Denene hails from a sugar cane farm in Pongola, KwaZulu-Natal, but after school she relocated to the Cape Winelands to study, for many years, at the University of Stellenbosch. MOTHERING ABILITYThe breeds maternal instincts are strong. Visit the Africa Droughtmaster Cattle Breeders' Society at droughtmasterafrica.co.za. } Droughtmasters are either polled or horned with the majority of stud cattle exhibiting the poll characteristic. old steer group, although large bullocks are produced, particularly in northern Queensland. Droughtmasters exhibit medium to slightly late maturity in carcass development. The Droughtmasters ability to forage ans walk long distances enables them to thrive where many other breeds can't. Originally developed to handle the extreme heat, humidity and parasites of North Queensland, the breed is providing itself an above average performer in all conditions. That effort gave rise to Droughtmaster cattle. Droughtmaster are not bloat prone due to their small first stomach and ability to absorb nitrogen. Commercial Droughtmaster steers and cull heifers have also been keenly sought by the Live Export trade, who are well aware of the breeds outstanding performance in feedlots. They are excellent foragers and have high resistance to bloat and tick. Required fields are marked *. The combination results in a breed which unites the traits of two highly successful parent breeds. The Brangus breed was developed to utilize the superior traits of Angus and Brahman cattle. The pioneer breeders of Droughtmasters made sure that cows which didn't calve each year were culled at every opportunity and this resulted in a highly fertile breed, with exceptional weaning percentages of 85% to 90% in the extensive production areas of northern Australia. Phone Don McHardy on 082 338 5800. var _footer = document.querySelector("#colophon"); They have very good heat tolerance ability, and are well adapted to the local and harsh environment. The crossbred offspring of the humped South Asian animals were better suited for the Australian countryside than straight British breeds, though they didnt have the proportions familiar to graziers. Droughtmaster Cattle are not susceptible to sunburns, pinkeye, blight, cancer eye, internal or external parasites, heat stroke, foot problems, predation or dehydration! It is a beef breed, and is reared particularly in areas with a high incidence of drought, heat, tick-borne disease and sun damage.[7]. This cattle breed is higher in weight and have very good fertility. adElem.style.top = ''; led to selective breeding of the progeny to arrive finally at a fixed tropical breed Curators at the Melbourne Zoo loaned three Zebu bulls, the countrys first imported Bos indicus cattle, to the graziers. The severe drought still raged in 1926, when one R L (Monty) Atkinson set himself to the task of creating a tropical breed that yielded meat more like British cattle. [6]:405 It has also been exported to other countries, among them New Guinea, Nigeria, Samoa and Taiwan. Beef producers are attracted to Droughtmasters amazing versatility. Heat tolerance in the Droughtmaster comes from: Both internal and external parasites are very expensive to control, so Droughtmaster with their resistance to parasites hold a substantial economic advantage. Looks like youll be breaking up frozen waterers this season instead of whatever else youd planned. Review full breed profile of the Droughtmaster cattle in the following chart. They have good immune responses to internal and external parasites. Easy calving eliminates the need for human intervention, thus reducing time and management costs. As their name so boldly states, Droughtmaster Cattle are built for drought survival. Get to Know the Droughtmaster Cattle Breed, In 1910, something of a breakthrough appeared in Australias attempts to breed cattle that could thrive on the countrys land. PHONE LIAM LYONS 0417 972 164 liamlyons@bigpond.com AUGUST 2020. The breed has also exported to South-East Asia and as well as to Pakistan, Nigeria and a number of South Pacific islands. Despite all these advantages, the animal is still excellent for beef production, yielding a carcase with a high percentage of well-marbled, good-colored meat. They have good body length, a sleek coat, and a reputation for reasonable fertility, ease of calving and good mothering ability under harsh conditions. adElem.style.visibility = 'hidden'; With equal parts of Bos Taurus and Bos Indicus blood, the Droughtmaster provides the opportunity to crossbreed without causing a dramatic change to either the visual appearance (phenotype) or to the genotype of the progeny a major benefit without changing your breed completely. Heifers in Autumn. CALVING EASEThe important breed characteristics of low birth weights and calf shape are passed on by Droughtmaster bulls, and can be very advantageous in crossbreeding or joining to heifers. On poor graze, Droughtmaster Cattle produce remarkably good muscling. The deeply recessed or hooded eye of the Droughtmaster minimises damage from bumping and spiking, and provides some protection from crawling and biting insects, as well as reducing the occurrence of eye cancers, blight and pinkeye.The ability to adapt to adverse environments has given Droughtmasters a well-justified reputation for hardiness. Their body length is good and have a sleek coat. Join us for this free event