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Vol 1 2017-18
The Breeding Aim for Dual Purpose Fleckvieh Supreme showing at Dubbo feature show Dr Thomas Grupp’s southern Australian Tour
Milking the success Fleckvieh genes prove their worth
The official publication of the Fleckvieh Society of Australia
Karova Swart a Full South African ( Kykso Kaino X Kykso Erba)
Karova Egret Full South African (Hauk Erz X Kykso Gretika)
Karova Didaka Full South African out of the elite donor cow, Kykso Didaka X Kykso Kalger
We breed unique bloodlines for both Beef and Dual Purpose Fleckvieh Importers and distributors of BAVARIAN Fleckvieh GENETICS Semen and Embryos
Visitors always welcome For more information contact George Cassar Ph (02) 6550 7661 Email: karovafleckvieh@gmail.com 2
w ww. k a r ovaf l eckvi eh . com
fleckvieh
THE UNIVERSAL BREED 2017-18
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ear Friends of Fleckvieh. Welcome to the first edition of Flechvieh: The Universal Breed. I can certainly say that I am proud and honoured to be able to write this President’s message for the very first major publication of the Fleckvieh Society of Australia. This magazine not only represents a milestone for the FSA, but also bears testimony to the hard work, dedication and passion of the members of the Society over the past several years to place Fleckvieh in the position it now commands amongst both the Beef and Dairy Industry in Australia. No other breed worldwide offers more opportunity for a viable, sustainable future than Fleckvieh and we as breeders are blessed to be working with such a Universal Breed! Demand for Fleckvieh is growing daily, and will place our breed in good stead over the coming years. We have had many highlights over the past couple of years and this will clearly be evident by the depth of the articles in this journal. A major, major event will take place in February 2018 – the Royal Canberra Show, where Fleckvieh will be the feature breed. Planning is well under way and we are over the moon to have Dr Thomas Grupp, General Manager of Bayern Genetik, Germany to officiate as our judge. Without a doubt, Dr Grupp is one of the world’s leading experts on Fleckvieh and his “Fleckvieh Vision” has pushed Fleckvieh front and centre to every corner of every continent. There are more details about Canberra Show in the magazine and we invite you to become involved! I trust you enjoy this first edition of our magazine and invite those of you who may be contemplating using Fleckvieh in your cattle enterprise, whether it be beef or dairy, to think outside the square, “have a go” and to be a part of this bright future for Fleckvieh. To all those that made the publication of this magazine possible – our sponsors, the organizing committee and even the enthusiasm of the members of the FSA, is sent out a big thank you as we appreciate all your efforts. Best regards to you all and wishing you all the very best for a successful future.
George Cassar President, Flechvieh Society of Australia
Contents
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Brenair Park‘s ‘tri-con‘ success 4 The Breeding Aim for Dual Purpose Fleckvieh 6 Karova – pioneering the promotion of the “Universal Breed” 7 Royal Canberra Show 2017 8 International recognition for George 9 Southern Australia Fleckvieh Tour with Dr Thomas Grupp 10 Fleckvieh – system based breeding 12 Visual Assessment and Breeding Technology Workshop 14 Maddie McColl wins supreme at Dubbo 16 Daraabah Kapow – first Fleckvieh Interbreed Champion 18 Gilgandra High takes out Champion School 19 Young Breeder on fire at Canberra Royal 2017 19 Milking the success of the Fleckvieh gene – the Crawford‘s perspective 22 Fleckvieh traits shine on Benmar Farm 23 Wondenia launches Fleckvieh2Farms initiative at grassroots branding level 25 Crossbreeding with Fleckvieh a recipe for grass-fed success 26 The Rump As Seen By The Judge 30 From Days Gone By: 1960 – 1975 36 Breeder Directory 38 Bayern Genetiks prove their worth 41 Application for Membership 42 Published by the Fleckvieh Society of Australia 2017/2018 Volume 1 – June 2017
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, Brenair Park s “tri-con” partnership a success in broadening the genetic pool B
renair Park Fleckvieh is based at Drysdale, 20-minutes east of Geelong in Victoria. Since reforming Brenair Park in 2002, owner Don Mathieson and family have moulded their Fleckvieh Stud into an extremely diverse herd, having sourced over 500 of some of the best embryos available from South Africa and over 170 embryos from Germany and Austria. Some of the South African studs include Kykso, Kyksim, Ai-Ai, Congosim, Salerika, Hauk, Gunzel, Simlee, Ru-Dev, Dorsim, Niemandia and Leeupoort. To complement and broaden the genetic base, semen is being used from Germany, Canada and the US together with a semen battery of some of the most successful Fleckvieh genetics of yesteryear. Today the herd boasts over 400 registered females, making Brenair Park the largest registered Fleckvieh stud herd in Australia. Don has worked in close co-operation with Bayern Genetik and Kykso Simmentalers in South Africa. This “tri-con” partnership has led to the some elite embryos being implanted at Brenair Park for the purpose of re-introducing extinct bloodlines back to Germany, to broaden the Fleckvieh genetic pool around the globe. Don is enthusiastic and passionate about his Fleckvieh cattle and has been a strong supporter of the breed by