Cattle Used for Validation

1. Brahman Sired ARS, Brooksville cattle (344 animals)
   * Brahman sires, Brahman dams

2. Charolais Sired CMP** cattle (435 animals)
   * Charolais sires, Black Angus dams

3. Brangus Sired CMP** cattle
   * Brangus sires, primarily Brangus and some Brangus cross dams  

4. Red Angus Sired CMP** cattle
   * Red Angus sires, mostly Red Angus dams, some crossbred

5. Black Angus Sired CMP** cattle
   * Black Angus sires, Black Angus dams 

6. Australian CRC 1 Indicus-influenced (~ 650 Animals)
   * Santa Gertrudis and Belmont Red

7. Australian CRC 2 Indicus-influenced (747 animals)
   * Brahman, Senepol and Belmont Red infused composites

8. Australian CRC 1 Brahmans (~150 Animals)
    * Purebred Brahman

9. Australian CRC 2 Brahmans (700 animals)
    * Purebred Brahman

10. Commercial US cattle population (1364 animals)

11. * Purebred and crossbred offspring of 285 sires from the following breeds: 202 Angus, 7 Red Angus, 6 Charolais, 7 Gelbveh , 4 Horned Hereford , 11 Polled Hereford, 4 Limousin , 7 Simmental, 1 Braford, 3 Shorthorn, 12 were of mixed breed, and 21 were of unknown breed. Cows were: 360 Angus, 6 Red Angus, 11 Charolais, 2 Horned Hereford , 5 Polled Hereford, 2 Limousin, 9 Simmental, 15 Shorthorn, 598 were crossbred cows, and 356 were of unknown breed composition.

12. North American Angus validation population (~760 bulls, steers and heifers)
     * Purebred Angus

13. North American Bos taurus “Pfizer A***” validation population (~671 bulls, heifers and steers)
     * European Maternal Line Composite Bulls, finished on ad lib feed for greater than 40 days, 100 – 130 days on feed

14. North American Bos taurus “Pfizer B***” validation population (~785 steers)
     * European Maternal Line Composite Steers, 150 – 180 days on feed

15. North American Bos indicus-influenced “Pfizer C***” validation population (~395 steers)
     * Equal percentage of Simbrah, Red Brangus and Braford maternal line composites.

** CMP = carcass merit project; influential sires in their breed in the 1990s were utilized ("legacy bulls")

*** Letter-designations for validation populations as described in Pfizer Technical Summary (February 2009)

Background

Marker Assisted Selection

Glossary