Relationships among Factors Associated with Mothering Ability in Beef Cattle

Data were obtained on 48 Aberdeen-Angus cows and calves during the spring calving season of 1957 and 1958 to study the relationships among certain factors related to mothering ability in beef cattle.Highly significant correlations indicate a negative relationship existed between mothering score and both lactation number and average daily milk production of the dam. These values indicate that older cows were more protective and were heavier milk producers. Heavier calves were from older cows and were born later in the calving season.Calves suckling heavier producing cows made larger total gains from birth to six months, but required more milk per pound of live weight gain.Older calves suckling lighter producing dams spent more time suckling and suckled more frequently at one month. However, there was a tendency for calves suckling heavier producing dams to spend more time suckling and to suckle more frequently at six months.Multiple correlations and standard partial regression coefficients would indicate that factors other than milk production may contribute to mothering ability, as measured by total gain of the calf. In these data, lactation number, mothering score, average daily milk production of the dam, birth weight, age, and suckling time of the calf accounted for 75%, 77%, and 60% of the variability associated with total gain of the calf up to one, three and six months of age, respectively. These values also provide evidence that the relationships among factors associated with mothering ability change as the calf increases in age.