exhibiting at many Royal and local shows. Highlights include Most Successful Exhibitor at many Royal Melbourne and Geelong shows, and Brenair Park Dusty named as the Senior Champion Bull at the World Simmental-Fleckvieh Congress held in Australia in September 2010. This breeding program is reflected on to the commercial industry with a steer bred by Brenair Park taking out Champion Export Carcase in the over 300kg at Royal Melbourne Show. Don recently visited Germany to source new genetics for Brenair Park and to reinforce his bond and continuing support for Bayern Genetik. The cattle today at Brenair Park today are result of Don’s search for the very best Fleckvieh genetics that are currently available and is immediately evident as one walks amongst the herd. Testimony to this was endorsed when Dr Thomas Grupp, General Manager of Bayern Genetik Germany, visited Australia in November 2015 at which, during his visit to Brenair Park, Dr Grupp selected four bulls for collection for export. These were Brenair Park Graf, Sumo, Formby and Hawk-Eye, with export of semen in March 2017. These new sires will compliment Brenair Park Hafke who was previously collected for export. Never in the history of Australian Fleckvieh genetics has such a number of bulls been exported overseas. To date, five sires have been collected for EU and global export. These include: Brenair Park Hafke: Brenair Park Hafke is from the Harz bloodline – he is a Hafke son out of the Elite embryo donor, Kykso Didaka. Brenair Park Hafke semen has been exported to the EU, South Africa, North America and Switzerland. Don says “BP Hafke has bred extremely well for us, producing outstanding bulls and females. His progeny just keep getting better as they mature. We attribute his calving ease to his Elite Donor dam Kykso Didaka. We had several other sons that took to their sire, the old German bull Hafke, who unfortunately was a difficult calver. We were extremely fortunate to get Brenair Park Hafke.”
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A promising young polled Brenair Park Hafke son in Ger-many is BFG Heartbreaker, even at this early stage Heartbreaker calves are impressing their breeders. Brenair Park Sumo: another bull collected for export is Brenair Park Sumo from the Salus line. This is a young sire also impressed Bayern Genetik general manager, Dr Thomas Grupp on his trip to Australia in November 2015 and semen has now arrived in Germany. Sumo is a son of Brenair Park Sambach, who is a Sambach son out of Kykso Didaka. Sumo’s dam is Brenair Park Sybil who is by Sim Lee Havan out of Ru-Dev Sybil, an excellent combination of the best German and South African genetics. Mr Fred Schuetze of Buzzard Hollow Ranches, Texas commented “he may be one of the best Fleckvieh sires walking anywhere. I have seen him in real life as well as calves sired by him. He is as good as he looks.” Brenair Park Graf: A Brenair Park Hafke son out of one of our best breeding cows Brenair Park Gusti A023 (Zimbo X Gusti), a German import. Graf is producing consistent, quality calves with excellent growth and type. He is a bull with length, volume and capacity, with an excellent temperament. Brenair Park Formby: Brenair Park Formby is a South African import out of Hauk Morei X Congosimm Vasti 3De. A beautifully balanced bull, breeding well with a great temperament, his pedigree is full of over 125yrs of Nabian breeding. A slick coat and doing ability makes him well suited to Australia’s harsh environment. Brenair Park Hawk-Eye: A Brenair Park Dynamo son Hawk-Eye is a well-muscled power bull full of South African Fleckvieh/Simmentaler genetics. In his pedigree, we find German bulls like Billy, Pickel and Kater, whose lines are now extinct in Europe. Hawk-Eye is hard muscled bull, polled with scurs and can be used as an alternative for polled genetics. With Hawk-Eye there are tremendous options for the International Fleckvieh Beef Industry. Our quest does not rest here. At Brenair Park, we look outside the square and are constantly searching for outcross and new sires to provide the sires the beef industry needs.
Brenair Park F l e c k v i e H
We let our cattle do the talking!
Visitors always welcome! Contact Don Mathieson 0419 562 555
500 Murradoc Road, Drysdale, Victoria fleckvieh
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The Breeding Aim for Dual Purpose Fleckvieh T
here are two different focuses in Fleckvieh-breeding, they can be selected for the Dual Purpose strain, with a strong emphasis on beef and milk production, or a more focused beef strain with more emphasis being placed on a type more suited to the beef production systems of other beef breeds. Each type has its own breeding aims. In this article we will concentrate on the Dual Purpose strain under European conditions.
Fleckvieh for Dual Purpose Fleckvieh is a cattle breed, which is strong in fitness and milk yield. The ideal Fleckvieh cow in milk shows a strong forehand and maintains sufficient muscling on the loin and rearquater to maintain health and vitality, even during peak lactation. The front and rear of the animal are harmonious and balanced, both standing still as well as in motion. Fleckvieh cattle are characterised by their sound feet and legs. Adult Fleckvieh cows reach a height at the withers of 140-150cm and a chest girth of 210-240cm with a live weight of 650kg to 850kg. The udder is firmly attached and has an udder depth which remains above the hocks even after several lactations.
