Santa Gertrudis Source September 2024

 An economically feasible sexed-semen technology could make terminal crossbreeding more practical. In simple terms, Thallman suggested the following as a guideline for those interested in a terminal crossbreeding program: Maternal breeds should generally be selected for lower mature size and maternal calving ease, whereas terminal breeds should generally be selected for greater growth and greater calving ease. By leveraging the strengths of both terminal and mater nal breeding systems, we can make waves as an industry in areas of sustainability, efficiency, profitability and business growth. This involves not only adopting new technologies like sexed semen, but also altering traditional practices and exploring a more strategic approach to cattle breeding and management. Now more than ever, the beef industry stands at a cross roads. The adoption of terminal crossbreeding systems is a viable option for producers seeking to specialize their opera tions or explore new growth opportunities. However, it will require further exploration and collaboration from produc ers, researchers and industry leaders to overcome the ob stacles and to fully draw out the benefits of such an approach. As with anything in the cattle business, innovation and efficiency are key. The practice of terminal crossbreeding perfectly combines these two principles and opens the con versation for beef producers to make actionable progress. If you are interested in hearing more from Thallman on this topic, visit beefimprovement.org.

With such a variety of impacts, we all have a piece of the puzzle. The Future of Terminal Crossbreeding Thallman concluded his presentation by challenging the industry to rethink its approach to breeding and herd management. He argued that terminal crossbreeding of fers a valuable opportunity but requires a shift in mindset and management practices. Key takeaways from Thallman’s presentation include:  Smaller cows may or may not be inherently more ef ficient, but they are almost certainly more profitable if they can be bred to bulls of greater genetic poten tial for growth.  As a whole, most breeds need to decide whether they are a maternal or terminal breed.  Complementarity and terminal crossbreeding sys tems are underutilized.  A change in industry structure with regard to re placement females could benefit the entire industry. “If the genetic potential for growth is the same in commercial cows as it is in the bulls they are bred to, some profit potential is probably left on the table.” – Mark Thallman, Ph.D.

SANTA GERTRUDIS SOURCE

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SEPTEMBER 2024