By A.J. Knowles Consulting Geneticist, Bos Sires
Halloween may be the season of things that go “bump” in the night, but for cattle producers, spooky behavior is no laughing matter. For Brahman cattle, docility remains top of mind for many buyers, particularly those looking for show-ready calves for juniors. While Brahman are often hailed for their ability to withstand harsh environments, that ability did not come without a fight. Forgotten over the years however is the fact that survival is often based on our ability to get away from danger, or to be flighty.
Unfortunately for us, some animals have maintained this sense of flightiness, and can mistake their handlers for danger, and the results can be disastrous. By selecting for Docility, you can prevent your barn from turning into a haunted house. Docility, or how an animal responds to flight-inducing situations, can be measured without equipment using a simple pen score.
Groups of five or so animals are penned in a small lot, approximately 12’x24’, and approached by two observers. Animals who can be approached closely are scored as a 1, and animals that are highly excitable and aggressive are scored as a 5. This scoring system is reversed in the Brahman evaluation, where docile animals are scored with a 9, and aggressive animals scored as a 1. By scoring animals and breeding only those with acceptable docility, Brahman breeders can increase the level of docility in their herds, which in turn yields greater productivity.
This has been shown by researchers at Texas A&M, where data shows that more docile animals have higher fertility (Vasquez et al., 2024), greater weaning weights (Riley et al., 2014), and higher degrees of marbling at finish (Behrends et al., 2009). This trait is also moderately heritable, with research estimates ranging from 30-50%. That’s almost as high as carcass traits!
This Halloween, help your herd’s future look less haunted and more manageable. Let us help you select a bull that’s all treats, no tricks.