Milk production: Depending on management, natural conditions and feeding systems, herd performances of 7,000L of milk with 4.2% fat and 3.7% protein are equally achievable as performance levels of more than 10,000L of milk. The annual milk production increases from one lactation to the next, up to the fifth lactation. A significant trait of the breed is its top rank with regards to udder health, with an average somatic cell count of less than 180,000 across all lactations.
Total Merit Index, breeding values for Milk, Beef and Fertility The breeding aim is defined by the economical Total Merit Index (TMI). The milk, beef and fitness traits are well balanced. All individual traits are weighted according to their economical importance in an on farm basis. The aim is to improve yield and animal fitness and health whilst maintaining meat production and to increase lifetime performance. The objective is a high functional longevity with an average lifetime production of more than 30,000kg.
Growth performance of breeding young stock: Daily weight gain of female weaners: Daily weight gain of young breeding bulls:
Body size and live weights:
Weight of an adult cow: Height at withers of an adult cow: Weight of an adult bull: Height at withers of an adult bull: Birth weight:
at least 1,200g at least 1,400g
600 - 800kg 138 - 150cm 1,100 - 1,300kg 150 - 165cm female 39kg, male 43kg
Further traits:
Age at first calving: 24 - 28 months Intercalving period: 365 days EUROP grade: young bulls E and U > 80% Beef quality: tender, well marbled beef Polled status: By 2020, more than 90% of the calves should be naturally polled
Colour description:
Beef production: Germany The fast growing bull calves are excellently suited for successful cattle fattening and provide dairy farmers with an important supplementary income stream. Under intensive fattening conditions young bulls reach daily gains of more than 1.300g with a slaughter age of 16 to 18 months. 85% to 90% of the bull carcasses classified into the premium European grade E and U, demanded by the market, with a dressing percentage of 57% to 60%. Cull cows reach a carcase weight of 350 kg to 450kg. The highly demanded carcasses are primarily ranked as European grades U and R and have a medium fat content and optimum marbling.
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The basic colours of the breed are light to dark yellow and red to dark red on white body. The distribution of colours may be spotted, speckled or most of the body solid coloured. An important trademark of the breed is the dominant white head with a broad muzzle. Eye patches or eyelid pigmentations occur frequently. Underbelly, feet and tail are white also. In the long-term we aim for a yellow to dark red solid coloured cattle with good eye-pigment.
Karova – pioneering the promotion of the “Universal Breed” K
arova Fleckvieh is located on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, 50 kilometres due west of Taree. Run by George and Sylvia Cassar and family, they have been breeding Fleckvieh cattle since 1985 and have made them their passion. “Fleckvieh fever” I think they call it! In 2000 George and daughter Karyn attended the World Simmental/Fleckvieh Congress in Ireland which also incorporated a visit to Austria, Germany, Switzerland and England. This was the game changer – we had to have those great German and Austrian Fleckvieh genetics in Australia! In 2001 the first shipment of Fleckvieh semen arrived and another trip to Austria’s Bundesfleckvieh Show at Reid in September 2001 saw their first embryos and more semen imported that were also made available to every other breeder in Australia. Imports of semen and embryos continued and they also imported embryos from South Africa as well. Today, the herd consists of wholly imported bloodlines and the cattle have adapted to the coastal climate quite well.
“We concentrate on low maintenance cattle on a moderate frame and a slick coat is a must due to the heat and humidity which also brings about ticks associated with the warm, moist coastal climate. Mothering ability is a priority and that means calving ease and milk!” They have had many highlights with their Fleckvieh, as do most people with passion, but two notable mentions are the 2009 Fleckvieh Pioneer for Australia awarded to George, presented by Mr Fanz Sturzer and Dr Thomas Grupp at the AFO show in Traunstein Bavaria, Germany and the Olmec Award, presented in 2016 at the WSFF II Conference of the North Americas for the promotion and dedication to the Fleckvieh breed in Australia.
George Cassar receives the 2009 Fleckvieh Pioneer Award, pictured above with Franz Sturzer and Dr Thomas Grupp.
The Conference was held at Villahermosa in Mexico and presented by the Governor of Tabasco. Both these awards are held with humility and high esteem and represents George and Karova Fleckvieh’s dedication to the promotion and development of the Fleckvieh breed, both in Australia and internationally. At Karova, they will continue on their journey “for the promotion of Fleckvieh so that every cattle breeder, whether it be beef or dairy, has the opportunity to find out for themselves why Fleckvieh is called the “universal Breed”!”
