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CROSS BREEDING
with Angus in the Northern Australia

There is an increasing demand for good quality Angus bulls for use in cross breeding programs in Northern Australia. Angus bulls are being used by many northern cattle producers to introduce improved meat quality characteristics into their slaughter stock and to improve breeding herd performance.

The premiums paid in most markets for Angus or Angus cross cattle have been the major incentive for many producers to switch to using Angus bulls. As an added bonus, the resulting Angus cross females are also highly productive, with excellent fertility and maternal ability.

This article outlines some of the reasons for the interest in Angus genetics by northern cattle breeders.

In addition, some recommendations are provided on the management of Angus bulls in northern Australia.

Improved market performance

Handsome premiums can be obtained for good quality Angus and Angus-cross cattle across a wide range of domestic and export markets. These premiums are the result of the excellent reputation of Angus in producing superior quality beef following grass or grain finishing.

Lot feeders targeting the high quality Japanese market prefer Angus because of their excellent growth and marbling performance. The moderate maturity pattern, excellent muscling, and superior marbling performance of most modern Angus cattle results in tremendous market flexibility.

Angus cross cattle have the ability to grow out to heavy export weights without becoming overfat. They also have the ability to finish at lighter weights suitable for a range of domestic markets.

The market versatility provided by Angus genetics is a major advantage in the modern beef industry where wide fluctuations in market targets and extreme variations in seasonal conditions are a normal part of the industry.

The Meat Standards Australia (MSA) pilot program conducted in Brisbane during 1997-98 has increased the awareness among many northern producers of the need to introduce improved meat quality genetics into their breeding programs. Under the MSA program , significant premiums have been achieved for carcases with AusMeat marble score 1 or greater (i.e. MSA 4 and 5 Star product) for the domestic market. Infusion of Angus genetics is a proven method of improving marbling performance and meat quality.

Improved breeding herd performance

Whilst improving market flexibility is often the initial motivation for many northern producers to use Angus genetics they quickly realise that Angus cross females are also a highly productive asset to their herd. One of the greatest attributes of Angus is their high fertility. Angus cross heifers reach sexual maturity at a younger age than most other breeds and crosses, and achieve high pregnancy rates even after yearling joining. Reports of pregnancy rates in excess of 90% among Angus cross heifers in northern Australia are common.

Moderate sized Angus cross females have demonstrated excellent re-breeding performance, even under difficult seasonal conditions. In particular, Angus x Braham and Angus x Santa Gertrudis females have proven to be excellent mothers with good milking ability and good longevity. They are easy calving, easy care cattle with low maintenance requirements.

Using Angus in structured crossbreeding programs

Where a high degree of tropical adaptation is needed Angus bulls are being crossed with Brahman, Santa Gertrudis and other adapted breeds in rotational or terminal crossbreeding programs. In addition to obtaining higher productivity through hybrid vigour, the introduction of Angus results in increased marketability, improved meat quality, enhanced female fertility, colour uniformity and polledness.

In extreme situations where a high proportion of Bos indicus genetics is required, a degree of Angus infusion can be achieved through the use of Angus cross bulls (e.g. Angus x Brahman). There is an increasing role for cross-bred bulls in Northern Australia to combine the desirable attributes of various breeds whilst maintaining a high degree of tick resistance and environmental adaptation.

In situations where black coat colour is seen as a disadvantage, red Angus cattle are being used to achieve the benefits of Angus infusion while retaining red colour.

Using Angus in composite breed development

Several of the large companies operating in the Northern cattle industry have incorporated red and/or black Angus genetics in their composite breeding programs. Where large herds are managed under extensive conditions composite programs can achieve many of the benefits of combining different breeds without the management requirements associated with structured crossbreeding programs. The inclusion of Angus in these composite programs has resulted in improved market flexibility and enhanced breeding herd performance.

Research demonstrates Angus benefits

The Beef Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) is conducting a large crossbreeding trial in central Queensland where bulls from several breeds have been joined to Brahman cows with resultant calves grown out in a feedlot to different market endpoints. Preliminary results show that Angus cross calves tended to be lightest at birth, had similar growth performance and carcase weights to European crosses, were easier to finish, with good muscling, more marbling and high eating quality.

Taking Angus bulls into northern Australia

The environment in northern Australia can offer special challenges for Angus bulls. Experience shows that with proper management Angus bulls can adapt well to the heat and extensive conditions and achieve productive working lives.

