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The cattle Charolais is considered the best cattle breed regarding meat production because of its low fat and skeletal muscle formation. Their current cross cattle and bruycker genetic varieties are considered more productive than Hereford cattle or Angus cattle. For these reasons they are very appreciated cows for breeding because they report excellent profits, hence it is important to know how to raise cattle of this breed quite productive.
What characterizes the Charolais bovine race?
It is not a bovine race of recent introduction, because according to the American International Charolais Association (AICA) this breed has been breeding since the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries when it was used as a working animal in the provinces of southwestern France, Niemen and Charolles. Precisely the latter acquired the name.
There is no certainty as to how they went from being cows to plowing the land to cattle for meat production, but it is believed that it was the introduction of another race that gave the current constitution to these cows that have as one of the main characteristics a layer white
Precisely his creamy white hair is what distinguishes this race. This hair can grow quite a lot in winter, while in summer it tends to stay short.
It is one of the few breeds where calves are born with horns at birth, although these are usually extirpated by breeders early to avoid injury.
However, the most precious feature of this breed is its muscular and developed constitution from the extremities to the back, showing a good supply of meats and therefore one of the best meat breeds, especially the genetics current cross cattle and bruycker.
What are the advantages offered by the cross-breed and bruycker gene varieties?
Apart from this bulky musculature is the fact of its large size, since adult male specimens reach 1250 kilograms, while adult females weigh 900 kilos, above Hereford cattle or Angus cattle.
In addition, the current cross cattle and De Bruyckervarieties constitute cattle that are quite resistant to environmental conditions. In fact, under few care steers can earn more than a kilo and a half a day, reporting a yield of 1 kilo for every 7 kilos of food consumed.
Likewise, breeding and stability conditions make it a highly appreciated breed of cattle investment, since cows usually reach an 81% pregnancy rate, while their survival rate can reach 96% for a rate of Weaning of 78%.
As indicated by AICA, in the raising of livestock of this productive breed, three fundamental aspects must be considered: crossbreeding, weaning and feeding.
Considering these factors, a set of productive goals must be established in a year. For example, each cow has a calf, reach low mortality before and after the birth.
It is also important to obtain the best relationship between the weight of the weaned calf and the weight of the mother, in addition to achieving the highest number of births (between 7 and 8) per cow.
Regarding feeding, the requirements of pregnant cows and lactating cows should be considered, estimating in each case the number of kilos of dry matter per day that they can ingest, as well as the percentage of crude protein.
The conditions of the winter feeding of the cows should also be assessed, estimating the use of straw oats or straw pea in prairies permanently for at least 90 days.
These cereal straws can be used as a supplement during grazing, either in autumn and winter, either exclusively or in combination with hay and silage.
Another important point in the breeding cattle of this bovine race has to do with the ideal weight of the calves for weaning, being located the same between 180 and 230 kilos.
What is the care that must be taken to achieve a highly productive in the exploitation of this type of livestock?
For a good upbringing of cross cattle and bruycker cattle interracial crosses should be produced, which will guarantee that the hybrid vigor is reached.
Hybrid vigor refers to the superiority of the offspring with respect to their parents, something that can be achieved through the selective improvement of cows.
This hybrid vigor will be measured through the improvement of indicators such as greater fertility (more number of births), ease of births and a greater number of surviving calves.
In the same way, the interracial crossing as a breeding technique of this type makes possible improvement of the cows in comparison with their parents because it increases the weight or growth before weaning.
In order to carry out this crossing that exceeds the expectations in other livestock farms, such as cattle Hereford or cattle Angus, it is essential that genetically selected specimens are used.
In general, as reported by AICA, other points that you should take into account as a breeder of the Charolais breed is to have good general management of the herd and ensure reproduction with a good stud bull. In addition, cows and heifers that are not pregnant should be eliminated, as well as those that are old or that have an untreatable or very expensive disease.