@conference {JRN54670,
	title = {Weight gain and behavior of Raramuri Criollo versus crossbred steers developed on Chihuahuan Desert rangeland},
	booktitle = {70th Annual Society for Range Management Meeting},
	volume = {Jan. 29 - Feb. 2, 2017},
	year = {2017},
	month = {01/2017},
	publisher = {Society for Range Management},
	organization = {Society for Range Management},
	address = {Saint George, Utah},
	abstract = {<p>Ranchers that raise Raramuri Criollo (RC) cattle must overcome the challenge of lack of markets for weaned calves. \&nbsp;Growing and finishing RC or RC-crossbred steers on rangeland pastures is increasingly common; however, no data exist on their weight gains or grazing behavior. \&nbsp;We tracked the weight and behavior of four groups of steers in the Chihuahuan Desert to understand the viability of this production approach. Nineteen 8-month steers (eleven RC, RC-8, and eight Brangus{\texttimes}Criollo, BRCR-8) and nineteen 17-month steers (ten RC, RC-17; nine Waguli{\texttimes}Criollo, WACR-17) were weighed every 60 days between 12/2015 and 10/2016 to determine individual body weight (WT), average daily gain (ADG), and body condition score (BCS). In addition, we used Lotek 3300 GPS collars to monitor location (at 5-minute intervals) of five RC-17 and five WACR-17 individuals in 12/2015. \&nbsp;Influence of breed on WT, ADG, BCS and behavior was analyzed using repeated measures mixed ANOVA treating steers as experimental units. Separate comparisons were conducted within each age group. \&nbsp;Crossbreds were heavier than their RC counterparts at the beginning of the study and WT differences in both groups persisted throughout (P\&lt;0.01). \&nbsp;ADG of RC-17 and WACR-17 were not detectably different, however BRCR-8 steers showed higher ADG than their RC-8 counterparts (P \&lt; 0.014). BCS of crossbreds was significantly higher than that of RC steers in both age groups throughout (P\&lt; 0.01). \&nbsp;Overall, RC-8, BRCR-8, RC-17, and WACR-17 gained on average 158, 203, 166, and 156 lb head-1 11 months-1, respectively. \&nbsp;Daily distance traveled by WACR-17 and RC-17 did not differ, however WACR-17 walked farther during nighttime hours (P \&lt;0.01) and followed less sinuous movement trajectories (P\&lt;0.01) than their RC-17 counterparts. Although WT gains at a younger age were improved by crossbreeding RC with Brangus, further research is needed to determine performance of older BRCR and younger WACR crossbreeds.</p>
},
	author = {Matthew M. McIntosh and Andr{\'e}s F. Cibils and Richard E. Estell and S. Soto-Navarro and Amy L. Gonzalez and S. Nyamuryekung{\textquoteright}e and S. Spiegal}
}