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Royal Canberra Show 2017
Daraabah Lad takes out Supreme
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he weather was kind to us and it was great to see the support of other breeders in the stands when 22 head of cattle and seven breeders competed at the 2017 Actew Royal Canberra Show. A results summary is as follows : Bulls Junior and Grand: Daraabah Lad Reserve: Daraabah Mojo Senior: Tennysonvale Larry Females Junior: Medway Park Macey Reserve: Daraabah Makybe Senior and Grand: Daraabah Lilanna Reserve: Wondenia Lenora Supreme: Daraabah Lad
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Look out for Fleckviehs at the 2018 Canberra Show where they will be the Feature Breed. Planning is underway for next year’s big event. The Show Society is allowing us to run both Beef and Dairy classes, so the true dual purpose nature of the breed can be displayed. It is probably the first time that this has been done at Canberra Show and maybe anywhere in Australia. In another first, there will be an elite Fleckvieh sale held in conjunction with the show. This will be a great opportunity to secure some of the best Fleckvieh genetics in Australia. Dr Thomas Grupp, CEO of Bayern Genetik, Germany has agreed to be the judge. Dr Grupp is a world renowned authority on Fleckviehs and has judged all over the world so we are very honoured to have him on board. So clear your calendars for February 23 to 25, 2018! 2
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1. Daraabah Lad 2. Daraabah Lianna 3. Daraabah Makybe 4. Medway Park Macey 5. Wondenia Lenora 6. Daraabah Mojo 7. Tennysonvale Larry
International recognition for George May 2016 saw our president, Mr George Cassar of Karova Fleckvieh, travel to Villahermosa, Mexico, to receive the Olmec award for his dedication and promotion of the Fleckvieh breed in Australia. Other notable recipients of the award were Dr Thomas Grupp (Bayern Genetik, Germany), Dr Wade Shafer (American Simmental Association), Mr Bruce Holmquist (Canadian Simmental Association) and Dr Brad Stoud, worldrenowned in Embryo transfer. Well done George! George Cassar with a who’s who of the Fleckvieh and Simmental world.
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Southern Australia Fleckvieh Tour with Dr Thomas Grupp
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ovember 2015 saw the farm trip organized around our Annual General Meeting. We were privileged to have the company of Dr Thomas Grupp from Bayern Genetics in Germany along with us on the journey. Dr Grupp was eager to share his knowledge with us and was a wonderful opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with him, which isn’t always available on other trips. The tour included visits to several farms of the breeders over a five-day period. The first farm we visited was that of Wirrabilla Fleckvieh, owned by Duncan Makieg and Andrea Strong and managed by Guy and Sylvia Martin. We saw some wonderful cattle here and set the tone for a great trip to come.
Tennysonvale Simmental-Fleckviehs
We then travelled to the Baldry family’s Tennysonvale Simmental-Fleckviehs. As always, it was wonderful to catch up with them, see their great cattle on display and enjoy their hospitality! It was a 42 degree day with a hot dry wind – Dr Grupp commented that he had never experienced such a heat and that it felt like a blast furnace! Then it was off to Russell and Ruth McKelvey’s Koorinook Fleckvieh stud – we had a great welcome here and great cattle as well. Venison on the menu! Travelling the scenic road to Peter and Rhonda Serpell’s Fleckvieh in the beautiful Kiewa Valley took us to beautiful cattle in a beautiful location.
Serpell’s Fleckviehs in the Kiewa Valley
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Mavrock Fleckvieh and the Schembri Family were our hosts for the fifth farm visit. A wonderful welcome and wonderful cattle, Agnes and the family provided with a hearty lunch and included some traditional Maltese dishes!
ABOVE: Jared Baldry making some new friends at Mavrock Fleckvieh.
It was then off to Speed Breed, the embryo transfer and IVF facility of Dr Richard and Kerry Fry. Dr Fry was in the process of collecting Fleckvieh embryos for a major breeding project by Gait Co. We then travelled to Beechforest to visit veterinarian and dairy farmers Richard and Christine Humphris. Richard has been using Fleckvieh semen from Bayern Genetik for the past six years and is becoming more enthused with Fleckvieh with every joining. Then it was off to Drysdale, Victoria and to Don Mathieson’s Brenair Park. Don put on a great display of cattle with some unique and interesting bloodlines. Dr Grupp was quite interested in the rare lines and selected four bulls for semen collection for export – these being Brenair Park Sumo, Graf, Hawk- Eye and Formby. Our AGM followed, with our return to home base the following day.
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ABOVE LEFT: Dr Richard Fry talks the group through the collection of embryos for transfer at his Speed Breed facility.
LEFT: The tour group enjoying great hospitality at the Schembri’s.
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Fleckvieh – System based breeding by Dr Thomas Grupp
“Grazing type” – pure Fleckvieh cows in Holland, pigment is no issue right now.
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leckvieh - the Universal Breed – is the only cattle breed in the world to be adapted to almost all different climate and production conditions respectively. In order to reach the best results for our farmers and clients we still have the problem that “genomic values” are not able to predict the adaptive capacity of a Fleckvieh bull or a Fleckvieh cow. Unfortunately we still have to make the proof which is cost intensive and takes time. Proof means – we have to do our homework first (“performance testing”) before we are able to market genetics in bigger numbers. Bayern-Genetik selection criterias for the use of Fleckvieh genetics are: • Milk performance (milk-kg, butterfat-kg, protein-kg, butterfat-%, protein-%) •M ilk quality (kappa-casein, beta-casein, beta-lactoglobulin) • Beef performance (net gain, dressing percentage, carcass score) • Fitness traits (paternal & maternal fertility, calving ease, vitality index, longevity, milking speed, persistence) • Health traits (udder health, somatics, incidence for mastitis, ovarian cysts) • E xterieur (frame, muscling, feet & legs, udder, udder purity) • Hereditary diseases/genetic defects • Pigmentation (body, eyes) • Polled gene (PP, Pp, pp, PS) • Hair quality (thickness, slick hair, curly hair) • Type (allround-, dairy-, power-type) Our main focus is the customized selection of superior genetics for each client.
