The tick almost decimated the northern herds, which were almost exclusively long haired British breeds. From prime improved pasture in temperate regions, light native pasture in tropical regions right through to drought conditions which invariably plague many areas of Australia, the Droughtmaster is recognised as one of the leading performers. 1mo Edited. Its loose, saggy skin is partly responsible for this adaptability. 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. 35 Best Cattle Breeds for Milk Dairy Cattle, 47 Best Cattle Breeds for Meat Beef Cattle. On poor graze, Droughtmaster Cattle produce remarkably good muscling. High growth performance and extended ageing of cuts can produce EQS 5 star grading. He got access to three half-breed Brahman cows, an American zebuine beef cattle derived from animals originating in India. Their heat and tick tolerance, excellent fertility, ease of calving and quiet temperament give this breed a good reputation. VIRILITY & DOCILITYSelection for docility and high libido by the pioneer breeders, has given the Droughtmaster a reputation as a potent and active performer. popularity has increased to the degree that is spread throughout most states of Australia, if (window.innerWidth > 900) {
Most meat Cattle will have a skin by-product, and these are usually used in some form or just as a hide. Visit the Africa Droughtmaster Cattle Breeders' Society at droughtmasterafrica.co.za. Maternal instincts in Droughtmaster cows are strong, and they make attentive mothers who will defend their calves from predators. The subsequent F1 females are renowned as efficient dams, very suitable for joining to high growth sires. Global Ag Media provides a knowledge sharing platform offering premium news, analysis and information resources for the global agriculture industry. adElem.style.height = ''; Droughtmaster Cattle are moderately late in maturing for slaughter, and are usually taken at one to two years of age. Adapting is what farmers do, and its what cattle farmers in the Southern Hemisphere did nearly a century ago when they needed a breed that could contend with severe drought conditions. Consistently outgrowing most other breeds when nutrition is restricted, they perform as well as most breeds in feedlots or on high quality pasture. Medium to large breed that is parasite resistant and yield could carcass weights for good quality beef. adElemSticky.style.width = rect.width + 'px';
Drought master breed has more advantages than disadvantages. This is a major economic factor, because when the body temperature rises, so too does the stress level with its associated waste of energy reserves, increased water consumption and reduced feed intake. Large commercial Droughtmaster herds are running on native pastures in both Queensland and the Northern Territory and they are rapidly gaining prominence in the traditional British-bred areas in southern Australia. Beef 2021. The Droughtmaster cattle are noted for good fertility, ease of calving and very good mothering ability under harsh conditions. window.onscroll = function () {
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]. The breed is basically red in color, although variations from a golden honey color The subsequent F1 females are renowned as efficient dams, very suitable for joining to high growth sires. Cows only calve once a year and should have 12 to 14-month inter-calving cycle. In the 1970s, Droughtmaster Cattle were exported globally and met with accolades. 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 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. if ((_footer && _footer.getBoundingClientRect().top < 500)) { adElem.style.opacity = '0'; The red pigmentation in Droughtmasters is reputed to protect the cattle from the harmful rays of the sun, thus reducing the incidence of eye disorders and photosensitization. Droughtmaster Cattle are very docile, even the bulls! In gaining the optimum reproductive performance, both Sire & Dam must play their part. if (rect.top <= 0) { After many years of selection evolved a highly adaptable, productive, fertile and docile breed in the Droughtmaster. adElem.style.zIndex = ''; The breed has also exported to South-East Asia and as well as to Pakistan, Nigeria and a number of South Pacific islands. Required fields are marked *. 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. LONGEVITYDroughtmaster females mature quite early and it is not uncommon to see them joined at 14 months. }()). They have easy calvings and rarely need assistance. 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Its COWSADAPTABILITYExcellent walking and foraging abilities coupled with lower nutritional requirements give Droughtmaster cattle the ability to retain condition and keep cycling and breeding, irrespective of prevailing conditions. Marley - 438kg & Speckle Park bull calf . Droughtmaster offers true multi market suitability for both domestic and international segments and, importantly, its cuts also provide terrific value to foodservice and retail customers. They went to great lengths to retain the Bos indicus pelvic angulation which is designed for quick and easy calving, just like wild animals which would lose their offspring to predators if they had a slow and different birth due to bad pelvic angulation. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Photo and info from Wikipedia. They are fertile and have mostly easy births with little to no problems. [3]:171[4]. 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 . Their Shorthorn background also sees them demonstrating excellent marbling which further enhances their value. Take a look at the boys in the "Droughtmaster $220K Club". Easy to handle, they are aggressive grazers and need little water. 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. Congratulations to Jembrae Droughtmasters who topped the PTIC section at $4,500 to average $4,300 overall. adElem.style.height = rect.height + 'px'; A slow metabolism helps Droughtmaster Cattle to stay cool as well, and they can digest food other cattle cannot! So in drought conditions, when healthy native grass is in short supply, the Droughtmaster can thrive because it never needed a lot to eat anyway. In a recent Queensland trial, Droughtmasters returned dressing percentages of 58% and saleable meat yields of 76%. Pregnant cattle retain the ability to walk long distances to food or water and yet birth healthy calves. 