Tuli Cattle Breeders Society of South Africa   

 

PO Box 20165 Willows 9320

Telephone:       [(+2751) int. (051) local]         448-9347

Fax:                 [(+2751) int. (051) local]         448-4220

E-mail:             tuli@studbook.co.za

 

 

Lukefahr tours South Africa lecturing on cattle genetics

Shown from left, are Stephan Welz, president of the Tuli Cattle
Breeders Society; Dr. Steven Lukefahr, Regents Professor of
Genetics at Texas A&M University-Kingsville;
Dr Machiel Scholtz, director of the Agriculture Research Council’s
Animal Improvement Institute; and Keith Ramsay retired registrar
of Livestock Improvement and Identification of the
Department of Agriculture and former president of Rare Breeds
International, now advisor to the Government on matters
agricultural.

KINGSVILLE (June 15, 2006) — Dr. Steven Lukefahr, Regents Professor of Genetics at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, has toured the globe speaking as an expert on rabbits and assisting residents in underdeveloped countries set up their own rabbit projects that provide sometimes the only source of meat for the family.

Lukefahr’s latest trip abroad took him to South Africa, but instead of rabbits, he spread the word about another one of his passions, the Tuli breed of cattle.

He presented three-part lectures on basic cattle genetics, coat color inheritance and breed selection and crossbreeding programs in the regions of Bloemfontein, Dordrecht and Pretoria, South Africa, with special reference to adaptable breeds, including the Tuli. His trip was by invitation of the Tuli Cattle Breeders Society of South Africa.

The lecture road tour covered about 1,500 miles. Along the road tour, Lukefahr was a guest at the homes of ranchers that owned Tuli cattle where he observed some of the finest beef cattle ranches in the country, and discussed with each rancher their own breeding and selection program. These personal visits also gave him an opportunity to learn more about the history and cultures of the people of South Africa.

In advance of his trip, his lectures were well publicized in several national and regional agriculture magazines and on websites. Lukefahr said the audiences were mostly cattle producers, university professors, students, extension and media.

“My lectures were well received and many practical questions were asked. We had a lot of good discussions about breed selection and commercial crossbreeding applications. It was a very educational and rewarding experience.”

Lukefahr has a special interest in the Tuli breed because he has a crossbred herd on his ranch near Kingsville. “They are easy-care cattle in that they require minimal management and feed supplementation,” he said of his herd, which numbers about 40 head. In addition to Tuli, he combines Red Angus and Senepol breeds into his crossbreeding program.

He said the rugged breed is a good fit for South Texas because the hot and humid climate with long droughts is similar to that of much of South Africa, where the Tuli have been adapting for about 5,000 years. They were brought to South Africa from Zimbabwe, where the breed actually originated. Tuli are descendents of Sanga cattle, which are more closely related genetically to Angus than to Brahman cattle, and have been in southern Africa since 700 AD. They have adapted to various ecological regions of the area and have become the basis of several of today’s new composite breeds.

“The Tuli cattle I observed were in excellent body condition, considering it was winter, the calves were still on their mommas and there was no feeding of hay or supplements, excluding minerals,” Lukefahr said.

Tuli cattle produce high quality beef, are highly disease-resistant, especially to tick-borne diseases and have few problems giving birth, Lukefahr said. They mature early and have a very docile nature. “Traditionally, the original African tribesmen could easily walk the cattle into their enclosed village camps in the evening to protect them from predators and the women could even walk right up to the cows for milking,” Lukefahr said. “Any animal that was too aggressive or nervous was butchered.”

Tuli have three basic coat colors: red, yellow and white. These colors enable them to adapt to intense sunlight.

The beef industry in South Africa is highly sophisticated, Lukefahr added, where there are approximately 14 million head of cattle, over 40 breeds, and a variety of production enterprises.

“Geneticists who work for the Agriculture Research Council have an excellent genetic evaluation program for cattle,” Lukefahr said. “They do performance tests, compare important traits and maintain large data bases which enables a rancher to easily access information on their own cattle from their home computer.”

