Growth Performances of Wagyu X Brahman Cross Breed in the Yearling Period

This study was conducted to observe the growth performance of cattle from a crossbreeding between Wagyu and Brahman cross (Wagyu-BX crossbred) in the yearling period. A total of 23 head of cattle aged 1-1.5 years old, consisting of 13 Wagyu-BX crossbred cattle and 10 Brahman cross (BX) purebred cattle, was observed at PT. Pandanaran Arta Perkasa, Klaten, Central Java for 6 months. The cattle were kept in pens with sawdust on the pen's floor. The feed consisted of forage (2 kg/day) and commercial concentrate (10 kg/day). The body length, body height, chest girth, and body weight were measured monthly. Data were analyzed using an independent sample t-test by the SPSS program 23.0 version. The average daily gain of body length, body height, chest girth, and body weight of Wagyu x BX crossbred, and BX purebred cattle were 0.10±0.03 and 0.05±0.04 cm/day, 0.07±0.04 and 0.11±0.05 cm/day, 0.15±0.06 and 0.09±0.08 cm/day, and 0.82±0.18 and 0.27±0.12 kg/day, respectively. The average daily gain of body length, chest girth, and body weight of Wagyu x BX crossbred cattle was higher (P<0.05) than BX purebred cattle. The body length, body height, chest girth, and body weight of Wagyu x BX crossbred and BX purebred cattle at 1.5 years old were 136.69±6.91 and 119.83±10.58 cm, 129.77±6.15 and 113.17±6 cm, 182.15±7.32 and 151.58 ±21.24 cm, 425.08±44.90 and 211.83±47.03 kg. The body length, body height, chest girth, and body weight of Wagyu x BX crossbred were greater (P<0.05) than BX crossbred cattle at 1.5 years old. Therefore, it was concluded that crossing with Wagyu cattle increased the growth performance of BX cattle in the yearling period.