This article is based on lessons learnt and observations made over many years of breeding beef cattle on sour veld.
By Christopher D.H. Sparks
The Australian Brahman Society believes there is a positive correlation between temperament and meat tenderness. It uses a flight-time test to measure an animal’s temperament. By timing how fast weaner calves cover a prescribed distance after exiting a crush, it identifies the calmer animals, that is, those with longer flight times. Calmer animals consistently produce more tender meat, as measured through shear-force testing of meat samples in a laboratory. GeneSTAR, a suite of DNA-based gene markertests, has confirmed this correlation in live animals, according to the society.
Visual observation of temperament during veld bull testing can also indicate which animals in a contemporary group (animals of a similar age raised under the same conditions) are calm and which are more excitable.
We do not claim that cattle handling determines an animal’s genetic potential for meat tenderness, but rather that rough handling can result in a nervous herd, which may affect meat tenderness through continual exposure to unnaturally high adrenaline levels.
On a farm, how the cattle respond to humans quickly reflects how they are generally treated. Continual cracking of whips, whistles and shouting are not conducive to producing a calm herd.
Also read: Profit starts with grass: Practical lessons for building a profitable cow herd – Part 1
Mating season
A fixed mating season in the summer rainfall area is useful for managing contemporary groups, disease control, inoculations and marketing. It is also critical in identifying the most fertile females in a herd through DTC (days to calving), which is defined as the number of days between the date of birth of a calf and the day its mother was first exposed to the bull.
The most fertile cows in the herd should have the shortest DTC.
ICP (inter-calving period), on the other hand, is generally used in herds where no fixed mating season exists and bulls run with the herd throughout the year.
The spread of trichomoniasis becomes a serious risk in such a system, as cows that repeatedly cycle and abort may go undetected for extended periods, resulting in significant financial losses.
Animal condition
Promote maximum carcass growth in young stock by supplementing summer grazing with a good production lick. Going into winter with animals in good condition is far more cost-effective that trying to restore the condition of thin stock during the dry months.
Also read: The cattle farmer’s manual | Why protein is the key to winter grazing success
Genetic correlations
Balance in breeding is extremely important, as selecting strongly for one genetic trait can negatively affect another. Farmers should therefore avoid focusing too narrowly on a single estimated breeding value (EBV) trait.
Some genetic traits are positively correlated, whereas others are negatively correlated. For example, selecting for a shorter gestation period (the time from conception to birth) may reduce birth weight. The downside is that calves born very small rarely become heavy weaners.
Focusing on growth and eye-muscle area (EMA) can result in higher birth weights. Greater emphasis on EMA may also negatively affect intra-muscular fat (IMF).
Milk production in beef breeds should ideally remain around the breed average or lower, as excessive milk production may reduce the longevity of the cow. These cows often produce heavier calves, but may calve only every second year and struggle to maintain condition during winter.
A cow that successfully weans a heavy calf generally produces sufficient milk. Beef cattle should be bred with beef-production goals in mind, not dairy-production traits. A breed is represented by its average performance, and the breed average defines the breed.
Christopher D.H. Sparks is the honorary life chairman of the Livestock Registering Federation of South Africa.
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