Even Texans would have to think big in South Africa, as it is nearly twice the size of the Lone Star State. Lukefahr said the country is the home of many large ranches with vast grasslands used for cattle grazing. Some of these ranches are so large that they also may be home to thousands of sheep and wild animal species, such as wildebeest, zebra and ostrich.

Lukefahr said it was obvious that like South Texas, good care is taken of the land, including practices such as rotational grazing, promotion of native grass species, proper cattle stocking rates and brush control. Cattle are not generally allowed to continuously graze the same pasture for very long before being moved to a fresh pasture that has recovered from previous grazing.

 

 

LESINGTOER DEUR TEXAS PROFESSOR

IN SUID AFRIKA

 

Die Tuli Beestelers Genootskap van Suid Afrika kondig met trots ‘n lesingtoer aan deur Prof Steven Lukefahr,  Dekaan van die Departement Dierkunde by die Texas A&M Universiteit. Hy is tans professor van Veeteelt en Genetika en gee o.a klas in Genetika en Veeverbetering; Statistiek in die Landbou; en Internasionale Diereteeltprogramme.

Die fokus van Prof Lukefahr se lesings sal gerig wees op genetika vir beestelers – deels met  vewysing na genes uniek aan Afrika rasse (die poenskop faktor in Afrika rasse verskil byvoorbeeld van die in Europese rasse); Velkleur oorerwing by beeste, ‘n model vir die Tuliras; en kruisteel sisteme vir klein en groot beestelers, met verwyisng na die Amerikaanse ondervinding. Daar sal tyd wees vir vrae en besprekings.

Behalwe vir ‘n briljante akademiese loopbaan boer Prof Lukefahr self met beeste en gebruik Angus, Senepol en Tulis in sy kruisteel program.

Alle belangstellendes is hartlik welkom. Ligte verversings sal aangebied word.

 

 

 

Professor Lukefahr by sy Tulis

 

LECTURE TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA

BY TEXAS PROFESSOR

 

The Tuli Cattle Breeders Society of South Africa is proud to announce a lecture tour to South Africa by Prof Steven Lukefahr, Regents Professor in the Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences at the Texas A&M University. He is currently Professor of Animal Breeding and Genetics and teaches amongst other subjects, Genetics in Livestock Improvement; Statistics in Agriculture and International Animal Agriculture.

Prof Lukefahr’s lectures will focus on genetics for cattle breeders with some references to genes specific to African breeds (there is, for instance, a distinct African polled gene that acts somewhat differently than the polled gene of European cattle). Coat colour inheritance in cattle, a proposed model for the Tuli; and crossbreeding systems for small and large producers, the American experience.  There will be time for questions and discussions.

Prof Lukefahr, besides his brilliant academic career, also raises cattle using Angus, Senepol and Tuli in his cross breeding program. All interested parties are welcome. Light refreshments will be served.

________________________

 

Lesings word by die ondergemelde sentra aangebied:

The lectures will be presented at the following venues and times:

 

Bloemfontein           11 Mei 2006 om 10vm / 11 May 2006 at 10am

                                SA Stamboek, Henrystraat 118 / SA Herdbook, 118 Henry Street

                                Bloemfontein.

 

Dordrecht                12 Mei 2006 om 10vm / 12 May 2006 at 10am

                                Dordrecht Buiteklub / Dordrecht Country Club

                                1,5km buite die dorp op die Molteno pad

 

 Pretoria                  15 Mei 2006 om 10vm / 15 May at 10am

Landbou Navorsingraad, Irene / Agricultural Research Council, Irene                     

Ralph Hirzelsaal in die Vleiskunde Gebou / Ralph Hirzel Hall in the

                                                                       Meat Science Building

                                Irene Kampus / Irene Campus

 

Navrae / Enquiries:  Carmen en Stephan Welz by 083 2666829 of 082 3300798

 

 

 

One of our Tuli Breeders from Belfast, Mrs  Wilna Ackhurst  was the Mpumalanga Finalist in die Department of Agriculture and ABSA Bank's Woman Farmer of the Year Award. 