Fleckvieh in grazing systems - pasture based milk production The Fleckvieh breed was developed over hundreds of years on pastures at the foothills of the Alpine mountains in Europe.
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The growing demand from consumers for “green products”, more farms switching to organic milk production but also the pressure on dairy farmers to go for low-cost systems favor pasture based milk production in many countries. Fleckvieh cows in grazing systems (365 days) look different to their contemporaries in TMR based dairy farms. In the southern hemisphere there is a long tradition with Fleckvieh on pastures (beef and milk). These cows have moderate frame, lower body weights, strong feet and legs, hard but not too much muscling, udders with good attachment and perfect functionality. The milk performance of an average cow should result in ten times of her body weight (550 kg BW = 5.500 kg of milk). We recommend our pasture based farms to select their herds for ß-casein A2A2 to reach the highest possible quality standards. Main selection trait for us is the type – a more easy task in purebreeding but quite a challenge in crossbred herds (Fleckvieh x Holstein, Fleckvieh x Jersey, Fleckvieh x Kiwi). But because most of the herds using Fleckvieh step into adsorption cross the improvement in type can be achieved from generation to generation. (F1 – F4). Table 1: Our breeding goals for the average Fleckvieh cow on pasture Withers height 136 - 142 cm Rump height 138 - 145cm Weight 550 - 650kg 5.500 - 6.500kg Milk production (10 times body weight) Butterfat 4.0 - 4.2% Protein 3.4 - 3.7% (ß-casein A2A2) Somatic cells 70.000 - 120.000 First calving 28 - 32 months Carcass weight
3 00 – 380 kg R3 grading in EUROP-Index
“Grazing type” – the type we recommend for the Southern hemisphere – medium framed cows with good pigmentation. (Image: Hans Menop, Germany)
In our attempts to improve the herd it is very important to get the right bulls. You can make a real mass if you use the wrong male genetics either by AI or natural mating. Therefore we never recommend “genomic bulls” just according their breeding values. Unfortunately it is a hard road to the top – performance testing and strict selection is a must.
Fleckvieh in grazing systems – “natural weaning” in beef cows Economic beef production with suckler cows is highly dependent on the current beef price, efficiency and feeding conditions respectively. Extensive beef production very often lacks of proper “efficiency” and it is in strong competition to sheep farming. The loss of agricultural land worldwide (30.000 ha per day) force our industry to reconsider actual systems. Bayern-Genetik created the term “natural weaning” which could have a strong influence on our future work. Natural weaning benefits breeds which are able to produce milk from grass not only for 5 to 7 months but with flat lactation curves up to 10 months (305-day lactaction). The goal for the body weights at 10 months are: • Heifers 400 kg = daily gain of 1,200 g • Steers 430 kg = daily gain of 1,300 g • Bulls 480 kg = daily gain of 1,450 g
High milk production of Fleckvieh cows are a guarantee for top weaners – no other breed has the potential for natural weaning and a smaller carbon footprint. (Image: Brenair Park Fleckvieh, Australia)
Advantage and disadvantage of natural weaning The system is very efficient but also very flexible and can be adapted to different production systems (local or export markets). High daily gains in combination with top carcass yields (young, tender beef) but also very important the support from the consumer (calf is with the mother till she is preparing for another birth) and the outstanding advertising fact that the calves got 3.500 – 4.000 litres (AUS$ 1,500 value of the milk) of high quality milk from their dams make this system unique and should be promoted more. The feedlotters like these “natural weaned” calves because less stress and better daily gains for a strong finish up to 580kg (steers) and 650 kg (bulls) at the age of 13 months. From the management point of view it might be a problem to split the herds according to the sex of the calves.
