carrier %

oakbar said:

Knabe,

If you tackle AJ's question---take your time--we don't want you to hurt yourself.   I guess my question is "If you knew something carried all those genes---why the heck would you breed it?""

Click to expand...

$ or the ultimate steer (they think)

Red

to figure out how many squares, for one trait, it's 2 squared, for each trait, add another 2 squared.  so for 5 traits, it's 2squred + 2squared + 2squared +2squared  +2squared, so you end up with 1024 squares!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it's really amazing how few people seem to appreciate how hard it is to get homo polled, homo solid, with no tests to aid them in getting a trait rather than eliminating a trait. 

it's also pretty amazing how the gene pool was essentially ruined by focusing to fast on the one's that were, rather than making more.

there is a test for polled, but it's not validated for maine's.

I always thought that say the simmental breed throwed away so many good cattle trying to make them black. They started using homo black bulls that were in my opinion terrible bulls just to get the black color. I spose they still solf like hotcakes cause they were black. The same could be said for say the polled-horned deal in the Shorthorns. Especially early I don't think the polled cattle were as good. If you select for one trait like color pattern you almost have to start over again on economical trait selection.jmo    hi-jack

AJ - I have to agree that a few years ago the black deal hurt the simmi breed somewhat.  That's probably what was said when they moved away from the yellow & white fleck type simmi too..    Today I'm seeing a few more reds back in the game.    Our own program took an interesting turn in those days when the reds were being so highly discounted.    All other things being equal, we put the red heifers back into the commercial herd as replacements rather than take the hit on the price.  The result is that we have some awesome red cows in the herd that either raise a good black calf or serve as recips.  Very occasionally we get spotted or yellow or gray calves - an automatic 20 knock on price.. so heifers of decent quality go into the commercial herd as replacements/recips & the rest we feed out for our own use. 

I'm starting to think that some of the best animals are the red or the red carrier ones.  Maine, Simmi, Limi-all those breeds started red.  I have a feeling the horned ones are also better in general...  Getting rid of the horn and red genes we sacrificed good qualities too... Just my theory....