Source: C.R. Ive never seen them hurt each other badly, but theyre athletes, and they fight viciously. Your email address will not be published. Broad-leaved forests are fairly well spread over the country, with the exceptions of Puglia, Sicily, and Sardinia. While we provide information resources and canine education, the content here is not a substitute for veterinary guidance. The Corriente cattle are very hardy and strong animals. All rights reserved. Asking $350 each. Use the search! I tried to climb the fence and got as high as the third bar. This system is used frequently in Western range states. The Corriente is not specifically produced for its skin and has a smaller body than most other cow breeds. This 4% increase, or 20 pounds in this example, is defined as heterosis or hybrid vigor. On the other hand, theyre generally non-aggressive and easy-going unless they or their calves are threatened. The Corriente is an American breed of small cattle, used principally for rodeo events. She has parented various furry beings over the years and is currently a proud cat mom of twoone very chilled (unless hungry) Siamese and a skittish but adorable Domestic Shorthairand dog mom of onean adopted Bichon Poodle cross. Other than supplemental range cubes in the last part of pregnancy, cows feed only on a diverse mix of bromegrass, fescue, red clover, white clover, orchardgrass and weeds. An example of a two-breed specific cross would be mating Angus bulls to Hereford cows. Theyll kill red cedar trees, eat multiflora rose bushes and stand on their hind legs to eat the leaves off locust trees, but they dont like straight alfalfa.. if (width <= 900) { This yields more heterosis than rotating breeds with each new bull or every two years. Weve butchered at 17 years old, and the meat from these Corriente cattle is still tender, tasty meat.. )2] = 0.47 or 47 percent. adElem.style.top = ''; Now, its indistinguishable. It derives from Criollo Mexicano stock, which in turn descends from Iberian cattle brought to the Americas by the Conquistadores, and introduced in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to various parts of what is now Mexico. I keep the f1 replacements and cross again with Charolais giving me a meaty and marketable calf. Corriente cattle are the descendants of Spanish cattle dating back to the 15th century that were imported into the US. What they dont butcher, they sell on the hoof. That said, a level of vigilance is requiredwith those long horns and the cows fierce maternal instinct, Corriente cattle are not a breed you want to mess with! No one system is optimum for all beef cattle producers. Longview Ranch weans the calves in October. You dont want to be close to them when they fight, Rick says. Backcrosses yield maximum maternal heterosis but only 50 percent of maximum individual heterosis. Their horns are long and curving upwards. European and other cattle breeds were introduced to the Americas in the early 1800s. Usually, around 279 to 287 days but most gestation is 283 days. Prediction of weaning weight per cow exposed is similar to calculation above, except individual heterosis is 8 percent and maternal heterosis is 19 percent: = [(0.5 (396) + (0.25 (349) + (0.25 351)] (1 + 0.08) (1 + 0.19). Jake Nordick started out with three Corriente heifers, one cow and a bull when he was 17 and, six years later, he and wife Carrie have found themselves feeding a herd of over 175 head of cattle . Best 20 Tips, Can Dogs Eat Cheeto Puffs? Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. Three-breed rotations offer increased heterosis over two-breed systems. Management is similar to utilization of pure breeds. With three tributaries sharing annual steelhead runs, Longview Ranch also manages 25,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) grazing grounds and 485 acres of irrigated hay producing land, which is home to 800 mother cows and 50 bulls. Still, he isnt afraid to work with them. (vitag.Init = window.vitag.Init || []).push(function () { viAPItag.display("vi_1472596215") }),
The Corriente cattle breed are an extremely hardy little breed of cattle that have been known to let themselves out of their pens or pastures. Breeders appreciate how independent and low-maintenance Corrientes are, and particularly their sporting abilities. 