COMPARING SENEPOL COWS TO OTHER DAM BREEDS FOR CALF PRODUCTION ON TALL FESCUE

摘要

Economic losses associated with tall fescue toxicosis can be reduced by the use of heat tolerant cattle. The cow-calf performance of Senepol cows, a breed selected for heat tolerance, was compared to that of Brahman and English breed cows while grazing tall fescue in Booneville, AR from 1997 to 1999. Percentage of cows weaning a calf was not significantly different P>.10) among breeds and averaged about 90%. Weaning weights for Senepol cows was significantly greater (P<.05) than those for Brahman and English breed cows. These results indicate that Senepol cows were more productive than English and Brahman breeds of cattle in a cow-calf operation when the dominant forage was tall fescue.