Effect of crossbreeding on market value of calves from dairy cows.

Market value (MV) of purebred Brown Swiss (BS), Holstein-Friesian (HF), Simmental (SI), and Alpine Grey (AG) calves and crossbreds from Limousin (LI) and Belgian Blue (BB) sires mated to BS, HF, SI, and AG cows were studied to evaluate crossbreeding effects. A total of 58,877 records of calves marketed in 143 weekly auctions from 2003 to 2005 were analyzed using a linear model that included the effects of genetic group, sex and age of calf, year-month of auction, and all two- way interactions. The model had an R2 value of 0.78. Genetic group and sex had the greatest effects on MV. For all genetic groups, male calves had greater MV than females (€356 v. 290) with the exception of HF and BS (€175 v. 179 and €167 v. 171, respectively). Male and female HF and BS calves are all used for veal production, whereas with the other breed types, females are mostly used for veal production while males are fattened for beef. BBxSI calves had the highest MV (€489) whereas BS and HF purebreds had the lowest MV (€170 and 177, respectively). When used as a sire breed, BB increased MV of the progeny more than LI. The effects of BB and LI on MV were greater when mating was to SI and AG cows rather than to BS and HF cows. For purebreds, SI had the highest MV (€303). In conclusion, BB sired the highest MV crossbred calves.