DESIGNER COWS
The process of reproduction is one of the unique properties of living things. Not only do organisms
reproduce their own kind, but they also reproduce variations of their own kind. These variations
provide the essential ingredients for evolution and natural selection. They also provide man with
the opportunity to choose domesticated animals which are good to eat, produce a lot of milk or
grow quickly to breed the next generation. In this way, by selective breeding over many years,
man has developed distinctive kinds of animals.
Irish farmers must cater what they produce to meet consumer prefernces. This task focuses on
cattle which are bred to be able to withstand the environment in which they are farmed and to
provide the final product that the market needs
YOUR TASK
Your task is use the carry out a breeding programme with the cattle listed below to produce:
A. a hornless dairy cow, which could also give good meat;
B. a horned hill suckler cow with distinctive colour pattern;
C. a small dairy cow with a high butterfat yield.
Your first steps should be to use the cattle profiles and photographs below to:
1.
2.
Give the breed and list the qualities.
Select desired qualities from the breeds listed.
Your answers can be a labelled diagram, copying various features from the photographs.
CATTLE PROFILES
ABERDEEN ANGUS
The Polled characteristic is dominant in
progeny.
Medium growth rate. Aberdeen Angus
bulls are often used as sires for breeds
which have difficulty in calving.
BELGIAN BLUE
Large animal, double muscling,
imported breed.
CHAROLAIS
One of the largest breeds with a rapid
growth rate and lean muscle
development on back and hind
quarters. One problem with this breed
is the increase in calving difficulty for
dairy and suckler cows when a
Charolais bull is used.
FRIESIAN
Holstein Friesians provide a high milk
yield and are particularly suited to
more intensive systems of dairy
production. They are angular in shape.
Pure Friesians are thicker set and
respond well to extensive systems.
Friesians produce calves that are better
shaped for beef production and their
cross breeds produce good beef. These
breeds account for more milk and beef
in this country than any other breed in
Ireland.
BELTED GALLOWAY
Very hardy breed with thick coats and
are polled.
HIGHLAND
Very slow growing, their hardiness
allows them to survive on poor herbage
in extreme conditions. Horned, long
coat.
JERSEY
The smallest of the major dairy breeds,
produces milk of a high fat content and
is capable of high stocking rates. Pure
breds produce poor beef cattle.
RED POLL
Dairy breed, large digestion which
enables greater milk production, large
udder, poll characteristic dominant and
transmitted to progeny. Pure and cross
bred cattle are useful for beef herds.
WHITE PARK
Active, short legs, muscle on back and
hind quarters, hardy and horned
Dominant colour pattern.
HEREFORD
Contains no imported bloodlines. Good
converters of poor quality forage,
adaptable to poor, extreme climate
conditions. Very high quality beef.
Horned. Dominant colour pattern, i.e.
red brown with white face. Smaller
than many of today's modern beef
breeds.
Homework
Consider and research evidence for the following statements
1. Through natural selection, animals most suited to local conditions are most likely to
breed and produce the next generation.
2. Artificial selection (by man) has developed animals suited to a man-made
environment, e.g. controlled environment housing and concentrated feeds.
3. There are advantages in farming native breeds, compared with imported breeds - for
example with beef cattle, Herefordas against Charolais.