 
For the third consecutive year Stephan Welz's Blomvlei Herd was a Mpumalanga Finalist in the ARC's Performance Tested Herd of the Year Awards.
 
The cow, LB950139, which was imported from Zimbabwe in 1996 for the National Breed Sale and which belongs to Stephan Welz is the 2005 Farmers Weekly - ARC Best  Tuli Elite Cow ( Marked ** on list of Best Producing Cows).
 
 
WHEN YOU FARM WITH TULIS EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE

 

 

 

Farmer's Weekly Tuli Cow of the year.

 

NOTE:     THE AUTHOR IS CHRIS NEL

 

  PART-TIME FARMERS’ TOP TULI COW

 

Well known Tuli cattle breeder from Dullstroom, Stephan Welz and his wife Carmen the are the breeders and owners of LB950139, the Farmer’s Weekly-ARC Best Elite Tuli Cow for 2005.

The Blomvlei Tuli Stud herd of 120 registered breeding cows and 20 pregnant replacement heifers is run on the farm Blomvlei and several portions of the farm Mapochsgronde. near Tonteldoos on the western slopes of the Steenkampsberg. Being part time farmers based in Johannesburg (Stephan, one of the country’s foremost authorities on art and antiques, is the official South African representative for Sotheby’s of London), they can only be on the farm every second weekend. “This is one of the reasons why we chose the Tuli,” explains Stephan. “It is easy to manage by proxy without loss of production. Being a polled breed, dehorning is not an issue, while their calm and docile temperament makes the animals a pleasure to work with. It shares many desirable characteristics such as fertility, adaptability, hardiness, good carcass qualities and milk with many other breeds, but carries slightly more beef than other indigenous breeds, and is more resistant to parasites and diseases than imported breeds.”

Stephan and Carmen bought their first land at Tonteldoos in 1988 and established the stud herd in 1992. “The Tuli was also a young upcoming breed and, for a new cattleman wanted to prosper, it was a good opportunity to get involved in its growth phase.” says Stephan.

The stud is their main farming enterprise, while considerable untapped potential in agri-tourism exists

Their land encompasses 500 ha, expanded incrementally over the years with the purchase of 12 portions of around 15 ha each. Another 250 ha of grazing land is leased from a neighbour. The topography is hilly and broken, with attractive dolerite koppies, the highest point being1 810 m above sea level. Summers are warm while winters are mild to cold, with some frost. The rainfall is reasonably high nut not as high as that on the eastern slopes and summit of the Steenkampsberg  The perennial Tonteldoosloop flows fresh and clear through the farm, fed by a number of springs and seasonal streams. Stephan has through the years added a number of weirs and small dam walls to create standing water. Soils are mostly derived from dolerite and quartzite. As Tonteldoos lies on the transition between Acocks Veld Type 61 (Bankenveld) and Acocks Veld Type 57 (North-Eastern Sandy Highveld), the vegetation is very diverse, also influenced by the variation in topography and the many micro-habitats this creates. The vegetation is characterised by great botanical richness, including the endemic Aloe reitzii, Zantedeschia pentlandii and Gladiolus pardelinus

The farm is divided into 13 camps according to vegetation/soil types. Most is available for grazing, even the bottomlands and koppies which the Tuli cattle easily negotiate There is also around 17 ha under Eragrostis curvula for haymaking, and 12ha under Super Graze used as standing hay. Grazing is supplemented in summer by a salt/phosphate lick, in winter by Afgri production lick blocks.

Stephan’s breeding objectives? “Every cow must calve every year– no excuse – especially  as the herd is our sole farming income,” he explains. “Measuring production is crucial. It is quite beyond my understanding that some cattlemen can still operate without using figures. We only sell animals with a full set of production figures.”

Bulls are sold off the veld at the age of 3 years. Limiting supplementary feeding allows them to grow out slowly, develop properly, and when put in with the cows on the new owner’s farm go from strength to strength. “If you have a productive herd, good bulls are a natural consequence. On the other hand, buying in a good bull does not necessarily mean you will instantly have good calves.”

