Comparison of F-1 Bos indicus x Hereford cows in central Texas: II. Udder,mouth, longevity, and lifetime productivity

Postpartum udder characteristics, aged mouth condition scores, and cow surv ival, longevity, and productivity were evaluated for 15 yr on F-1 cows in c entral Texas (temperate winters and subtropical summers). The cows (n = 116 ) were progeny of Angus, Gray Brahman, Gir, Indu-Brazil, Nellore, and Red B rahman sires and Hereford dams. Crossbred cows sired by Nellore had smaller (P < 0.05) postpartum teat length than cows of all other crossbred groups and smaller (P < 0.10) postpartum teat diameter than Indu-Brazil and Red Br ahman crossbreds. The Nellore crossbred cows had larger (P < 0.10) postpart um udder support scores (more well-supported udders) than Girt Indu-Brazil, and Red Brahman crossbreds. As 14-yr-old cows, Angus crossbreds had lower (P < 0.05) mouth scores (indicative of one or more missing incisors) than B os indicus crossbreds. Under actual and artificial (records were removed) c ulling procedures, Nellore crossbreds had the highest cow survival to age 1 4 and the highest longevity. Indu-Brazil crossbreds tended to be the lowest for both survival and longevity. Curves were fitted by nonlinear regressio n procedures to the adjusted frequencies of cows remaining at each age; sca le and shape parameters were estimated and compared for the different breed groups. Breed group cow survival rates, calf crop weaned, and calf weaning weights were used 1) to construct population projection and production mat rices for each breed group and 2) to generate breed group vectors containin g projected age distributions and production information. Cows sired by Nel lore and Gir were projected to require the fewest purebred cows to generate replacement heifers and to have the most calves and the largest total calf weight sold per year.