Abstract

The Raramuri Criollo (RC) cattle is recognized for its adaptability, resilience, and low feeding requirements under low-input production systems. This study compared the productive and reproductive performance of purebred RC and Angus × Raramuri Criollo (AC) heifers with Hereford × Angus (HA) heifers. Experiment I evaluated post-weaning growth, feed intake, and feed efficiency in a 56 d individual feeding trial using 10 RC, 10 AC, and 8 HA heifers after a 14 d adaptation period; heifers received the experimental diet ad libitum throughout the trial. Experiment II evaluated puberty attainment and growth development of 14 RC, 17 AC, and 11 HA heifers under rangeland with limited supplementation (RLS) and 11 RC, 16 AC, and 10 HA heifers under annual irrigated pasture (AIP). Puberty attainment was determined from two consecutive serum progesterone concentrations >1 ng/mL, and body weight, average daily gain (ADG), age at puberty (AP), and body weight at puberty (BWP) were analyzed using mixed models and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Under individual feeding, RC and AC heifers gained 0.56 ± 0.06 and 0.32 ± 0.06 kg/d less and consumed 40.4% and 22.0% less feed than HA heifers (p < 0.05), whereas feed conversion and residual feed intake did not differ among breed groups. Heifers developed under AIP attained puberty earlier than those under RLS (median AP: 369 vs. 546 d; logrank p < 0.001). Overall, AC heifers combined the adaptive capacity of RC cattle with the productive potential of British breeds, achieving a favorable balance among growth, feed intake, feed efficiency, and reproductive development under contrasting development conditions, supporting their use in low-input beef production systems.

Keywords