2200. Cattle producers Rick Schlutz and son Marshal dont grow any corn on their 430-acre farm near Russell in southern Iowa. } else { These cattle need time and grass, not corn, to produce naturally lean, tender meat. Powerful Mon 01 Jul, 2019 Heterosis is free money. However, in 1975 specific aid was directed at upland farmers, and in 1978 another package provided them advisory support and aid for irrigation. Corriente Indexed by Cattle Class Bulls Cows Cow and Calf Pairs Bred Heifers Replacement Heifers Feeder Cattle Stocker Calves Other Class Show Cattle Embryos and Semen Corriente Indexed by State/Province Alabama Alaska Alberta Arizona Arkansas British Columbia California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Wed 05 Apr, 2023, The 2023 Annual DeBruycker Charolais Bull Sale Results No breed complementation is obtained from a rotational cross. Marshals incident happened one day as a bucket-raised bull was standing near us, as we were drawing up plans. A rotation, usually of two maternal breeds, supplies cows for a terminal mating. Kit Copson is a freelance writer and lifelong animal lover with a strong interest in animal welfare. In choosing a crossbreeding system, primary consideration must be given to a source of replacement females. Strenuous efforts to reforest certain areas are gradually producing positive results; for example, at the end of the 20th century, the production of roundwood, after dipping by 40 percent in the mid-1970s, nearly returned to the high levels it had maintained in the 1960s. The breeding of pigs has increased most dramatically, mostly in the northern regions of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. No maternal heterosis is provided, since cows are purebred. This should factor into the cost-benefit considerations associated with use of sex-sorted semen. If you would like to be part of our Corriente Lean Beef Program, please click on the "Apply Now" button to fill out the membership form. In deciding among crossbreeding systems, primary considerations are sources of replacement females, amount of heterosis expressed by the offspring (individual heterosis), amount of heterosis expressed by the dam (maternal heterosis), possible breed complementation or potential for using specialized sire and dam lines, and management issues. Corriente cattle are multipurpose animals. Discounting the potential loss of heterosis due to accumulated inbreeding, retained heterosis can be calculated by squaring the fractional contribution of each breed, summing the squared values and subtracting from one. Hereford. adElem.style.top = '10px'; Corriente cows are famed for being easy calverstheyre solitary birthers and dont need a human helping hand. They are easily trained, high performing, and durable in their events. Corriente cattle are usually kept in paddocks, on pastures, and open ranges. Calf/cow skin leather products such as shoes, car seats, fine leather coats, gloves, handbags, belts, furniture, rugs, etc. [9]:1401, The Corriente is small, with an average weight of 363kg for cows and 454kg for bulls. 14 head of bred 4 year old Corriente cows. 35 Best Cattle Breeds for Milk Dairy Cattle, 47 Best Cattle Breeds for Meat Beef Cattle, The Corriente is a pretty little, hardy and adaptive breed of cattle that were originally from Europe, Breed, Meat, Milk, Draft, Sport, and rodeo, Novice to intermediate Cattle farmer/keeper level, Livestock should not be left unattended around unsupervised children. Sci. Required fields are marked *. Sci. Agricultural workers had few rights, and unemployment ran high, especially in Calabria, where the impetus for land reform was generated. A relatively large herd is required so that efficient use can be made of more than one breed of bull. [3]:243[5]:445 In Chihuahua annual exports were in the region of 40000 head, and 'Criollo de Rodeo' became an alternate name for the Criollo di Chihuahua; in Sonora, where the Frijolillo is the predominant Criollo breed, small cattle of any kind were commonly known as 'Corriente', meaning 'running'. Average expected levels of individual and maternal heterosis for the first 20 years of operation of the crossbreeding systems described above are summarized in Table 7. window.onscroll = function () {
adElem.style.visibility = 'hidden'; Location. Diverse breeds may lead to calving difficulty and problems associated with feeding and marketing heterogeneous calves. Marshal and I have both been life-flighted to Des Moines hospitals after being gored. Corriente Cattle For Sale (Trout, La.) adElem.style.opacity = '1'; Pet Keen is reader-supported. Cows for Sale: 16 - 4 Year Old Bred Corriente Cows - Wyoming. adElem.style.zIndex = '21'; Characteristics and examples of each type of system are presented. The cattle are rotated on 250 acres of pasture, through four paddocks separated by high-tensile electric fence. Slideshow: North Americas oldest cattle breed offers low inputs and higher profits from grazing. adElem.style.height = rect.height + 'px'; Dean M. Anderson, Rick E. Estell, Alfredo L. Gonzalez, Andres F. Cibils, L. Allen Torell (2015). Thu 25 Aug, 2022. An optimal system requires a minimum of three breeds. So special considerations should be taken for keeping them confined. Rotaterminal crosses are a combination of rotational and specific crossbreeding systems. With strong pregnancy rates to artificial insemination, it may be possible to develop replacement females from only those heifers that were sired via artificial insemination. Events Corrientes can be seen in include bulldogging (also known as steer wrestling and team roping). Today some breeders raise them for meat, but they are primarily used as a sport cattle for rodeo events such as team roping and