as we step back in time to celebrate our historic Texas roots and the kick-off of the San Antonio Stock . [3]:171[4]. This combination fits the axiom cows for your country bulls for your market. adElem.style.position = ''; It was actually developed from crossing Brahman and British cattle breeds (especially the Beef Shorthorn) during the early 1900s. Consistently outgrowing most other breeds when nutrition is restricted, they perform as well as most breeds in feedlots or on high quality pasture. There are a large number of sweat glands in the loose skin, allowing Droughtmaster Cattle to better thermoregulate. Eventually, these innovative breeders arrived at a beef cow that was just about perfect for Australias inhospitable environment: the Droughtmaster. Edition, Mason, I.L. if (window.innerWidth > 900) {
The Droughtmasters ability to forage ans walk long distances enables them to thrive where many other breeds can't. He says the Droughtmaster has become such a popular breed in South Africa within a short period of time because of its exceptional temperament and its ability to adapt to various climatic conditions. He got access to three half-breed, For one, the breed is parasite-resistant, meaning the breeders effectively addressed the threats of cattle ticks on a herdlow birth weights, loss of condition, tick worry, decreased milk production and even transmission of the potentially fatal Tick Fever. The unique colour pattern impressed her and she subsequently bought the heifer from her dad. He got access to three half-breed Brahman cows, an American zebuine beef cattle derived from animals originating in India. Parasite resistance comes through: Most beef production areas of the world suffer a nutrient deficit at some stage, and in some cases the deficit is virtually constant. adElem.style.display = 'none'; Brangus Cattle. Much of the development was done by one breeder, R.L. Numerous wins in carcass competitions across Australia confirm this performance. After various crosses, breeders were extremely pleased with the end product of the Droughtmaster, who is almost exactly half Shorthorn and half Brahman! droughtmaster.com.au 61 64 1 CONTACTS DROUGHTMASTER STUD BREEDERS' SOCIETY ACN 010 129 683 40 Thorn Street | Ipswich, QLD 4305 Phone: 07 3281 0056 Email: office@droughtmaster.com.au Front. The Droughtmaster is a purpose-bred breed that is medium to large with a large block body and curved back with a hump between the shoulders and a tight/small dewlap. Breeding fertile, tropically adapted, well muscled cattle that produce tender beef. Their docility and calmness keep their meat color good and the PH levels acceptable. They are relatively quiet in temperament. EATS WELL PROFIT IN THE PADDOCK It was the first Australian taurindicine hybrid breed;[3]:171 it is approximately 50% Bos indicus and 50% Bos taurus. The Droughtmaster is an Australian breed of beef cattle. [4], The Droughtmaster was developed from about 1915 in North Queensland by crossing zebuine cattle with cattle of British origin, principally the Beef Shorthorn. A slow metabolism helps Droughtmaster Cattle to stay cool as well, and they can digest food other cattle cannot! This structure is parasite repellent as well, due to chemicals released in the sweat. Dressing percentage is high. The digestive efficiency comes through: These factors also give the Droughtmaster a greater feed conversion efficiency, which is important even when nutrient is in ample supply. Due May/June 2023. Yes, but they are mainly polled or dehorned, Docile, calm and easy to handle. Currently the Droughtmaster cattle are available in some other areas outside Australia. Increased number and size of sweat glands; Chemicals in sweat glands provide a repellent action; Immune response to internal and external parasites. With the arrival of cattle ticks into North . They have shown good average daily weight gains in pasture and feedlot trials when compared to other cattle breeds. The breed has a few other traits that add up to a remarkable digestive efficiency, too, including a small first stomach, an ability to recycle nutrients and a slow protein turnover rate. Their short coat is generally red in colour, although variations from golden honey to dark red can occur. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. When cattle ticks arrived in North Queensland, Australia, in the late 1800s, cattle farmers (known as graziers Down Under) knew theyd need to adapt to protect their livelihoods of keeping British cattle. Rodney Wilson is a writer, editor and co-owner of Goldfinch Farm, a family farm that raises chickens and pigs in Franklin County, Kentucky (www.goldfinchfarmky.com). In addition to requiring less water than other beef cattle, the breed has a markedly slow metabolic rate. var adElemSticky = document.getElementById('vi-sticky-ad'); var width = window.innerWidth; The first and perhaps the most enduring efforts to produce the rugged breed began in 1910 when the King Ranch . adElem.style.position = 'fixed'; In some cases, the Droughtmaster has been introduced to reduce eye disorders. Slow metabolic rate creates low feed requirements; Recycling of nutrients through blood stream; Reduced water consumption produces increased nitrogen; Slow rate of protein turnover allows development levels to occur on low nutrients. About The Weekend. 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