These weight gains implicate the fact that 10 litres of milk produce 1 kg of daily gain. At the end of lactation a suckler cow should still be able to milk 10 litres/day. In our attempts to get reliable “milk performance data” from our Fleckvieh beef bulls we use their semen for unselected progeny testing in dual purpose cows. This system is not very liked by our dairy or dual purpose farmers but for BayernGenetik it is very important because we get all informations about milk, beef & fitness traits. Table 2: Our breeding goals for Fleckvieh beef cows on “natural weaning” systems Withers height 132 - 136 cm Rump height 134 - 139cm Cow’s Weight 650 - 750kg Birth Weights 38 - 42kg Weaning age 10 months = 305 days lactation Weaning weight heifers 400 - 410kg Weaning weight steers 430 - 440kg Weaning weight bulls 480 - 500kg Cow:Calf ratio 60 - 70% at weaning Never forget to take advantage from “sex dimorphism” – feminine cows and masculine bulls (Image: Farm Voigtland, Namibia)
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Visual Assessment and Breeding Technology Workshop April 27 - 28, 2016
Presented by Llewellyn Angus Hosted by Fleckvieh Society of Australia and Daraabah Fleckvieh, Dubbo
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n conjunction with the Fleckvieh Feature Breed Show in Dubbo, the Fleckvieh Society ran a workshop presented by Llewellyn to make full use of his knowledge and experience with Fleckvieh cattle. We were privileged to have such a well credentialed presenter. Llewellyn operates the Wisp-Will Simmentaler and Simbra stud in South Africa which has the largest on farm Simbra sale in South Africa. He has been a leading light in the improvement of the Simmentaler (Fleckvieh)and Simbra breeds in South Africa. He has won many awards in South Africa with his cattle and for his abilities in operating a successful stud. He is involved in selection and training of future judges and has judged cattle all over the world and run workshops on cattle related topics. The workshop was very well attended with around 50 participants attending over the two days, all going away with high praise and a better understanding of cattle assessment. The two-day workshop covered presentations on the origin and uniqueness of the breed, genetic principles of breeding, estimated breeding values, the milking aspects, crossbreeding and also judging in the kraals (yards). The features, both good and bad, of the cow and bull were discussed, then some halterbroken bulls were brought before the seated audience and Llewellyn demonstrated the judging process. This was repeated with cows. Participants then got to go outside to the yards and try their hands at judging pens of cows and calves, dry cows, heifers and bulls. Participants who chose to, were assessed on their judging of the pens. After all the pens had been judged participants got to hear how Llewellyn had judged the cattle. This was a great experience to be able to see how accurate you were with your ability to assess cattle.
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The afternoon session was an introduction to Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) and how they can be of benefit as long as the system used to calculate them is accurate. There was much input from participants on their own experiences with the use of EBVs. The second day started with a recap on judging. This was followed by more practice at judging/assessing more pens of cattle. Again feedback on this activity was most helpful. The afternoon session was then conducted by Lachlan Ayoub from Zoetis talking on Genomics. An audience discussion followed this presentation and Llewellyn informed participants as to what was happening in South Africa. The outcome of the judging experience saw 6 participants selected to go through to the next level of judging next time a school is held. The workshop was a very worthwhile and enlightening experience not only in allowing participants to assess their ability in judging cattle but also to provide some possible future directions with the breed in terms of adopting EBVs and Genomics. Llewellyn said he was very happy with the event, “the breeders have a pretty good knowledge of their cattle. They have structurally sound animals with good legs”. “It was a real privilege being here, meeting the breeders and seeing their cattle and country once again. Fleckvieh have a bright future if they keep to their type and identity.” Llewellyn also stated he hadn’t worked so ‘hands on’ in years, commenting on the differences between South Africa and Australia. “The Australian breeders and their families do everything themselves; cattle were transported, sorted, kraals made and cattle loaded and unloaded, prepared for the show and led into the ring. Very different to South Africa!”
The Fleckvieh Society are planning on holding another workshop in 2018. If you are interested please contact the Society for more information.
Clockwise from top: a crowd of observers take in the practical instruction in the yards; (L-R) Noel Edlington, Karyn Cassar, Llewellyn Angus and George Cassar; workshop participants hands on in the yards.
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Junior member Maddie McColl wins supreme at Dubbo ‘feature’ show
L-R: Col Baldry, Jean Dench, associate judge Camilo Mejia, judge Llewellyn Angus and Maddie McColl with Senior Champion Female, Daraabah Hianna.
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he first show in Australia where Fleckviehs have been the feature breed was held in Dubbo from April 29 to May 1, 2016. To mark such a special occasion, we gained the services of one of the best judges of Fleckvieh cattle in the world, Llewellyn Angus from Wisp-Will Simmentaler stud in South Africa. Judging commenced on Saturday morning at 8.30am under rainy conditions. Llewellyn with the assistance of associate judge, Camilo Meija from Columbia, had to get through the impressive 45 head.
