Heterosis

[George]

I have a silly question.

In my German Shepherd dogs I purchase males that are registered but I check the pedigree and make sure there are no close relatives to prevent problems like hip dysplasia , bad temper , and any other things that might pop up. I have imported dogs from Germany to breed with my American dogs and seem to get heterosis as the pups will grow to larger than either parent.

With this in mind could I get heterosis by getting an Angus bull from a different branch of the Angus family tree?

I'm not saying this will work but I'm throwing it out there to see if anyone has ever researched this.

 

[littlejoe]

When I first looked at DeBoo's cattle, many yrs ago, (very strong into wye breeding, a herd that had been closed since the 3?'s) they looked kinda fine boned and small to me.


But in pen next to them were cattle sired by DeBoo bulls outa 'mainstream' angus cows. WOW!

ANd next to them was a pen of 'conventional' angus. Y'know, the elevated, horsey looking type that came outa--??--and got popular quick.

Last pen was maybe a little bigger but didn't have the thrifty, thriving, shiny, soggy look middle pen had.

I don't know if it's heterosis---but maybe a somewhat similar effect?

 

[littlejoe]

as an afterthought: Harrison O'Connor, kinda between geyser and Geraldine, mt---neat country.

thinks angus are bastardized and buys bulls from Australia, s America or Scotland. and goes there and looks before he buys. Sells bulls, private treaty, mostly to neighbors and also by word of mouth. very non promotional.

anybody remember bulls that looked like this--maybe from when you was a kid?
http://www.saddlebutteranch.com/bulls.html

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Some say there is enough genetic difference on the Angus gene pool that you can get it but others insist you need another breed to get heterosis.

Beats me.