Relationships between body size and performance traits in cattle

In comparison to the Simmental, the Black Pied cattle had a relatively constant body height until the 1960ies. By the Holsteinization the average height increased as expected. Consequently the Breeding Association decided to broaden the upper size (sacrum hight) limit from 150 cm to 156 cm. However, in the cattle exhibitions and especially among the dams can often breach this limit remarkably. This unnatural treatment has led to a decline in fertility and vitality and often a rise in stillbirths. In some cases the rate of still-birth by heifers increased by 14 – 16% in several regions. As a consequence of this development in the USA in a large scale crossbreds of Holstein and dairy cattle of small size carried out. Scientific tests have proven the advantage of the medium size cattle in basic and special performances as well as energy and recovery.

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