HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by White, J. M. Articles by Wilcox, C. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by White, J. M. Articles by Wilcox, C. J.

Review of Regional Project S-49—Genetic Methods of Improving Dairy Cattle for the South

Dept. of Dairy Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg 24061
ARS, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705
Dep. of Dairy Science, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville 32611

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The original objective of the S-49 project was to determine whether special strains or strain crosses among cattle that were peculiarly adapted to hot and humid conditions which prevail in much of the Southern area were required to increase the low production which was then characteristic of cattle in the South. It was believed that selection within existing breeds for improved production and adaptability to Southern conditions would be extremely time-consuming and that improvement could be more rapid from crossing existing breeds. At the same time, limited research on selection within breeds was conducted in S-49. The third major thrust of S-49 was directed toward evaluating genetic and environmental aspects of milk composition. This effort was undertaken jointly with NE-46 "Genetic and Environmental Factors Affecting Milk Composition." Other research by S-49 stations under the original project dealt with the inheritance of traits such as milking and udder characteristics, mastitis, feed efficiency, type, and longevity and genotype-environmental interactions.