61. 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). adElem.style.visibility = 'visible'; 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. Make Some Miso Noodle Soup With A Soft Egg! 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. var width = window.innerWidth; Dams provide us with a source of clean energy. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). adElem.style.display = 'block'; The Droughtmasters' superior adaptation comes principally from traits of heat tolerance, insect resistance, a short-hairedcoat, ease of calving and digestive efficiency. Recent trial results produced dressing percentages of 58% and saleable meat yields of 76%. The first and perhaps the most enduring efforts to produce the rugged breed began in 1910 when the King Ranch . Currently the Droughtmaster cattle are available throughout the mainland states, with the largest numbers are available between Cape York and the New South Wales border. Droughtmaster Cattle, developed specifically for Northern Australias arid climate, have proved to be a miraculous advancement, adapting to poor conditions in countries worldwide! droughtmaster.com.au. Droughtmaster Cattle are similar in build to the Shorthorn, and come in a variety of light colors. In some cases, the Droughtmaster has been introduced to reduce eye disorders. Excellent milking ability, digestive efficiency, low nutritional requirements, feed conversion efficiency, walking ability and foraging ability combine to make the Droughtmaster an outstanding performer. Breeding fertile, tropically adapted, well muscled cattle that produce tender beef. It was developed from about 1915 in North Queensland by crossing zebuine cattle with cattle of British origin, principally the Beef Shorthorn. The red pigmentation in Droughtmasters helps protect the cattle from cancer eye, sunburnt udders and photosensitisation. , DROUGHMASTER BREED OF CATTLE QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW. Usually, around 279 to 287 days but most gestation is 283 days. Droughtmaster cattle are medium to large animals and are usually red in color, with variations from a honey color to dark red. They produce plenty of milk and the fast growing calves have high weaning weights. Droughtmaster Cattle reach sexual maturity early and most heifers are bred around 14 months of age. A consistent winner in various reputable "hoof" competitions, the Droughtmaster also performs very well "on the hook". They are excellent mothers and have great maternal instincts. It was the first Australian taurindicine hybrid breed;[3]:171 it is approximately 50% Bos indicus and 50% Bos taurus. . If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. BREEDPLAN uses Best Linear Unbiased Prediction technology to produce Estimated Breeding Values across commercially-important traits. Handbook of Australian Livestock, Australian Meat & Livestock Corporation, 1989, 3rd 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. This early start to breeding, plus their ability to adapt to the environment, give them an enviable reputation for longevity. The Droughtmaster were developed in northern Queensland, Australia's hot tropical north. Droughtmasters are medium to large cattle with medium maturity. All Rights Reserved | No part of this site may be reproduced without permission. stud cattle exhibiting the poll characteristic. Droughtmasters exhibit medium to slightly late maturity in carcass development. Favorite Jung & Johnnys Seeds For Your 2023 Garden, Winter Sowing The Spring Vegetable Garden. They are relatively quiet in temperament. Droughtmasters are either polled or horned with the majority of Droughtmaster cattle are a beef cattle breed. They can finish off fields that other cattle could not digest and are not susceptible to bloat. containing approximately 50 percent Shorthorn and 50 percent Brahman bloodlines. The temperament of all the cattle that we have bought over the years has been impeccable and the amount of information that is available about each and every one of the Vale View cattle gives you confidence in buying their genetics and is evidence of the depth of breeding in their herd. Their eyes are hooded, allowing immunity to injury, flies and sun disorders! The constant evolution of the breed is seeing it flourish across the world whilst meeting the demanding standards of Australian producers and supply chain. Congratulations to #GlenlandsDroughtmasters and #OasisDroughtmasters and buyers - we look . They have an extended dewlap. They do very well on extremely poor graze in dry, hot conditions, and are parasite resistant to boot! 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. Whats more, Droughtmaster cattle also display resistance to internal parasites, eliminating the need for expensive vaccines, cumbersome. Their heat and tick tolerance, excellent fertility, ease of calving and quiet temperament give this breed a good reputation. } fertility, ease of calving and quiet temperament give this breed a good reputation. Although developed originally to be resistant to ticks, the Droughtmaster has shown a resistance to most other external and internal parasites in more recent times. 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. The Droughtmaster bull passes on these dominant traits to his progeny in a crossbreeding program. Droughtmaster National Sale (DN Sale) 14th and 15th September 2021 Lots 351 - 358. He carefully bred up his cattle over the years while others with Brahmans in a breeding program. It also ensures low cow wastage and reduces 'passengers' in the breeding herd. Novice to intermediate Cattle farmer/keeper level, Livestock should not be left unattended around unsupervised children. They Droughtmaster cattle have an excellent dressing percentage and high saleable meat yields. She was born 9/02/2021. Lower production costs and greater producer profits are part of the Droughtmaster DNA. Their dressing percentage results are around 58% with 76% saleable meat yields. Eventually, these innovative breeders arrived at a beef cow that was just about perfect for Australias inhospitable environment: the Droughtmaster. , analysis and information resources for the global agriculture industry British breeds with cattle British! 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