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Crossbreeding is smart and easy with Gelbvieh and Balancer®

Crossbreeding has been utilized in the cattle industry for many years and for good reason. Crossbreeding provides several benefits including those seen from heavier weaning weights, added fertility, and overall greater lifetime profitability.

How do Gelbvieh and Balancer® crossbred females perform better?

It’s all in the heterosis, or hybrid vigor, described as the increase in performance of the crossbred animal compared to the average of the straight-bred parents. Heterosis impacts traits with low heritability, e.g., reproduction. Producers with crossbred cows can see a higher percentage of their cowherd breed back on the first cycle due to maternal heterosis.
Individual Heterosis
Individual heterosis is the improvement in performance by the individual crossbred animal above the average of its parents. Increased calf livability, weaning weight, yearling weight and carcass traits are examples of individual heterosis in crossbred calves.
Maternal Heterosis 
Maternal heterosis leads to the combined improvement in traits from the dam that cause increases in the performance of her and of her progeny. Examples of maternal heterosis in a beef cow include: younger age at puberty, increased calving rate, increased survival of her calf to weaning; longevity and pounds of calf produced in her lifetime.

Utilizing Gelbvieh and Balancer Genetics in a Crossbreeding Program

Gelbvieh and Balancer cattle excel in traits such as growth, stayability, and productivity. Using Gelbvieh and Balancer genetics in a crossbreeding program can help increase profitability of an operation. See additional pounds and added profit through more efficiency and greater longevity of cows as well as heavier, faster gaining feeder cattle.

Harry Haythorn, Haythorn Ranch Co., Maxwell, Neb.

“I know, and everybody else knows, that crossbreeding works. Since we started buying Balancer bulls, we’ve seen at least a 50-pound increase in our average weaning weights. We also like the docility, fertility, and stayability of the Gelbvieh-influenced females.”

HarryHaythron