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Everglades Station Mimeo Report 57-10 March 1, 1957

 PRODUCING BEEF CATTLE FOR FLORIDA

 by

 Re W, Kidder
 Associate Animal Husbandman

 Many herds of beef cattle have been maintained successfully for a
number of years on the abundant forage which grows so well on the muck and peat
soils of the Florida Everglades. The Experiment Station has maintained such a
herd for 25 years. The present herd consists of registered cattle in the Brah-
man, Devon and Angus breeds. Crossbreds have been produced by mating the Brah-
man with both the Devon and Angus. The purpose of this project is to determine
breeding programs which can be followed successfully by a cattleman or rancher.

 Eight herds of 25 to 30 cows each are used, with two bulls of each of
the three breeds and two Brahman-devon crossbred bulls. Each cow is assigned
to a certain herd so that her calf will be sired by the breed represented in
the bull. This plan makes possible the maintenance of the three purebred herds
along with the crossbreeding which is divided into three major parts.


 Program 1. This breeding program is called "criss-crossing" and con-
 sists of breeding mostly second generation females to purebred sires of the two
 parent breeds. Crossbred cows that are 3/4 Devon are bred to Brahman sires and
 those that are 3/U Brahman are bred to Devon sires. The female progeny, when
 they attain breeding age, if sired by Devon become replacements in the Brahman
 herd. If they are sired by Brahman they are placed with the Devon bulls, This
 program tends to produce cattle which are 2/3 the breeding of the parent sire,
 It uses the best purebred sires available in each breed and can be readily
 followed on most ranches.

 Program 2. When purebred sires of one breed only are used the plan
 is called "Grading up". The foundation cows in this program, range in breed-
 ing from purebred Angus to 1/h Ant~ s and 3/4 Brahman, Only purebred Angus
 sires are used. This breeding program may determine whether or not superior
 crossbred animals can be produced with less than 1/4 of Brahman* There is a
 possibility of developing and selecting better adapted strains of purebreds
 in this program.

 Program 3. This is designed to investigate the possibilities of
 selecting crossbred cows and mating them to selected crossbred sires of the
 same parent stock. Selection is based on growth rates, conformation scores,
 temperament, size, reproductive regularity and "doing ability" as indicated
 by fleshing qualities, growth of progeny and general health. This is called
 the "Bravon" group as they are Brahman-Devon crossbreds.

 Thebreeding plan, which was followed before these three programs,>;-
 were initiated, was designed to produce animals which were 3/8 Brahman. '/8
 Devon in the third generation. Animals of this percentage of crossbred ng
 showed a considerable lack of uniformity in type, conformation and coo ',This
 variety of characteristics was found in each of the first three gener ns b-
 was greater in the third. In such a small herd, the numbers were inaq te to "
 put into practice the degree of selection and culling in the third gen .rin th