Charolais Continues Performance and Calving Ease Genetic Improvement
UK - Charolais breeders are continuing to respond to commercial farmers’ demands by improving performance, according to the latest report from Breedplan, the breed society’s genetic evaluation system.
12 February 2013
1 minute read
The Charolais breed’s genetic trends for performance traits have consistently risen since 2000 with a 34 per cent increase in eye muscle area Estimated Breeding Value (EBV) and 38 per cent rise in 400 day weight EBV respectively. In addition, the calving ease direct EBV has continued to improve.
“These genetic trends reflect just how well breeders are continuing to respond to commercial producers’ demand for Charolais bulls which not only leave high performance quality calves, but ones which are easier calved,” explains breed society chairman, Alasdair Houston.
“These Charolais bulls are siring commercial calves with that unrivalled weight for age and accompanying good conformation, and there is also a trend within the breed population to move towards easier calving bulls with a shorter gestation length.
Consequently, never before have they met with such demand from beef finishers who are keen to achieve target weight as efficiently as possible.
Their accompanying Breedplan data is available - on line, in sale catalogues and on pen cards, and we recommend this information is taken in to account along with its accuracy and a visual assessment of the animal before making a selection decision.”
TheCattleSite News Desk
