Beef and milk production of Holstein and Jersey when crossed with Fleckvieh

Many emerging and small scale farmers see the raising of dairy bull calves or steers as a way of getting into farming, especially if they are close to a major dairy producing area. To raise or sell bull calves born in a dairy herd is in fact a management decision for all dairy farmers. Bull calf income is usually small in comparison to milk income; however, with small profit margins in the dairy industry, this contribution may be significant. To evaluate this possibility was one of the goals of a study done by Elsenburg in collaboration with the University of Stellenbosch. A second goal was to consider the objective of beef production and milk production from a crossbreeding perspective. Crossbreeding worldwide is considered an option to overcome specific problems in dairy herds, notably to improve fertility in dairy cows. Using purebred beef breeds results in cows not suitable for milk production. Dual-purpose breeds are more suited for crossbreeding in dairy herds because the milk yield of cows may not be affected substantially.

In this study, therefore, bull calves from Holstein and Fleckvieh x Holstein cows were raised for slaughter at 6 months of age for slaughter as veal (Treatment 1), or at 18 months of age (Treatment 2). For both treatments, the mean for birth weight, live weight at slaughter and average daily gain did not differ significantly between Holstein and Fleckvieh x Holstein steers. The slaughter results were also similar, suggesting that the milk and feed requirements for the crossbred calves were about the same as for the Holstein calves. In a follow-up study where Fleckvieh was crossed with Jersey cows, the progeny of the crossbreds showed better milk productions and more milk protein and milk fat yields than purebred Jersey cows in a pasture-based system, probably reflecting the positive effect of heterosis. However, this is but one study, as in the case of the beef production investigation, but the results are sufficiently interesting to warrant further investigations.

References

Goni, S., Muller, C.J.C., Botha, J.A. & Dzama,K., 2013. The milk production and milk composition of Jersey and Fleckvieh × Jersey cows in a pasture-based system. SASAS Congress 2013, Salt Rock, KZN.

Metaxas, L., Muller, C.J.C., Dzama, K. & Botha, J.A., 2013. The beef production of Holstein and Fleckvieh × Holsteincalves as veal or steers. SASAS Congress 2013, Salt Rock, KZN.