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. They can be either horned or polled, but the vast majority of the animals are polled. 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. } A Droughtmaster premium was on display at the weekend's Clarence Valley Select Breeder Sale, NSW. adElemSticky.innerHTML = ''; Droughtmasters exhibit medium to slightly late maturity in carcass development. Take a look at the boys in the "Droughtmaster $220K Club". Cattle were weighed 26.02.2023. var _footer = document.querySelector("#colophon"); Its Droughtmaster Cattle are similar in build to the Shorthorn, and come in a variety of light colors. 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 are neither fast growers nor slow, and are medium growers. That effort gave rise to Droughtmaster cattle. Their short, sleek coats may be pale golden red to deep cherry red! From docility and adaptability, to fertility and carcase yield, Droughtmaster's natural traits underpin its wonderful reputation as an allrounder. 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 . They have good body length, a sleek coat, and a reputation for reasonable fertility, ease of calving and good mothering ability under harsh conditions. Their heat and tick tolerance, excellent fertility, ease of calving and quiet temperament give this breed a good reputation. The Santa Gertrudis breed of cattle, named for the Spanish land grant where Captain Richard King first established the King Ranch, were developed to thrive, prosper and gain weight on the native grasses of the South Texas brush country. Initial crossing of Shorthorn and Brahmanbreeds Beef 2021. In the temperate regions of Australia, traditionally the home of the British breeds, low maintenance Droughtmaster is being used increasingly in crossbreeding programs to produce easy-care, productive cattle.. stud cattle exhibiting the poll characteristic. 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. Droughtmasters exhibit medium to slightly late maturity in carcass development. That lower metabolic rate helps the animal produce less heat, keeping things cool even as temperatures start to increase. The breed is basically red in color, although variations from a golden honey color They can finish off fields that other cattle could not digest and are not susceptible to bloat. Just starting to spring. Droughtmaster Cattle reach sexual maturity early and most heifers are bred around 14 months of age. It is a very suitable breed in the Australian Tropics which has good tick resistance. The first and perhaps the most enduring efforts to produce the rugged breed began in 1910 when the King Ranch . Calf/cow skin leather products such as shoes, car seats, fine leather coats, gloves, handbags, belts, furniture, rugs, etc. Bulls should never be underestimated and always be treated with caution. }()). Easy calving eliminates the need for human intervention, thus reducing time and management costs. Droughtmaster cattle are a beef cattle breed. window.onscroll = function () {
Dressing percentage is high. adElem.style.height = rect.height + 'px'; Drought master cattle are a tropical cattle breed which is mainly used for meat production. Other British breeds, mainly Hereford, were later used. Increased number and size of sweat glands; Chemicals in sweat glands provide a repellent action; Immune response to internal and external parasites. Further, excellent milking ability, low nutritional requirements and strong walking and foraging ability combine to make Droughtmaster an outstanding performer. Originating in Australia, Droughtmaster Cattle were conceptualized when cattle ticks imported to Australia in 1896 began ravaging local herds and European breeds, which did not particularly flourish in arid regions anyway. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 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. MOTHERING ABILITYThe breeds maternal instincts are strong. The subsequent F1 females are renowned as efficient dams, very suitable for joining to high growth sires. . Although they are available in polled and horned varieties, most are polled, especially the studs. Starting in the 1930s, he joined them to Shorthorn and Shorthorn-Devon cross cows. There are a large number of sweat glands in the loose skin, allowing Droughtmaster Cattle to better thermoregulate. The tick almost decimated the northern herds, which were almost exclusively long haired British breeds. 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. old steer group, although large bullocks are produced, particularly in northern Queensland. 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. LONGEVITYEarly maturity, structural soundness and a naturally active constitution can mean a longer working life, thereby reducing bull replacement costs. Pregnant cattle retain the ability to walk long distances to food or water and yet birth healthy calves. In the vast pastoral areas of northern Australia, cattlemen can't afford to be assisting breeders during calving, so this characteristic was also a high priority for the Droughtmaster pioneer breeders. adElem.style.width = (rect.width) + 'px'; Due May/June 2023. All rights reserved. Get to Know the Droughtmaster Cattle Breed, In 1910, something of a breakthrough appeared in Australias attempts to breed cattle that could thrive on the countrys land. He says the Droughtmaster has become such a popular breed in South Africa within a short period of time because of its exceptional temperament and its ability to adapt to various climatic conditions. Their dressing percentage results are around 58% with 76% saleable meat yields. Cows rarely have twins or triplets, but it can happen. The progeny resulting from this crossbreeding, have a significant economic advantage through their inheritance of Droughtmaster traits (in addition to the expected heterosis): Calving Ease Adaptation Longevity Reduced eye problems Bloat resistance Mothering ability Milking ability, High-growth sires can be used successfully over Droughtmaster females, due to generations of Droughtmaster breeders constantly selecting for: Low birth weight Calf shape Pelvic structure. MILKING ABILITYDroughtmasters are known for their high milk production, helping to calves to thrive under favourable conditions. 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. Excellent milking ability, digestive efficiency, low nutritional requirements, feed conversion efficiency, walking ability and foraging ability combine to make the Droughtmaster an outstanding performer. Usually, around 279 to 287 days but most gestation is 283 days. 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. On poor graze, Droughtmaster Cattle produce remarkably good muscling. The Droughtmaster is an Australian breed of beef cattle. , DROUGHMASTER BREED OF CATTLE QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW. BREEDPLAN uses Best Linear Unbiased Prediction technology to produce Estimated Breeding Values across commercially-important traits. It was actually developed from crossing Brahman and British cattle breeds (especially the Beef Shorthorn) during the early 1900s. High growth performance and extended ageing of cuts can produce EQS 5 star grading. Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). Whats more, Droughtmaster cattle also display resistance to internal parasites, eliminating the need for expensive vaccines, cumbersome. They have easy calvings and rarely need assistance. They have red pigmentation which helps them to protect them from cancer eye, sunburnt udders and photosensitisation. VIRILITY & DOCILITYSelection for docility and high libido by the pioneer breeders, has given the Droughtmaster a reputation as a potent and active performer. 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. Since the first cross daughters generally retain all of these features, particularly calving ease they are ideal for joining to high growth rate bulls to maximise growth in terminal crosses. The Droughtmaster combines the best characteristics of both the British (Bos taurus) and Tropical Bos indicus breeds to produce high quality beef economically. The cattle became extremely popular and are now the second largest breed in Northern Australia. It was the first Australian taurindicine hybrid breed;[3]:171 it is approximately 50% Bos indicus and 50% Bos taurus. As their name so boldly states, Droughtmaster Cattle are built for drought survival. If you have any questions regarding the enhancements to Droughtmaster BREEDPLAN or changes in EBVs resulting from the enhancements, please contact Droughtmaster TBTS Technical Officers Paul Williams (P: 0427 018 982, E: paul@tbts.une.edu.au) , Tim Emery (P 0408 707 155, E: tim@tbts.une.edu . The deeply recessed or hooded eye of the Droughtmaster minimises damage from bumping and spiking, and provides some protection from crawling and biting insects, as well as reducing the occurrence of eye cancers, blight and pinkeye.The ability to adapt to adverse environments has given Droughtmasters a well-justified reputation for hardiness. 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. She was born 9/02/2021. 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