Abstract
In order to study the incidence and causes of dystocia and perinatal calf mortality in double-muscled cattle, straight and reciprocal matings between double-muscled and normal cattle were made in three breeding seasons. A total of 348 matings resulted in 247 calvings in the four mating types. The frequency of normal calvings or calvings requiring slight assistance was higher among normal cows mated to double-muscled or normal bulls compared with that of double-muscled cows mated to double-muscled bulls (94% vs 78%, P < 0.05). In general the incidence of dystocia was higher among the double-muscled than the normal cows (19% vs 6%, P < 0.05). Calf birth weight, dam weight at calving, and condition score were not shown to contribute significantly to the differences in the frequencies of dystocia. A higher incidence of dystocia was found in the mating type which frequently gave rise to phenotypically muscular calves (DM × DM). The height, width, and area of pelvic opening were significantly smaller (P < 0.05) in the double-muscled than in the normal cows, indicating that the higher incidence of dystocia and perinatal mortality in double-muscled cattle can be attributed, at least partially, to the smaller area of pelvic opening in the double-muscled cattle.
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