The improvement of beef cattle through breeding methods

Abstract

The purebred Shorthorn cattle breeding project proceeded according to plan during the last year. The project has been planned to facilitate the collection of production data that will be used to devise and test breeding procedures useful to cattlemen to improve beef cattle through breeding methods. Pedigree barriers were established in the original College Shorthorn herd in 1950 and two inbred lines are being developed. College Premier 29th, 2368167, and Gregg Farm's Hoarfrost, 2492499, have been used as herd sires for this purpose and the inbred lines are designated as the Wernacre Premier and Mercury lines, respectively, for these two foundation sires. The inbreeding program in the Wernacre Premier line was initiated in 1949 by mating College Premier 29th to his half sisters. These matings were continued during 1950, 1951, 1952, and 1953. A son of College Premier 29th, KSC Premier C 11th, was mated to the females produced in the Wernacre Premier line to extend the inbreeding into the second generation. Calves from these matings were produced in 1952 and 1953.