A low maintenance digestive system, unique to Bos indicus derived breeds, contributes to the Droughtmaster's reputation for highly efficient feed conversion, which provides a large economic advantage. Drought master cattle are a tropical cattle breed which is mainly used for meat production. In 1937 Mary Lindsay, daughter of a beef farmer of Greenstreet Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, spotted a uniquely coloured speckled red roan heifer in her fathers herd. In gaining the optimum reproductive performance, both Sire & Dam must play their part. DROUGHTMASTER GENETICS IN HIGH DEMAND 2022 was an historically momentous year for the Droughtmaster breed with five bulls selling for $200,000+. They have good immune responses to internal and external parasites. Farming requires, above all else, adaptability. That lower metabolic rate helps the animal produce less heat, keeping things cool even as temperatures start to increase. They are excellent mothers and have great maternal instincts. Droughtmasters are either polled or horned with the majority of It was the first Australian taurindicine hybrid breed;[3]:171 it is approximately 50% Bos indicus and 50% Bos taurus. 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 results in the Commercial and Stud Competitions were fantastic, and we even came home . History Droughtmaster was the name originally coined by a group of astute cattlemen in North Queensland for the breed of cattle which they developed through crossing Bos taurus and Bos indicus breeds to overcome the perennial problems of drought, cattle ticks, heat, eye cancer and many other problems that reduced production and profitability. They The pioneers for this cattle breed wanted to establish a line of cattle that would be able to tolerate the rigors of northern Droughtmaster Cattle are similar in build to the Shorthorn, and come in a variety of light colors. adElem.style.top = '10px'; They have good immune responses to internal and external parasites. 147 followers. var adElemSticky = document.getElementById('vi-sticky-ad'); 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. Due May/June 2023. 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. Most diseases do not affect this breed. Calving ease, high libido, fertility and adaptability all combine to give the Droughtmaster an outstanding reproductive performance. Congratulations to #GlenlandsDroughtmasters and #OasisDroughtmasters and buyers - we look . They Droughtmaster cattle have an excellent dressing percentage and high saleable meat yields. Droughtmaster proudly exhibited at Beef 2021 in both Stud and Commercial sections. 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. Its fair to say the Droughtmaster breed delivers on both fronts with consistent high fertility rates over varied herd geographies. Cows only calve once a year and should have 12 to 14-month inter-calving cycle. They have shown good average daily weight gains in pasture and feedlot trials when compared to other cattle breeds. Drying off period for around 60 days before she can calve again. Droughtmasters exhibit a number of other beneficial traits, including lower chances of eye problems (thanks to hooded eyes and red pigment), calving ease, strong foraging abilities and a docile demeanor. Photo and info from Wikipedia. In some cases, the rankings of animals may also change. 1mo Edited. Initial crossing of Shorthorn and Brahmanbreeds He got access to three half-breed Brahman cows, an American zebuine beef cattle derived from animals originating in India. Beef producers are attracted to Droughtmasters amazing versatility. They have a great marbling performance that is among the highest of the Bos indicus derived breed. Its loose, saggy skin is partly responsible for this adaptability. The Brahman, through rigorous natural selection, developed disease resistance . List of the Advantages of Dams. The breed possesses a rare combination of traits including adaptability to harsh conditions and varied geographies. 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. Most meat Cattle will have a skin by-product, and these are usually used in some form or just as a hide. Required fields are marked *. Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. But things only got worse in the mid 1890s. Curators at the Melbourne Zoo loaned three Zebu bulls, the countrys first imported. Calves and can be used for drinking and other dairy products. Their heat and tick tolerance, excellent fertility, ease of calving and quiet temperament give this breed a good reputation. 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. C.A.B International. Joining Droughtmaster bulls with British bred or European cows is a common practice amongst commercial cattlemen seeking to increase calving ease, milk production, parasite resistance, bloat resistance and / or tolerance to harsh seasons. This breed has very good resistance against tick. adElem.style.position = 'fixed'; Phone Don McHardy on 082 338 5800. var adElem = document.getElementById('vi-ad');
[3]:171[4]. adElem.style.width = ''; Droughtmasters are either polled or horned with the majority of stud cattle exhibiting the poll characteristic. Their docility and calmness keep their meat color good and the PH levels acceptable. That lower metabolic rate helps the animal produce less heat, keeping things cool even as temperatures start to increase. Droughtmaster Research & Education Foundation. adElem.style.visibility = 'hidden'; Their ears are medium to large in size. The Droughtmaster cattle are noted for good fertility, ease of calving and very good mothering ability under harsh conditions. A breed society, the Droughtmaster Stud Breeders' Society, was formed, and a herd-book was started. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. They are excellent foragers and have high resistance to bloat and tick. The subsequent F1 females are renowned as efficient dams, very suitable for joining to high growth sires. Video USEFUL LINKS Purebred Dairy Cattle Association American Dairy Association National Association of Animal Breeders 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. 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. That effort gave rise to Droughtmaster cattle. The unique colour pattern impressed her and she subsequently bought the heifer from her dad. They are also used in tropical areas to improve carcass qualities and performance. 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. It also offers unparalleled responsiveness, with an ability to bounce back quickly when the rain finally comes. Developed by the Droughtmaster Stud Breeders' Society and the National Beef Recording Scheme, BREEDPLAN gives members the information they need to drive genetic progress and profit in their herds. Excellent milking ability, digestive efficiency, low nutritional requirements, feed conversion efficiency, walking ability and foraging ability combine to make the Droughtmaster an outstanding performer. Please keep up with us on socials and through our Rodeo Insider email for the most up to date Western Heritage information! 