While no longer buying in females, Stephan still buys in bulls from time to time. And whereas he used AI in the past to achieve a specific goal, he only uses natural service these days. “A bull does it better,” he explains.

“The challenging part of breeding is to pit your knowledge and insight against nature, and second-guess the genes. The South African national Tuli herd today has both variety and type, as it descends from the best genetics originally imported from Zimbabwe many years ago. 

The Blomvlei herd has participated in the National Beef Cattle Improvement Scheme since 1994 and has been an  ARC-Absa Beef Cattle Improvement Herd of the Year provincial finalist for the past 3 years. Of the current 348 registered animals in the herd, 315 are SP and 6 cows are Elite.

 

SUMMARY OF LB950139’S PERFORMANCE

 

Age years

Calves

Age 1st calving months

ICP1 days

Reprod Index2

Weaning Index3

Eff. Index4

Birth weight EBV

(kg)5

Weaning weight EBV

(kg)6

BLUP

Analysis

date

9

7

36

360

110

108

-

-1.1672

-1.8373

0.1076

5.4063

2004/06
                       

 

1. ICP = Average Intercalving Period

2. Reprod. Index = Reproduction index (based on age at first calving and average ICP) for weaning weight

3. Weaning Index = Average weaning weight index of calves

4. Efficiency Index = Average cow efficiency ratio (205 day weight / Cow weight 0.75) index

5. Birth weight EBV = Estimated Breeding Value for birth weight

6. Weaning weight EBV = Estimated Breeding Value

7. Dir = Direct EBV (accuracy)

8. Mat = Maternal EBV (accuracy)

 

CAPTIONS:

LB950139, the Farmer’s Weekly-ARC Best Elite Tuli Cow for 2005, was bred by Stephan and Carmen Welz of the Blomvlei Tuli stud, Dullstroom.

Stephan and Carmen Welz and some of their Tuli cattle. “If you have a productive herd, good bulls come naturally,” he stresses.

Most of the land on Blomvlei, including the bottomlands and the dolerite koppies, are available for grazing.

 

 

