger size at maturity are older and heavier upon reaching puberty [36]. A classic example of the effect of breed on puberty is illustrated in the study by Laster et al. [37]. Their group found that female progeny of a Charolais bull were 50 days older and 120 kg heavier at puberty than progeny of a Jersey bull when all dams were Angus cows. Although the Charolais × Angus heifers grew faster than the Jersey × Angus heifers, they did not reach puberty at as young an age as the Jersey × Angus heifers due to breed effect, which, in this case, overrode the influence of rate of gain. Generally, European breeds reach puberty younger but at slightly heavier weights than Hereford or Angus heifers [37]. In a study on the effects of heterosis on age at puberty, Wiltbank et al. [38] found half to three‐fourths of the heterosis effect on age at puberty was independent of heterosis effects on average daily gain. Individual sire within a specific breed also has a significant effect on age of puberty of female offspring. The heritability coefficient for age at puberty is 0.41 [31].