Selecting and breeding livestock for doom.

[adam2]

I am aware of at least two farmers who are planning livestock breeding for a post apocalyptic word.

Most modern day farm animals have been bred for increased productivity, which often means being LESS fitted to survival without human intervention.
Examples include cows that need a vet to help them calve. One farmer keeps a record of those cows, and the progeny thereof. After TEOTWAWKI the herd will be considerably reduced, and those animals with a family history of calving problems will be the first to be slaughtered.
The future herd would therefore consist of slightly hardier animals. This would continue after the doom event, if the herd contains about 50 animals, and one perishes during calving, but the calf lives, then that calf would be kept until big enough to kill for eating, but NEVER USED for breeding, in case the problems affect future generations.

Sheep increasingly have twin lambs and sometimes triplets, this is regarded as a good thing whilst times are normal since production of salable lambs is increased. Such ewes often need human intervention, housing, and extra feed. A ewe with but one lamb might do fine without such assistance.
Therefore PAPER records are kept, and single lambs preferred for breeding the next generation, with multiple ones favoured for killing to eat.

It might be worth selecting sheep for intelligence. If six sheep from a large flock drown in a stream, or fall off a cliff, then the progeny of those animals should be favoured for eating, whilst those that suffered no such accidents being preferred for breeding, other factors being equal.

[kenneal - lagger]

I have for a decade or more now selected my cattle for ease of management, which includes ease of calving and easy handling. Even during our affluent times it makes sense for me to not have to go chasing after flighty animals across the common in my Discovery. Unfortunately for me the other commoners aren't quite so diligent.

We have been using a Whitebred Shorthorn bull on my cattle fro a number of years and keeping back any female calves for breeding so that we will have a herd of suckler cows which can live on the common without supplementary feeding during the winter. That should future proof our herd. Whitebred Shorthorns have been bred in Scotland to live out all year so in our balmy southern climes they should do quite well.

[adam2]

One of my neighbours rears free range beef cattle, these are very large animals but placid. Dark brown/red in colour, referred to as "Somerset red" but AFAIK that is not an official breed.

They are said to be stupid with very little survival instinct. In the last flood, the gate was opened to allow them to leave the flooded area for higher ground. About half left, but the others headed for the deepest water, bellowed, and "tried to drown" one calf DID drown. Trying to herd the rest onto dry land was an interesting challenge. Misuse of fireworks finally did it after gentle methods failed.

[adam2]

I have for a decade or more now selected my cattle for ease of management, which includes ease of calving and easy handling. Even during our affluent times it makes sense for me to not have to go chasing after flighty animals across the common in my Discovery. Unfortunately for me the other commoners aren't quite so diligent.

We have been using a Whitebred Shorthorn bull on my cattle fro a number of years and keeping back any female calves for breeding so that we will have a herd of suckler cows which can live on the common without supplementary feeding during the winter. That should future proof our herd. Whitebred Shorthorns have been bred in Scotland to live out all year so in our balmy southern climes they should do quite well.

With regard to your cattle in particular, rather then more general considerations, what stops your cattle breeding with those of other commoners ?

Or do only females run free ? with bulls kept confined and only introduced under controlled conditions to the correct females ? or is some interbreeding between cattle under different ownership simply accepted.
My neighbours bull runs free with the herd and mates as he wants, but does not have access to animals belonging to anyone else. Except when he escapes. The last bull simply vanished which is most perplexing as he was not valuable and a most unlikely target for thieves.

[kenneal - lagger]

We sort the cattle to different locations before we put the bulls in then put in a bull to suit the outcome that we want.

We use a Whitebred Shorthorn for replacement cows, which is mainly my cattle, and the three others use Bazadaise bulls for meat calves.