The beef industry in the USA is enormous. Supplying it with meat is beyond the ability of local farmers and some American beef is imported from elsewhere. However, the breed of cattle with the most impressive reputation is none other than the locally developed Irish black and Irish red variety. Irish red cattle are a homegrown example of superior breeding performance and meat quality.
In the 1960s, Iowa cattle breeder Maurice Boney started to develop the breed by using Friesian and a small proportion of Aberdeen Angus lines. Some of the Friesian bulls were from Ireland, hence the Irish part of the name. After a process of approximately 50 years, the Irish Reds of today are renowned in the industry for their breeding prowess and standard of meat.
Boney tried to make sure that the genes of his herd stayed the same as much as possible. He targeted homozygous traits, which are the result of both the male and female parent having the same gene for that specific trait. He opposed heterozygous traits because he was trying to ensure that his herd's genetic material was more consistent than that of other cattle. This is important because it causes more stable results in the breeding process.
The majority of these animals have black hides, although some are red. The hides are of a high standard. A possible reason for the occasional red animal is the importation of cattle from the UK. In the 1700s, Scottish Angus herds were intermixed with English Longhorn cattle to achieve bigger, stronger animals. The red coloring was transmitted too.
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 is tasty and well-marbled. Irish red carcasses receive high industry ratings, at about 90% Choice grade or higher. The meat is therefore suitable for sale and use in any area of the beef industry.
Farmers are also interested in the breeding performance of the animals. The females have broader hips, so there are seldom birthing complications. The gestation period is a relatively short 277 days, so the average female calves more times in her life than other breeds. Fertility among females is high, and so is the ability of their udders, enabling a high yield of milk. Males have a long lifespan and sire calves with a low birth weight.
This breed grows to a considerable size, with the calves reaching 1300-1400lb. They gain about 1lb for every 5lb of grain fed to them. This is an important statistic in an industry that mass produces meat for a large market.
Irish black and Irish red herds are a demonstration of what can be achieved by natural selection in breeding. This is in contrast to genetic modification, which has recently arrived on the scene. Future developments will show how that prime piece of steak can be made tastier in the lab.
In the 1960s, Iowa cattle breeder Maurice Boney started to develop the breed by using Friesian and a small proportion of Aberdeen Angus lines. Some of the Friesian bulls were from Ireland, hence the Irish part of the name. After a process of approximately 50 years, the Irish Reds of today are renowned in the industry for their breeding prowess and standard of meat.
Boney tried to make sure that the genes of his herd stayed the same as much as possible. He targeted homozygous traits, which are the result of both the male and female parent having the same gene for that specific trait. He opposed heterozygous traits because he was trying to ensure that his herd's genetic material was more consistent than that of other cattle. This is important because it causes more stable results in the breeding process.
The majority of these animals have black hides, although some are red. The hides are of a high standard. A possible reason for the occasional red animal is the importation of cattle from the UK. In the 1700s, Scottish Angus herds were intermixed with English Longhorn cattle to achieve bigger, stronger animals. The red coloring was transmitted too.
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 is tasty and well-marbled. Irish red carcasses receive high industry ratings, at about 90% Choice grade or higher. The meat is therefore suitable for sale and use in any area of the beef industry.
Farmers are also interested in the breeding performance of the animals. The females have broader hips, so there are seldom birthing complications. The gestation period is a relatively short 277 days, so the average female calves more times in her life than other breeds. Fertility among females is high, and so is the ability of their udders, enabling a high yield of milk. Males have a long lifespan and sire calves with a low birth weight.
This breed grows to a considerable size, with the calves reaching 1300-1400lb. They gain about 1lb for every 5lb of grain fed to them. This is an important statistic in an industry that mass produces meat for a large market.
Irish black and Irish red herds are a demonstration of what can be achieved by natural selection in breeding. This is in contrast to genetic modification, which has recently arrived on the scene. Future developments will show how that prime piece of steak can be made tastier in the lab.
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