Participants included George and Sylvia Cassar, Karova Fleckviehs; Georgia Bramble and Adam Gaudron, Riverview Fleckviehs; Tom and Harry Stimpson, Medway Park Fleckviehs; Max, Jean and Bruce Dench, Wondenia and Denmire Fleckviehs; Rachel, Jo and Naomi Cramp, Midlands Fleckviehs; Russell and Ruth McKelvey, Koorinook Fleckviehs; Ian, Cheryl, Jared, Carl, Nicole and Angus Baldry, Tennysonvale Fleckviehs; Bruce, Melinda, Maddie and Lachlan McColl, Daraabah Fleckviehs and Maddie McColl, Glenanna Fleckviehs. The competition was very strong particularly in the younger classes with 14 heifers and eight bulls in the under 12-months classes. Due to the high quality of the classes, Llewellyn and Camilo had a tough time deciding the placings with the judging process taking a solid fourhours. We thank both gentlemen for their excellent efforts and comments under not ideal conditions. As the rain came down, Daraabah Lad took out the 6-10 month Bull class, Daraabah Lance then took out the 10-12 month class and went on to take out Junior Champion Bull with Daraabah Daraabah Legend taking the reserve ribbon. Daraabah Kapow won the 20-24 month class and Wondenia Jiminy taking out the 24-30 month class. Daraabah Kapow went on to win Senior Champion Bull with Tennysonvale Kykso taking the reserve ribbon. Daraabah Kapow was then awarded Grand Champion Bull. The female classes kicked off with the rain still coming down. Daraabah continued their winning streak with Daraabah Libby winning the 6-10 month class and Daraabah LuLu taking out the 10-12 month class. Denmire Loretta placed first in the 12-16 month class and Tennysonvale Kelli took out the 16-20 month class. Daraabah LuLu, exhibited by Lochie McColl was then awarded Junior Champion Heifer with Tennysonvale Kelli taking out Reserve Junior Champion. Reserve Junior Champion, Daraabah Lilanna
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THE UNIVERSAL BREED 2017-18
Grand Champion Bull, Daraabah Kapow
The senior classes kicked off with Tennysonvale Kezami winning the 20-24 month class, Midlands Joy taking out the 24- 30month class. Female over 30 month saw a strong class of eight with Daraabah Hianna, exhibited by Maddie McColl, winning the class. Knox Tanne, a 16-year-old cow exhibited by G and S Cassar, placed second showing the great longevity of the breed. Daraabah Hianna went on to win Senior Champion Female. Midlands Joy took the Reserve Senior Champion ribbon. Daraabah Hianna went on to be awarded the Grand Champion Female and Supreme Champion Fleckvieh. Congratulations to Maddie McColl. Llewellyn was well pleased with the quality of the animals on display stating “it was a real privilege to judge at the Dubbo Show. The animals presented were of a standard comparable to the top South African Simmentalers”. On Sunday, the allbreed heifer show saw the Fleckviehs well represented. The judge on the day was James Pisaturo. Each age class consisted of around 12 to 15 heifers of all breeds. In the first class of heifers 6-9 months, Joseph Cramp came out tops with Wondenia Lavinia winning the class. The heifers 9-12 months saw Daraabah Leilani with the blue ribbon and Daraabah Lilanna in second place. Daraabah Leilani was then judged to be the Champion Heifer under 12 months and Lilanna as Reserve Champion. The Fleckvieh streak didn’t stop there with Wondenia Lenora taking out the next class. She was unlucky not to go further as the judge noticed a slight swelling in her hock and her progress was halted. The Dubbo Show was a great success in promoting the Fleckvieh breed with newspaper, radio and social media coverage as well as a great display of the animals themselves. Four heifers were also used in the junior judging competition where over 100 participants got to judge these heifers and discuss them. We would like to thank our sponsors that supported the event, Aussie Rural, Dubbo Stock and Pet Feeds, Wondenia Fleckvieh and Daraabah Fleckvieh.
Reserve Senior Champion Female, Midlands Joy with Rachael Cramp and Jake Hutchison
Reserve Senior Champion Bull, Tennysonvale Kykso
Champion under 12-month all breed heifer, Daraabah Leilani
Junior Champion, Daraabah Lance
Dubbo Show results Junior Champion Bull Daraabah Lance Reserve Junior Champion Bull Daraabah Legend Senior and Grand Champion Bull Daraabah Kapow Reserve Senior Champion Bull Tennysonvale Kykso Junior Champion Female Daraabah LuLu Reserve Junior Champion Female Tennysonvale Kellie Senior and Grand Champion Female Daraabah Hianna Reserve Senior Champion Female Midlands Joy Supreme Fleckvieh Exhibit Daraabah Hianna
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Daraabah Kapow a knockout as first Fleckvieh Interbreed Champion
ABOVE: Canberra Royal Show 2016 saw Daraabah Kapow judged the Interbreed Champion Bull. A first for the Fleckvieh breed and one that we hope will continue!
D
araabah Fleckviehs formed in 2011 with the purchase of females from Tennysonvale and Wondenia and bulls from Newlands. Prior to 2011 we were running commercial cattle. We had experimented with several breeds but quickly realised the money was in the Fleckviehs. The Fleckvieh crosses easily outperformed all the other breeds in weight gain, averaging over 400kgs at 9 -10 months compared to low 300kg range for the other breeds. The Fleckvieh crosses were also always at the top end of the market when sold, being well finished and sappy. The other excellent outcome of the Fleckvieh cross was that the females were also highly sought after. That was enough to convince us to go Fleckvieh. The decision to breed pure Fleckvieh cattle has proven to be the right one. Their docile nature make them excellent to work with, a major benefit as our young children are heavily involved with them.
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The bulls sell themselves and the females are highly sort after, both locally and for export. We have had such success with them we have purchased another property and are in the process of tripling our operation.
