Impact of cold stress on birth and weaning weight in a composite beef cattle breed

Abstract Beef cattle are often exposed to extreme environmental conditions with varying temperatures, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of cold stress on growth-related traits and to assess its variation between sire families in a composite beef cattle breed in eastern Montana. Weather data were collected from an airport close to the research station. Comprehensive climate index (CCI), a measure of cold load, was used to classify cold stress into mild (CCI