Best Producing Cows 2005

PARTICIPANT ID_NO COMP_NO AWARD CALVES AFC AVG_ICP DSLC REP_IND AVG_WEAN_ IND AVG_EF_IND BW DIR BW_MAT WW_DIR WW_MAT
AJR Rautenbach TULFAJR 940010  32346058 Elite 9 25 354 356 120 104 - 0.34 -0.06 2.1 -0.6
AJR Rautenbach TULFAJR 950033  34854539 Superior 7 32 362 388 113 109 - 1.18 1.23 3.8 4.4
AJR Rautenbach TULFR   970052  38911749 Excellent 6 36 334 71 113 104 - 2.18 0.08 7.8 3.4
HP v Niekerk TULFH   910016  29692415 Elite 11 - 385 433 111 113 109 0.91 0.36 4.8 6.4
HP v Niekerk TULFH   950049  35453281 Superior 7 35 373 204 108 106 102 0.68 1.18 -0.4 3.9
HP v Niekerk TULFH   960054  37668001 Excellent 6 35 369 221 108 106 102 1.28 0.82 1.6 4.6
HP v Niekerk TULFH   970023  39705959 Excellent 5 35 370 240 107 100 89 -0.22 0.66 0.5 1.3
RT Clark TULFLB  950061  39643580 Superior 7 35 375 197 108 108 106 -0.01 0.73 2.6 6.6
RT Clark TULFDK  951531  39643838 Superior 7 36 365 222 109 98 87 1.47 -0.64 3.7 1.1
RT Clark TULFHBH 960149  37556925 Excellent 6 36 368 245 108 94 91 0.38 0.49 0.1 0.5
RT Clark TULFHBH 960170  37557204 Excellent 6 35 370 238 108 106 106 0.88 0.4 2.4 3.3
RT Clark TULFHBH 960207  37557741 Excellent 6 34 373 225 109 96 95 0.8 0.33 4 1.7
CA Groenewald TULFPT  940003  38079471 Excellent 7 - 424 210 103 99 108 0.7 -0.07 3.1 0.3
CJ Rautenbach TULFCR  960001  35540202 Elite 7 29 354 353 117 98 - 0.35 0.09 4.2 -0.7
CJ Rautenbach TULFDK  951479  39643739 Elite 7 35 362 331 110 101 - 0.14 -0.34 4.8 2.7
CJ Rautenbach TULFAJR 940038  32782732 Superior 8 34 379 188 109 100 - 1.72 0.61 2.9 1.7
CJ Rautenbach TULFCR  960020  37127370 Superior 6 36 354 340 110 105 - -0.64 -0.05 1.9 0.7
CJ Rautenbach TULFCR  950510  38438552 Superior 7 - 419 290 104 98 - 0.84 0.33 1 -0.4
CJ Rautenbach TULFCR  950511  42512715 Superior 7 - 357 303 118 99 - 0.83 0.38 4 1
CJ Rautenbach TULFJ   941919  36749729 Excellent 7 36 404 367 103 106 - 1.01 0.28 3.2 2.4
CJ Rautenbach TULFCR  970036  38552279 Excellent 5 34 386 271 106 100 - -0.56 -0.24 0.7 4.7
SA Welz TULFBG  900042  28629004 Elite 11 36 403 214 104 104 104 0.68 -0.28 0.8 3.6
SA Welz TULFBG  900066  28629046 Elite 11 37 407 141 103 104 97 1.14 0.02 3 3
SA Welz TULFSW  940006  32407827 Elite 7 36 400 403 103 94 98 1.43 0.93 2 1.6
SA Welz TULFSW  940015  33721127 Elite 9 - 367 215 116 110 103 1.6 0.61 8.1 9.9
SA Welz TULFSW  950013  34430280 Elite 7 36 371 224 108 100 98 -1.05 -0.89 0.1 1.1
SA Welz TULFLB  950139 ** 38911723 Elite 7 36 360 223 110 108 104 -1.16 -1.83 0.1 5.4
SA Welz TULFJ   950132  39643465 Elite 7 38 361 250 108 106 105 -0.74 -0.57 0.2 3.6
SA Welz TULFDK  961555  41181793 Superior 6 39 362 247 106 99 98 1.22 -1.06 2.1 1.7
SA Welz TULFSW  950006  34222240 Excellent 7 37 378 185 106 104 95 2.61 0.5 10.2 4.3
SA Welz TULFSW  960032  37212693 Excellent 6 35 400 70 103 101 101 -0.98 -0.63 0.1 1.7
SA Welz TULFSW  960007  37212727 Excellent 6 35 382 169 106 99 102 -0.36 0.71 3.6 1.7
SA Welz TULFSW  960019  37302429 Excellent 6 35 402 45 103 103 98 1.21 0.43 4.2 5.7
AJ Botha TULFAJB 950013  40774564 Excellent 7 - 369 237 115 106 102 1.18 -0.25 2.8 1.2
AJ Botha TULFAJB 960054  42274506 Excellent 6 - 370 244 115 103 101 1.95 -0.13 5.1 4.3
AJ Botha TULFAJB 960079  42274555 Excellent 6 - 373 224 114 119 117 1.94 0.63 8.7 11.8
AJ Botha TULFAJB 960084  42274621 Excellent 6 - 367 245 116 103 105 1.19 0.52 2.1 1.9
AJ Botha TULFAJB 960040  42274654 Excellent 6 - 367 243 116 116 108 2.22 -0.26 8 9.5
AJ Botha TULFAJB 960097  42274696 Excellent 6 - 367 253 116 100 98 0.81 0.36 0.7 1.3
LR Cook & Sons TULFV   950002  40168221 Excellent 7 - 416 170 104 103 103 0.22 0 1.4 -0.3
JW v Waveren TULFABB 950933  40376238 Superior 7 - 416 211 104 99 111 -0.14 -1.12 1.4 0.1
JW v Waveren TULFABB 950927  40376162 Excellent 7 - 422 161 103 109 106 0.31 -0.9 3.6 4.8
WJ Ackhurst TULFH   920014  28080356 Elite 9 34 413 237 103 103 95 -0.61 -1.66 0.9 -0.5
WJ Ackhurst TULFH   930063  33721093 Elite 9 - 373 183 114 110 99 1.15 0.45 7.6 7.2
WJ Ackhurst TULFDK  951474  39643721 Superior 6 37 389 543 103 105 112 2.49 0.85 5.9 9.2
TI & DT J v Rensburg TULFAJR 900006  22856702 Elite 11 32 417 278 104 108 101 -0.49 0.84 2.1 6
 

Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape has been a very strong growth point for the Tulis in the last two or three years. There is a group of very enthusiastic new Stud Breeders. Some  were previously farming  commercially and using Tuli bulls for cross breeding. The Tuli crosses did them proud and they were converted into Registering as Stud Breeders. The Eastern Cape farmer who has been in the Tuli business longer than anybody else there is Mr Russell Clark from Dordrecht. He has been breeding Tulis since 1989 and wins National and regional prizes every year for both his Hereford and his Tuli Herds. An Eastern Cape Tuli Club was recently formed and a Tuli Open Day is being organised for the 1st and 2nd of November 2005.

 
Dave Cawthorn;Tom v Rensburg; Russell Clark; Arthur Schulze; Dave Mullins.

 

     

ARC BEST PRODUCING COWS AWARDS 2004

DIER ID

DIER

GEB.

TOEKEN-

OEK

KALF

GEMID.

RI

GEMID.

TEELWAARDES

 

REK. NO

DATUM

NING

 

GEB.

TKP

 

SPEEN IND.

GEB_DIR

GEB_MAT

SPEEN_DIR

SPEEN_MAT

ANIM_ID

ANI.

BIRTH

 

 

CALVES

AVE.

 

AVE.

BREEDING VALUES

 

COMP. NO

DATE

AWARD

AFC

BORN

ICP

RI

WEAN IND

BIRTH_DIR

BIRTH_MAT

WEAN_DIR

WEAN_MAT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACKHURST

 

W.J.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

H   920014

28080356

1992/11/15

Elite

34

8

416

102

103

-0.34

-1.27

0.1

1.3

DK  951474

39643721

1995/07/07

Superior

37

6

389

103

105

2.58

1.04

4.6

8.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLARK

 

 

R.T.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DK  951531

39643838

1995/10/20

Superior

36

6

366

107

98

1.53

-0.57

4.9

0.1

DK  951531

39643838

1995/10/20

Superior

36

6

366

107

98

1.53

-0.57

4.9

0.1

LB  950061

39643580

1995/10/24

Superior

35

6

371

108

108

-0.39

0.44

2.0

5.2

LB  950061

39643580

1995/10/24

Superior

35

6

371

108

108

-0.39

0.44

2.0

5.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RAUTENBACH

 

A.J.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AJR 900003

22856686

1990/06/30

Elite

28

11

393

110

99

0.27

0.02

2.1

0.5

AJR 940010

32346058

1994/08/05

Elite

25

8

357

119

105

0.67

0.18

2.4

-0.2

AJR 940009

32346041

1994/07/10

Excellent

27

8

343

120

109

1.73

-0.03

3.5

2.4

AJR 940038

32782732

1994/10/25

Excellent

34

7

365

111

101

1.81

0.59

3.4

1.6

AJR 950033

34854539

1995/10/10

Excellent

32

7

362

113

109

1.27

0.87

3.8

3.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RAUTENBACH

 

C.J.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AJR 900006

22856702

1990/07/21

Elite

32

10

419

103

108

-0.47

0.71

1.4

5.8

CR  960001

35540202

1996/03/20

Superior

29

7

354

116

97

0.44

0.16

4.2

-0.1

DK  951479

39643739

1995/08/29

Superior

35

6

351

111

102

0.24

-0.41

6.9

2.7

J   950154

40625873

1995/09/22

Superior

34

6

388

107

100

-0.48

0.15

0.8

0.1

CR  960020

37127370

1996/08/25

Excellent

36

6

354

110

106

-0.81

-0.02

1.3

0.8

CR  960027

36749992

1996/09/10

Excellent

36

5

367

106

112

-0.25

0.13

5.6

4.1

CR  960096

42512731

1996/10/12

Excellent

34

5

369

108

111

0.87

0.10

6.0

6.3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SWANEPOEL

 

