By STEVE LANG
SRSU News and Publications
ALPINE – Through genetics, Sul Ross State University researchers hope to develop a type of beef cattle more compatible for West Texas grasslands.
In short, the researchers seek to develop a smaller, healthier cow, better suited to grazing.
“A larger cow takes more feed,” said Dr. Bonnie Warnock, associate professor of Natural Resource Management,. “This research seeks to decrease the overall body size…and develop a cow that really does well on grassland forage without a lot of supplements.
“We are looking for an animal that will gain well and do well on forage rather than in a feedlot situation.”
Warnock and Dr. Scott Ericsson, professor of Animal Science, are working on a five-year grant from the Dixon Water Foundation. The $245,000 project will use Hereford bull semen frozen since the 1960s, donated by the National Animal Germplasm Program, Fort Collins, Colo., to artificially inseminate the Sul Ross cow herd and the Mimms Ranch cow herd.
Thirty cows on the Mimms Ranch and 30 in the Sul Ross herd have been inseminated, with the first crop of calves due in August.
Sul Ross student Annabel Gallegos, El Paso, under Ericsson’s mentoring, is participating in the project as part of the McNair Program. Her research is entitled “Effect of Storage Time on the Viability of Cryopreserved Bovine Spermatozoa.”
Justin Boatright, El Paso, is a grant-funded graduate student working on his Master’s thesis involving the main portion of the project.
Ericsson said the research will use high density SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) chips to distinguish allelic (alternative forms of the same gene or group of genes) differences between older Hereford bulls, the Dixon Water Foundation (Mimms Ranch) Mexican bulls and those currently found in the cattle industry.
“Having this information will enable us to explore differences [markers] in factors such as milk production, longevity and carcass merit,” he said. “We hope to be able to determine which cattle are suitable for the West Texas range. Based on the data, we can design an animal much better suited for this environment.”
Cattle with traditional Hereford genetics were hardy, early maturing and capable of fattening on grazed forage. These cattle had good fertility and were easy calving with excellent mothering-milking qualities. In addition, they were docile, easily managed, and had great longevity. Herefords could efficiently and economically convert grass into beef products without having to grain finish them in order to produce a quality carcass.
The National Animal Germplasm Program has conserved traditional Hereford genetics in the form of frozen semen and has allowed industry and the research community to access the collection of semen from bulls born from the 1960’s to the present. Two Sul Ross graduates, Dr. Phil Purdy and Scott Spiller, are on the staff, .
Working with the National Animal Germplasm Program will “allow us access and data analysis,” Ericsson added, noting that this research puts Sul Ross in a prominent position in re-establishing animals to their former territory.
Research headed by Warnock will include studies of grazing practices.
“Rangelands are much healthier if you have cattle on them, with proper management decisions.”
Consumer demand for grass-fed beef has increased, as there is some evidence that grass-fed beef might have some health advantages over grain-fed beef. Grazed forages are generally more economical than harvested or supplemented feeds.
Collectively, the research hopes to combine the best grazing practices with a new-old type of cattle best suited for this area’s rangelands. Successful results could play a major role in reinvigorating the cattle industry.
“In 2011, Texas saw a huge decrease in the number of cattle on rangelands, as the drought caused a major sell-off,” Warnock said.
“We are seeking sustainable production and profitablity instead of maximum production.”