bulldogging. Considerations related to developing versus purchasing replacement females apply to operations of any size, but profitability of heifer development is generally affected by scale. Management considerations are important if the producer is to provide replacement heifers from within his own herd. Corriente cattle can scale a fence with ease and negotiate their way through some pretty small spaces without much hassle. Bos indicus breeds have contributed to several composites because of their adaptation to hot climates. (function () { The production of goats milk is still modest, although it has become more lucrative, being regarded as a luxury item for the urban market instead of peasant fare. The youngest 60 to 65 percent of the cow herd is in a single-sire two-breed rotation. Since these cattle dont process corn well, all they get fed ahead of butchering is a pound a day of soybean hulls and dried distillers grain. These cattle teach us low-stress cattle handling; one of us is with them almost daily.. Each has advantages and disadvantages in the amount of heterosis obtained, potential for breed complementation, source of replacement females and ease of management. Developing a plan and choosing a system and breeds is an important first step towards capturing the benefits of crossbreeding in your herd. For the next stage of the production cycle, Longview Ranch transfers the cattle to California to feed on grass for a year, later brought to a finished market weight in a specialized feedlot. This system provides maximum individual heterosis because the sire and dam have no common breed composition. There is a marked geographic difference in the distribution of farms; while bovine, swine, and aviculturist farms are mainly found in the north, ovine farms are more widespread in the south. [8]:10 The meat is included in the Ark of Taste of the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity.[11]. Another negative aspect of the reform was that it had the effect of damaging the social structure of rural communities. By the early 21st century the area given over to growing tomatoes had increased more than twofold, and production quadrupled as a result of improved production techniques. That will be a great cow for you and will raise a heck of a calf. Jordan ThomasAssistant Professor, Animal Sciences. Longview Ranch has a long history of raising Corriente cattle, primarily used as sport cattle for rodeo events like team roping and steer wrestling. It is also said to be a lot healthier alternative to most other red meats as it is naturally lower in fat, cholesterol and contains fewer calories. Agricultural economists and business planners generally recommend use of enterprise accounting, such that the profitability of heifer development can be evaluated independently of the profitability of the cow-calf herd. The Corriente is an American breed of small cattle, used principally for rodeo events. Optimal sequence for bulls in a two-sire, three-breed rotation is shown in Table 5. American Brahman developed from three Indian Zebu breeds: The Corriente is a small, agile, athletic animal with stamina, heavy horns, and a gentle disposition. Heterosis or hybrid vigor is an advantage in performance of crossbreds compared to the average performance of the parental breeds. Sire breeds alternate between generations. Enter a valid email address. The sequence of bulls is shown in Table 6. Tue 10 Jan, 2023, 9 Reasons DeBruycker Charolais Herd Sires Are The Best In The U.S. Again, no breed complementation is available. Maximize rice herbicide usage for resistance management. While olives are traditionally grown in conjunction with other crops or livestock, nearly half the olive-producing land now excludes other types of cultivation, reflecting the demise of traditional peasant farming methods. Totals for wild-captured fish, which were primarily pulled from the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, plummeted by almost half between 1980 and 2010. Corriente cattle are reputed to be good for small-scale farming due to their independence and how low-maintenance they are. Corriente cattle also have strength and stamina in abundance, and its not uncommon to see them taking part in Rodeos. They are fertile, excellent mothers with good instincts. What role does hybrid vigor play in maximizing the genetic potential of an animal? These herds are not large enough to take advantage of conventional crossbreeding systems. When composites are used sires and dams do not differ, thus no breed complementation is offered. if (window.innerWidth > 900) {
