The USA beef industry is large, and providing it with enough meat is a task that American cattle farmers are unable to perform entirely. Some beef therefore has to be sourced from other countries. However, one of the most successful breeds is one that has its origins at home. This is the Irish black or Irish red cattle breed, which is known for its high quality meat and outstanding breeding ability.
The breed originated during the 1960s when a breeder in Iowa, Maurice Boney, started developing it by concentrating mainly on Friesian cattle with a minor presence of Aberdeen Angus ancestry. Some of the Friesian sires came from Ireland, which is the history behind the name. It has taken about 50 years for the breed to reach its present industry status in terms of its superior breeding potential and quality of meat.
Boney's priority in his breeding program was to keep the genetics as pure as possible. He tried to maintain homozygous traits (where both parents have the same characteristic) rather than involve heterozygous possibilities. As he explained, his approach ensured that the breed's gene pool remained more consistent than that of others. This ensures predictable results in breeding.
Most of the individuals belonging to this breed have black coloring, while occasionally a red one appears. The standard of the hides is relatively high. About three centuries ago in Scotland, Scottish farmers crossbred English Longhorn cattle with their Aberdeen Angus herds to produce animals which were physically stronger and larger. This is a possible reason why some examples of Boney's breed have red hides.
The Irish red hide is caused by a recessive gene, so it may be present in many individuals but not expressed in hide color. This is how it may have arrived from the UK. Mammals have two genes for each characteristic, so if a gene is recessive it won't be expressed in the phenotype (the physical animal) unless it constitutes both genes.
The meat of has a distinctive taste and is generously marbled with fat. The carcasses are rated higher, too. The meat is 80-90% Choice grade or better. It can therefore be sold to any sector of the industry, and be used for any purpose.
Males live for a long time and generate offspring which have a low weight when they are born. Females are fertile and produce a large quantity of milk. They gestate the calves for about 10 months, which is a shorter period than others. This equates to more calves during the female's life. They also have broader pelvises, making parturition easier.
Individuals reach an impressive size. Calves reach between 1000 and 1500lb. The feed-to-gain ratio is about 5lb of feed to 1lb of gain. This ratio is an important consideration for industry operators since herds are mass raised to supply an immense market.
The success of Irish black and red cattle illustrates what is possible using natural methods of deliberate breeding. At a time when genetic modification is establishing an increasing presence in agriculture, people may still learn from the example of Maurice Boney. The question is as to how genetic modification can improve an already superior piece of steak.
The breed originated during the 1960s when a breeder in Iowa, Maurice Boney, started developing it by concentrating mainly on Friesian cattle with a minor presence of Aberdeen Angus ancestry. Some of the Friesian sires came from Ireland, which is the history behind the name. It has taken about 50 years for the breed to reach its present industry status in terms of its superior breeding potential and quality of meat.
Boney's priority in his breeding program was to keep the genetics as pure as possible. He tried to maintain homozygous traits (where both parents have the same characteristic) rather than involve heterozygous possibilities. As he explained, his approach ensured that the breed's gene pool remained more consistent than that of others. This ensures predictable results in breeding.
Most of the individuals belonging to this breed have black coloring, while occasionally a red one appears. The standard of the hides is relatively high. About three centuries ago in Scotland, Scottish farmers crossbred English Longhorn cattle with their Aberdeen Angus herds to produce animals which were physically stronger and larger. This is a possible reason why some examples of Boney's breed have red hides.
The Irish red hide is caused by a recessive gene, so it may be present in many individuals but not expressed in hide color. This is how it may have arrived from the UK. Mammals have two genes for each characteristic, so if a gene is recessive it won't be expressed in the phenotype (the physical animal) unless it constitutes both genes.
The meat of has a distinctive taste and is generously marbled with fat. The carcasses are rated higher, too. The meat is 80-90% Choice grade or better. It can therefore be sold to any sector of the industry, and be used for any purpose.
Males live for a long time and generate offspring which have a low weight when they are born. Females are fertile and produce a large quantity of milk. They gestate the calves for about 10 months, which is a shorter period than others. This equates to more calves during the female's life. They also have broader pelvises, making parturition easier.
Individuals reach an impressive size. Calves reach between 1000 and 1500lb. The feed-to-gain ratio is about 5lb of feed to 1lb of gain. This ratio is an important consideration for industry operators since herds are mass raised to supply an immense market.
The success of Irish black and red cattle illustrates what is possible using natural methods of deliberate breeding. At a time when genetic modification is establishing an increasing presence in agriculture, people may still learn from the example of Maurice Boney. The question is as to how genetic modification can improve an already superior piece of steak.
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