FOCUSED ON BEEF
At DAYBREAKER BEEFMASTER we continue to strive for excellence in our purebread Beefmaster cattle.In the spring of 1989 we began using Lasater Beefmaster genetics.We were very impressed with the Beefmasters ability to convert grass to beef.
FOCUSED ON BEEF
At DAYBREAKER BEEFMASTER we continue to strive for excellence in our purebread Beefmaster cattle.In the spring of 1989 we began using Lasater Beefmaster genetics.We were very impressed with the Beefmasters ability to convert grass to beefy muscle with the absolute minimum interferance.Lasater, starting in 1932, bred cattle for the 6 essentials – disposition,fertility,weight,confirmation,hardiness and milk production.
This is continued in the DAYBREAKER BEEFMASTER herd.All these essentials the cattle need to achieve in a commercial enviroment without being pampered.The cattle must work for us and not us for them.We always keep some selection pressure on our cattle by running them at a high stocking rate (4-5 ha/cow in a low rainfall area).Since 1989 we have stayed with a very strict breeding season of 60 days for heifers and 75 days for cows.Those that do not conceive we reject and they are not used in the improvement program.Beefmasters have performed well for us in the Eastern Cape Grassveld and Bushveld. For the last 15 yrs we have added performance on grass to our selection program.We want our cows to hold their condition during dry years and still wean a good calf.The only way of achieving this is to select for it by putting some pressure on the herds (Stocking Rate). Nature also plays a part during dry years.
We have experianced many times under these competitive conditions that weaning weight per calf is under pressure but overall weaning weight per hectare (total weight of calves weaned on a given area) increases.This is far more important to us for financial performance.
Rotational grazing is very important as a large proportion of our grassveld is allowed to rest and grow after rains. The effect on grass growth and production is even greater with lower rainfall.We have measured up to 1200 kg/ha grass production in well rested veld and the equivalent liveweight gains of 40 kg/ha.With veld in poor condition the yield drops to 350 kg/ha and beef production is negligible.To be able to free up camps we bunch and run as few relatively big herds as possible.Heifers are AI’d and put in with the cows of all ages and have to remain productive under these competitive conditions. First calvers get no preferential treatment.We monitor with interest the progress year after year of our best older cows in this system.We look closely at COW EFFICIENCY.Somehow their bull calves are not overmuscled, heavily boned, course and very masculine. We consider MATERNAL genetics to be very important.
Our selection and program ensures that each generation is better than the one before.So we use our bulls once at two years of age and then offer them on our sale the next year.You can buy the absolutely best bulls we produce.
Lately bulls have been sold at our annual BULLS “ON” GRASS sale throughout the Eastern Cape, Free State and Kwazulu-Natal with very favourable feedback from our
customers.
Venue FORDYCE 20km outside Queenstown on Tarkastad road.Date Friday 18 August 2017.
To learn more please contact,
LLEWELLYN MACLEAN 045 8393214
083 6688952
[email protected]
FUNCTIONAL CATTLE are ESSENTIAL in LIFE !!!