The following recommendations are offered to breeders using Angus bulls in northern Australia:

• Buy young bulls and take them north to acclimatize well before the start of the breeding season. Bulls which have had an acclimitisation period of at least 6 months prior to the first mating season have generally performed best.
• Buy structurally sound bulls without excessive condition. These bulls will adapt faster and suffer less setback when taken north.
• Ensure that young bulls are given adequate nutrition during the acclimatisation period so that they can achieve their growth and size potential. Bulls should be in forward store condition before joining. Supplementation with by-pass protein meals such as cottonseed meal in the two months prior to joining has produced good results.
• In “ticky country” Angus bulls should be vaccinated for tick fever on or before arrival. They should be checked regularly for tick load and treated when necessary. There are several effective treatments for ticks and buffalo fly now available.
• Vaccinate bulls for botulism and 3 day sickness. Talk to your veterinarian and draw up an annual vaccination and health program – then stick to it.
• Don’t mix young Angus bulls in mating groups with older bulls or bulls of another breed. They will not get as many calves in mixed mating groups if the other bulls dominate simply because they are older and better adapted.
• Best results have been achieved with Angus bulls under controlled mating situations followed by a period of rest between joining seasons. Mating loads of 2 to 3 bulls per 100 females have been used successfully in conjunction with controlled mating. Lighter mating loads are recommended for more harsh environments.
• Following the mating season pull the Angus bulls out and look after them in preparation for the following season. They may need some better feed or supplementation during the dry season.
• If block or lick supplements are used then bulls should be trained to eat them prior to being released into their new environment.

Buying Angus bulls

As a result of the high demand and subsequent market premiums for Angus bulls in recent years there has been an increase in the number of bulls being marketed. Buyers of Angus bulls should ensure that the bulls come from a reputable source with well documented pedigree and performance information.

Many bull vendors provide Angus GROUP BREEDPLAN Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) on their bulls to assist buyers with their purchase decisions. Further information on the use of EBVs to assist in your bull purchase decisions is contained in the publication “Buying Angus Bulls”, available from Angus Australia.

“Buying Angus Bulls” Flyer

What do northern cattle producers say about Angus?

Nick Murray, Manager, NAPCo, Kynuna Station, Kynuna, QLD

“Red Angus are part of a composite breeding program producing bulls for our Northern Territory and Queensland properties. They add marbling and earlier maturity to our system.”

Ian Glasson, Picarilli Downs, Thargomindah, QLD

“Our herd of Santa Gertrudis is changing to a 1/2Angus -1/2Santa composite. We use Angus to increase marbling in our feeder steers and fertility in the females while keeping their foraging and doing ability.”

John Lyons, Billyeroy Farms, St George, QLD

“I use Angus bulls over Santa Gertrudis and Santa cross cows to open up more market opportunities. With Angus crosses, we can sell calves from supermarket types to Japanese grass fed bullocks and sell them as fats or stores.”

Lawson Geddes, Couti Outi, Kunwarra, QLD

“In this country, I need Brahman content in my cattle. The Angus content allows me to turn off grass finished bullocks at younger ages with good meat quality. The fertility and milking ability of the Angus cross cows is important and shows in the calves.”

Rod Reeves, Wyuna, Stanthorpe, QLD

“My 700 cow herd was originally a mix of Hereford and Angus cows. We changed to straight Angus because the cows were more hardy and productive. They are fertile, easy care females that produce calves which sell for a premium. The live export trade demands calves weighing an average of 300 kg at weaning and we can do that in this country with Angus purebreds.”

Bill Campbell, 9 Mile Grazing Co, Gin Gin and Mundubbera, QLD

“I feel very confident with Angus cattle. I will continue using them for the growth, early maturity, fertility and docility that they give crossed over Brahman females.”

Rob McKinlay, Austral Park, Injune, QLD

“We have used Angus in our breeding program over Santa Gertrudis cows to give more market flexibility. We have increased growth rate in our bullocks and our young Angus cross cattle now meet a range of markets. We are breeding an Angus - Santa composite to suit our markets and conditions.”

Bob Conaghan, Barmount Station, Marlborough, QLD

“Our Brahman cross cows are joined to Angus bulls and our steers are fed for the supermarkets or the shortfed Japanese market. We produced the Champion Carcase at the 1998 Mackay show with an Angus-Brahman cross steer weighing 334 kg as a carcase with 15 mm of fat at the P8 and 95 sq cm eye muscle area. This steer shows the flexibility that Angus crosses give.”

Fuller family, De Rose Station, SA

“We graze approximately 2,000 Angus cows on 700 square miles of tough country 350 km south of Alice Springs. The Angus cow’s ability to handle harsh conditions, combined with high fertility and milk have enabled us to achieve more kgs of beef per hectare and to capatilise on the higher prices for Angus weaners and surplus females.”

Grant Brooks, Limestone Station, Marble Bar, WA

“We run a Shorthorn x Droughtmaster herd in a rangeland environment 300km north of the Tropic of Capricorn. We are using Angus bulls to increase carcase quality in the herd. To do this we took over 100 yearling and 2 year old bulls north. They have settled in very well and we are confident that the Angus cross cattle will cope well in this environment. Steers will be sent south for fattening at an early age but the Angus cross females will be retained and rejoined to Angus bulls.”

David Collins, Spring Creek, Mt Garnet, Qld

"We are using red Angus x Droughtmaster bulls in our herd of Droughtmaster cows. The red Angus increase marbling and flexibility in our steers."