Olives and grapes are Italys two most lucrative agricultural exports. The coat may be of any color but pure white. We got into the Longhorn and Corriente business just to get the crosses to use as mommas. Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). In terms of distribution, the Corriente can mostly be found in the US but is growing in popularity around the world and picking up interest with cattle associations in both the U.S. and Spain. Unfortunately, these breeds have commonly suffered partial loss of heterosis over time. Corriente cattle are usually used in sports and are sometimes raised for beef. Today most farms are owned and operated by families. It derives from Criollo Mexicano stock, which in turn descends from Iberian cattle brought to the Americas by the Conquistadores, and introduced in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to various parts of what is now Mexico. When using two sires, one available option is to use part of the cow herd in a terminal cross. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. They have a good birthing percentage with little to no birthing problems. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Italian forestry has suffered from overexploitation in the past, first in antiquity by the Romans and then again in the 19th century, when much wood was needed for building mine shafts and railway sleepers. J. Anim. This can then be followed by exposure to natural service bulls for the remainder of the breeding season. [3] : 243 For more information on use of sex-sorted semen, see MU Extension publication G2026, Sexed Semen for Artificial Insemination: Recommendations and AI Approaches. Black Angus. About three-fifths of Italys citrus fruit production is Sicilian, with most of the rest growing in sheltered and irrigated lowlands in Calabria and Campania. We also have an informational beef call for those that would like to know more about our lean beef. Individual and maternal heterosis for beef cattle. Use our feedback form for questions or comments about this publication. An absolutely outstanding set of big stout 1200# heifers that come off the Gray ranch and are not branded. Colors vary but been with black and red angus bulls Been roped and run good slow to medium size and. Corriente cattle have large horns that begin straight to the side and then curve up towards the sky. After a gestation of nine months, the cow will usually give birth to one hardy, active and alert calf that weighs an average of 45 to 60 pounds. Quiz, Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz. [4]:50, Iberian cattle were brought to the Americas by the Conquistadores, and were introduced in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to various parts of what is now Mexico. $900/HD CORRIENTE PAIR & $1,000/BEEF PAIR Cow Calf Pairs for Sale: 75 FANCY CORRIENTE PAIRS No! They are known as easy keepers, because little human intervention is required in their calving and they require significantly less feed than some big beef cattle breeds. Again, breed complementation is available because the sire and dam lines can be chosen for their strengths in contribution to the cross. 9 pair with 4 to 8 month old calves, 1 longhorn cross cow heavy bred, 4 heifers that has been with bull all summer, should be bred, 1 corriente bull 4 years old, and 5 steers that have been roped only a couple times back in the spring. [10]:62 It either is[8]:10 or is not[11] also reared for beef; cattle no longer suitable for rodeo work may be fattened for slaughter. Never turn your back on a bull and always treat them with caution. 50 bred corriente cows for sale. Longview Ranch also has a rich history of giving back to its community, making annual donations to the Grant County 4-H and Union County Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. PetKeen.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. Site Copyright 2005-2022 RanchWorldAds.com - All Rights Reserved. if ((_footer && _footer.getBoundingClientRect().top < 500)) { Heterosis or hybrid vigor is an advantage in performance of crossbreds compared to the average performance of the parental breeds. [8]:11, In 2010 the number of breeding cows was 1127. The two-sire, two-breed rotation initiated with breed A cows uses a bull sequence as shown in Table 4. Similarly, selection of breeds depends on various factors, including feed resources as well as availability of breeding stock. Approximately 60 to 65 percent of the youngest cows in this system are in the rotational phase and the remaining cows are in the terminal phase. 14 Rabbit Myths And Misconceptions You Need To Stop Believing Now! Used in crossbreeding systems Popular breed in the southern U.S. Nelore, Gir, and Guzerat. One of only a handful of Corriente cattle producers in Iowa, the Yoke S Ranch runs one of the largest herds of this breed in the state. var adElem = document.getElementById('vi-ad');