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. Bulls should never be underestimated and always be treated with caution. LONGEVITYEarly maturity, structural soundness and a naturally active constitution can mean a longer working life, thereby reducing bull replacement costs. Droughtmaster Cattle, developed specifically for Northern Australias arid climate, have proved to be a miraculous advancement, adapting to poor conditions in countries worldwide! Recent trial results produced dressing percentages of 58% and saleable meat yields of 76%. Cattle were weighed 26.02.2023. } Droughtmaster Cattle are very docile, even the bulls! Droughtmaster National Sale (DN Sale) 14th and 15th September 2021 Lots 351 - 358. 1 calf at a time. Droughtmasters exhibit medium to slightly late maturity in carcass development. } They have a good milk yield and are easily bred. 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 . Optimum growth under a range of variable conditions is a major benefit offered by the Droughtmaster. 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. Their short coat is generally red in colour, although variations from golden honey to dark red can occur. if ((_footer && _footer.getBoundingClientRect().top < 500)) { A consistent winner in various reputable "hoof" competitions, the Droughtmaster also performs very well "on the hook". adElemSticky.innerHTML = ''; Heifers in Autumn. The Droughtmaster cattle are noted for good fertility, ease of calving and very good mothering ability under harsh conditions. They are considered a middle of the road breed with fat cover at optimum levels. A significant advantage over the handling, vaccinating and supplementing requirements of many British and Euro breeds. Their characteristics obtained from selective breeding has the Droughtmaster primarily raised for meat production in areas prone to drought, excessive heat, tick-borne diseases, and risk of sun damage, as they have a natural resistance to these harsher conditions. adElem.style.zIndex = '21'; Starting in the 1930s, he joined them to Shorthorn and Shorthorn-Devon cross cows. They also topped the whole yarding of 700 high quality females. The Droughtmaster also has more sweat glands than other breeds, and these cattle are noticeably larger. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Calving ease makes Droughtmaster cows very suitable for crossing with high growth sires, and Droughtmaster bulls pass on the important characteristics of calf shape and low birth weights when used with other breeds. Droughtmaster Cattle have a unique phenotype, which allows them to survive the heat. There are a large number of sweat glands in the loose skin, allowing Droughtmaster Cattle to better thermoregulate. Costly chemical have also been used to control the tick and reduce the loss of production. Calf/cow skin leather products such as shoes, car seats, fine leather coats, gloves, handbags, belts, furniture, rugs, etc. As such their skin/hides are used in various leather products such as rugs, etc. A slow metabolism helps Droughtmaster Cattle to stay cool as well, and they can digest food other cattle cannot! In 1910, something of a breakthrough appeared in Australias attempts to breed cattle that could thrive on the countrys land. Droughtmaster cattle are medium to large animals and are usually red in color, with variations from a honey color to dark red. They are neither fast growers nor slow, and are medium growers. A low-maintenance digestive system, unique to Bos Indicus derived breeds, contributes to the Droughtmasters reputation for super-efficient feed conversion, which provides a large economic advantage. Numerous wins in carcass competitions across Australia confirm this performance. LONGEVITYDroughtmaster females mature quite early and it is not uncommon to see them joined at 14 months. Make Some Miso Noodle Soup With A Soft Egg! It was developed from about 1915 in North Queensland by crossing zebuine cattle with cattle of British origin, principally the Beef Shorthorn. Lower production costs and greater producer profits are part of the Droughtmaster DNA. The Droughtmaster breed was first recognized in the early 1900's when local farmers and ranchers realized their cattle looked similar (Droughtmaster Australia, 2011). She has been running with a Speckle Park bull. Maternal instincts in Droughtmaster cows are strong, and they make attentive mothers who will defend their calves from predators. (function () { . BULLSADAPTABILITYLow nutritional requirements combined with high feed conversion rates and excellent walking and foraging abilities, provide a big advantage in marginal country and adverse seasons. A Droughtmaster premium was on display at the weekend's Clarence Valley Select Breeder Sale, NSW. They are fertile and have mostly easy births with little to no problems. The cattle may be either horned or polled; the majority are polled and exhibit only a moderate hump. The cattle became extremely popular and are now the second largest breed in Northern Australia. From docility and adaptability, to fertility and carcase yield, Droughtmasters natural traits underpin its wonderful reputation as an allrounder. Droughtmaster presented the single largest breed display at BEEF Australia, with 169 head nominated for the Stud Competition from 41 studs in Queensland and NSW. , DROUGHMASTER BREED OF CATTLE QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW. The breed is very good for meat production with high dressing percentage and good quality meat. Droughtmaster Cattle need little care. 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. Their heat and tick tolerance, excellent stud cattle exhibiting the poll characteristic. Droughtmaster cows are attentive to their calves and care for them in adverse conditions. 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. They can be either horned or polled, but the vast majority of the animals are polled. although they are found mainly in Queensland. DROUGHTMASTER was the name originally coined by a group of astute cattlemen in North Queensland for the breed they developed by crossing Bos taurus and Bos indicus to overcome the perennial problems of drought, cattle tick, heat, eye cancer and many other issues that reduce production and profitability.. With the arrival of cattle ticks into North Queensland in 1896, it became apparent that . The subsequent F1 females are renowned as efficient dams, very suitable for joining to high growth sires. adElem.style.opacity = '1'; The Droughtmaster combines the best characteristics of both the British (Bos taurus) and Tropical Bos indicus breeds to produce high quality beef economically. } else { Consistently outgrowing most other breeds when nutrition is restricted, Droughtmaster performs as well as most breeds in feedlots or on high quality pasture. adElem.style.visibility = 'visible'; They are relatively quiet in temperament. They are primarily raised for meat production. 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