D.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

J   941896

36749695

1994/09/19

Superior

35

6

414

101

100

-0.45

-0.45

0.6

1.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VAN NIEKERK

 

H.P.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

J   911551

33822271

1991/06/23

Superior

36

10

380

108

101

0.07

0.28

1.1

1.3

H   950049

35453281

1995/10/19

Excellent

35

6

370

108

106

0.77

0.80

1.5

2.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WELZ

 

 

S.A.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BG  900042

28629004

1990/10/24

Elite

36

10

410

102

104

1.21

0.20

1.5

3.0

BG  900066

28629046

1990/11/10

Elite

37

10

401

104

104

1.18

0.05

3.4

2.6

J   921710

33734096

1992/07/28

Elite

38

8

419

98

106

0.45

0.52

1.2

2.4

J   950132

39643465

1995/09/07

Superior

38

6

357

108

108

-1.47

-0.98

-0.9

1.2

LB  950139

38911723

1995/11/28

Superior

36

6

360

109

107

-1.04

-1.84

-0.1

4.6

SW  940006

32407827

1994/09/22

Superior

36

7

400

103

95

1.23

0.85

0.9

1.2

SW  950013

34430280

1995/09/24

Superior

36

6

376

106

99

-0.80

-0.56

-0.3

2.7

DK  961555

41181793

1996/07/19

Excellent

39

5

361

104

97

1.04

-1.15

0.6

1.2

DK  961592

41181801

1996/09/16

Excellent

38

5

348

107

103

-0.70

-1.16

2.3

0.7

REQUIREMENTS:

A.            Registered breeds:

1.                  Cow must be alive at run date (normally on 1 June annually).

2.                  Age at first calving must not exceed 39 months (1 187 days).

(If birth date of cow is unknown, this requirement will be ignored).

3.                      Average ICP (for all calvings) must not exceed 425 days.

4.                      Cow must have a normal calving during the past 18 months (548 days) before run date.

5.                      Maximum one calf without a reliable weaning weight. (dead, etc.) after the first calf with a reliable weaning weight.

6.                      Breeding value requirements:

  6.1         Only cows with ARC-AII calculated EBVs not older than 18 months on run date of the Best Producing Cow reports (e.g. 1 June), will be considered.

    6.2       Wean direct breeding value within the best 50% of the active female animals in the breed.

    6.3       Wean maternal breeding value within the best 50% of the active female animals in the breed.

    6.4       Birth direct breeding value within the lowest 99% of the active female animals in the breed.

    6.5       Birth maternal breeding value within the lowest 99% of the active female animals in the breed.

 

Note: The newest available breeding values on run date will always be used.

 

7.                  Minimum number of calves with reliable weaning weights:

Elite award                   :           7 calves

Superior award :                        6 calves

Excellent award            :            5 calves

 

 

 

 

NOTES ON BREED STATISTICS

 

Please note:

The recordings in Phases A, B & D are done on-farm by the farmer himself. The performance of animals regarding the traits recorded in these phases (e.g. birth weight, weaning weight, 12 and 18 month weights, cow weights, age at first calving and inter-caving period) is thus subjected to many environmental influences, e.g.:

q       Ecological region;

q       Veld type;

q       Rainfall (average, distribution, etc.);

q       Management practices;

q       Availability of crop residues, planted pastures, etc.

 

Furthermore, it should be noted that the reported breed averages are based only on those herds participating in the Scheme. Also, recording of most traits in Phases A & B are optional; with the result that the breed averages only reflect those herds recording that particular trait. This implies that, especially for those breeds with a low percentage participation in the Scheme and/or recording of a particular trait, the reported breed averages are not necessary a true reflection of the breed’s overall performance. Therefore, the number of animals recorded should always be reported when these averages are quoted.

In light of the above, the reported breed averages should be used with caution but, nevertheless, provide some valuable information to the beef cattle industry.