Second, breeds used in a rotation should be somewhat similar in characteristics such as mature size and milk production. An example of an unfavorable result of heterosis is an increase in fatness of crossbred calves. var width = window.innerWidth; The resulting black-baldy calves are sold. Quiet even-tempered if raised right. Cattle production was relatively stagnant in the early 21st century, with much of the industry devoted to fattening calves that had been imported from France. Corriente Cattle For Sale (Trout, La.) Come in a wide variety of coloration, except white and most of the animals are primarily black. Heterosis values represent an average for the first twenty years of operation of the system (M. A. Lamb and M. W. Tess, 1989. Since 1982 our association has succeeded in maintaining these genetics and further selected for the most desirable characteristics for team roping and steer wrestling. This compares with 409 pounds expected from the optimum two-breed rotation and 350 pounds average of the genetic means of the two pure breeds. Powerful Corriente and Longhorn Cows Crossed with DeBruycker Charolais Bulls. The backcross is most often used when a particular breed is well suited to the production environment such as indigenous breeds in tropical areas. Traits such as growth and reproduction usually respond favorably to crossbreeding. A dependable supply is needed if they are to be purchased. With these traits, they are ideally suited to the sport of rodeo. The Spanish conquistadors brought this breed to North America in 1493, and back in the old days, Mexicans caught cattle that way to doctor them." Schlutz says the Corriente cattle are athletes; it isn't until they have completed the competitions that they butcher the cattle, at 800 to 900 pounds, the full size of the cows. Photo and info from Wikipedia. Ricks experience was five years ago with a 3-year-old heifer that had just come back from a Mexican rodeo with a broken tail. Most of Italys forest area is made up of broad-leaved trees, with conifers making up about one-fifth of the total. The exact population is unknown, but this is not a threatened breed and breeding is fairly common. When viewed from this perspective, operations may find that their real costs of replacement heifer development exceed the market value of the replacement heifers. Individual heterosis is maximized because the maternal line (Angus and Hereford) has no common breed composition with the terminal sire (Charolais). The calves are typically weaned and sold early. Additionally, while the area is not known for large numbers of antelope, in thanks to the integrity of the property, more than 200 does and bucks can be found at Longview Ranch. Likewise, small herds that require only a single sire to service all females will have broader sire selection opportunities if no longer breeding yearling heifers, as sire selection criteria related to Calving Ease Direct (CED EPD) can be less stringent. Best 23 Feeding Tips, Can Dogs Eat Skippy Peanut Butter? In each system, a new bull is introduced every second year to avoid mating heifers back to their sire. Of course, use of sex-sorted rather than conventional semen for this purpose minimizes the number of steer calves that are produced from maternally-oriented sires. Thats what I did, and a year later my LDL was 107. Search our database of over 13528 posts with up-to-date information from our experts and veterinarians. 75% ARE BLACK AND THE REMAINDER ARE REDS AND BROWNS. )2 + (? Expected performance is very similar for the two systems. Both males and females have large horns. Class/ Category. , CORRIENTE BREED OF CATTLE QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW. All our Corriente cattle have been raised here on our property, fed grass, and been kept in a "stress free" environment. Ive never seen them hurt each other badly, but theyre athletes, and they fight viciously. Corriente cattle are the descendants of Spanish cattle dating back to the 15th century that were imported into the US. All of our producers are listed below and are part of any beef marketing for the NACA. Heterosis is particularly strong for traits that are lowly heritable such as conception rate, preweaning livability of calves and preweaning growth (Table 1). Their heritage of Spanish genetics and 500 years of evolution in the challenging ecology of Mexico have resulted in a strong, lean athletic body. Pastureland makes up about one-sixth of the land in use. An email address is required! Peasant families traditionally keep pigs for their own consumption. Featured Image Credit: Anjela Lee, Shutterstock, Why Chocolate Is Toxic To Dogs (Vet Answer), 10 DIY Reptile Enclosures You Can Build Today (With Pictures), 13 Types of Angelfish for Freshwater Aquariums (With Pictures). }()). Brahman. 67:28). adElem.style.position = ''; If crossbred replacement females are readily available, many other considerations are overcome. Many beef cattle in Missouri are in herds that use a single bull. Its a common misconception that meat cant be tender in 3- and 4-year-old cows or steers. Meat production in Italy is traditionally weak. The source of replacement heifers is the major obstacle for using the two-breed specific crossbreeding system. Bulls can be used a maximum of four years to avoid mating to granddaughters. Corrientes remain untainted by the manipulative animal husbandry which has affected and weakened many domestic animals. Corriente cattle can survive out in the open without having to consume much water. Campania is best known for its cherries, apricots, nectarines, and hazelnuts, while Emilia-Romagna produces mostly peaches, plums, and pears. Cow Calf Pairs for Sale: 200 - CORRIENTE PAIRS W/150 BEEF CALVES & 50 CORRIENTE CALVES - TEXAS 200 SUPER FANCY CORRIENTE PAIRS. 16 head of corriente-longhorn cross cows for sale. Small operations can often realize efficiencies relative to labor and pasture utilization by eliminating heifer development from their overall operation. Crossbred cows with crossbred calves can be expected to wean as much as 25 percent more pounds of calf per cow exposed than purebred cows with purebred calves of the same average breed makeup. With this and all other specific crossbreeding systems, source of replacement heifers is a potential problem. Most of the production problems experienced by todays cattlemen are a result of increasing size and weight in order to fit the current commodity market. adElemSticky.style.width = rect.width + 'px';
Your email address will not be published. Yes! Easy calving, a hearty breedOne of only a handful of Corriente cattle producers in Iowa, the Yoke S Ranch runs one of the largest herds of this breed in the state. [3]:243, A breed association, the North American Corriente Association, was formed in 1982. Sicily and Puglia are noted for almond production. They originate from Europe, but the breed was further improved upon and developed in America. Use of sex-sorted semen for artificial insemination can facilitate this, allowing targeted production of replacement heifer candidates from a selected portion of the cow herd. The mature cows on average weight under 450 kg. Numbers of cows and pastures that justify using two bulls can increase possibilities for using productive crossbreeding systems. This sequence yields an average of 82 percent of maximum individual heterosis and 63 percent of maximum maternal heterosis over the first 20 years of operation. For example, a black-baldy heifer might be mated to a Hereford bull. As an example, breed composition of Santa Gertrudis is ? A series of alternating backcrosses are used in the two-breed rotation. Nearly pure descendants of the original Spanish cattle almost disappeared, but some managed to survive with little human care or intervention in remote areas of Central and South America, and in very limited numbers in some areas of the southern United States. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Now, its indistinguishable. Thats because the Corriente cattle theyve raised for the past 20 years dont convert corn well. After three generations, breed composition stabilizes at approximately ? And average live body weight of the mature bulls is up to 500 kg. I built a cow herd by cross breeding longhorn and corriente cows with the most consistent Charolais bulls to be found: DeBruycker Charolais bulls. Management of matings for this system can also be somewhat complex. Since generations overlap in cattle, females from both breeds of sire will simultaneously be present in the herd requiring at least two breeding pastures to ensure correct use of the system if natural mating is used. Table 6. Small herd size presents extra limitations on suitability of particular systems. Crossbreeding systems fall into four categories: specific or terminal systems, rotational systems, rotaterminal systems and composite or synthetic systems. adElem.style.position = 'fixed'; Breeds should not only be adapted to the production environment, but must be compatible with each other in a rotational system. adElemSticky.style.height = rect.height + 'px';
Heterosis is a difference in performance of crossbred animals compared with the average of the pure breeds which contribute to the cross. adElem.style.opacity = '0'; Breed complementation is available from the terminal phase of the system. Three-breed rotations (Figure 3) simply add a third breed of bull to the cycle of matings used in a two-breed rotation. Our mission at Pet Keen is to make the life of you and your pets easier and even more enjoyable. Table 7. Farm Progress Show annually hosts more than 600 exhibitors displaying new farm equipment, tractors, combines and farm implements; seed and crop protection products; and many additional farm supplies and services. A three-breed rotation increases use of individual and maternal heterosis to 86 percent of maximum. The value of 479 pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed for the crossbred cows raising crossbred calves compares with an average genetic merit of the combination without heterosis of 373 pounds ( the genetic merit of Charolais plus the genetic merit of each Angus and Hereford). The Schlutzes were team ropers when Marshal returned to the farm after college. This situation is ideal but unfortunately seldom available or economically feasible. Recall that the earliest-born portion of the heifer calf crop represents the highest quality pool of candidates to develop as potential replacement heifers (see MU Extension publication G2028, Selection of Replacement Heifers for Commercial Beef Cattle Operations).