“We have been relatively successful with our stud in the show arena, our highest achievement being Champion Interbreed Bull at Canberra Royal in 2016 with a bull we bred ourselves Daraabah Kapow. He epitomised our breeding goals with a solid coat, goggles and well hooded eyes, medium frame, oozing muscle and thickness, sleek coated, and a weight of 908kgs at 22 months of age with a docile, easy going nature. An animal ideally suited to the Australian environment. What more could you ask for?”
THE UNIVERSAL BREED 2017-18
But it is the success in the paddock that really counts. If an animal can’t perform in the paddock efficiently then it is not worth having. So as well as the features described above we are also focussing on fertility and the ability of a cow to raise a calf year after year and to get it through to the 400kg weight at weaning. With Fleckviehs superior maternal traits of fertility, longevity and milking ability we are easily achieving this. We can be found at local shows and field days around the central west of NSW and also at the Canberra Royal. We do this to promote the breed because we honestly believe in the value of the Fleckvieh and don’t want to see others missing out.
- Melinda McColl, Daraabah Fleckvieh
Gilgandra High takes out Champion School at National All Breeds Heifer Show 2016
A
good line up of Fleckvieh heifers were again present at the the National All Breeds Show in September. This year Gilgandra High School, working with Wondenia and Denmire Fleckviehs was awarded the Champion Herdsmen School Trophy for their efforts.
Young Breeder on fire at Canberra Royal 2017
ABOVE: Harry Stimpson (front) with Medway Park Macey, Jeff Cochrane and Judge Greg Ball.
McColl family
DUBBO 02 6887 2433 0429 750 590 www.daraabah.com.au bruce@daraabah.com.au
T
welve-year-old Harry Stimpson, Medway Park, Dubbo was not only a clear winner in his class of the Open Paraders Competition at the Actew Royal Canberra Show, his heifer, Medway Park Macey was named Junior Champion Female in a strong line up of heifers. The judge, Greg Ball from Grenell Charolais stud, Singleton, was very impressed with the heifer and said “she had all the things he was looking for in a female. She is visually soft, tracks well and is refined through the front with good volume and thickness.” Congratulations Harry! All looks promising for next year’s Feature Breed.
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FOR PERFORMANCE, AND LONGEVITY Tennysonvale was established in 1988. Our primary aim is breeding poll, easy doing cattle suited to any climate – our cattle are early maturing and structurally sound. We have been selling stud cattle in our own sales for over 15 years. Our bulls are always easy doing and we are happy with what we produce each and every year. The females in our herd, and also the ones we produce for our sales, have majority poll genetics and we always maintain that we sell our best females with no exception.
Breeding poll cattle for over
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25 years
PROFITABILITY
SALE Friday May 25, 2018
Tennysonvale Lotus (P) – sold for $12,750 to Guy & Sylvia Martin, Ralph and Vicki Stuart and Jacob Mathie
Tennysonvale Luxy (P) – sold for $15,000 to Ray Vella
TennysonvalE Est 1988
Illabo NSW Ian & Cheryl Baldry
“Ivanhoe” ILLABO NSW 2590
0427 931 943 (02) 69 247 215
tennysonvale@hotmail.com
facebook.com/tennysonvale
www.tennysonvale.com.au fleckvieh
like us on
THE UNIVERSAL BREED 2017-18
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Milking the success of the Fleckvieh , gene – the Crawford s perspective J
ohn and Irene Crawford own and operate a small family farm of 105 hectares in Gippsland, Victoria. They currently milk 140 cows on a once-a-day basis and use organic farming principals, which they find maintains a healthy fertile herd with few if any health and metabolic issues. John has run a line of Simmental cattle for beef since 1980, with many of the sires in use at that time, going back to German and Austrian Fleckvieh bloodlines. Even back then, he has milked a few cross bred Simmentals. “We starting dabbling with Bayern Genetik Fleckvieh about ten years ago over our Aussie Red herd and immediately saw the benefits in the demand for the F1 calves. We were so happy with the first batch of F1 cows that about six years ago we joined all our herd exclusively to Fleckvieh sires. We have found that Fleckvieh cattle really supports our work/ life balance aim and cope really well with our grass fed system. We feed no grain and only supplement with hay when seasonal conditions dictate. As the content of Fleckvieh has increased within the herd, so too has our bulk fat and protein levels. Another very surprising and positive attribute is that we have next to no calving issues and we value their longevity. The lower replacement rates means we have more progeny to sell, meaning more income! Excellent money for culled cows, and strong demand for week old calves from local hobby farmers is just another bonus and benefit of the breed. We are very proud of our sturdy herd and love their placid nature!”
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Fleckvieh traits shine on Benmar Farm
K
aryn Cassar and Carissa Wolfe operate “Benmar Fleckvieh”, part of their dairy and beef operation Benmar Farm located between Taree and Port Macquarie on the midNorth coast of NSW. With over 20 and 13 years’ experience respectively in the dairy industry, they were finally able to realise one of their dreams in operating their own dairy business, leasing a dairy farm for just over three years, focusing on dual-purpose Fleckvieh genetics. The dairy herd is a multi-breed herd, comprised of Fleckvieh, Jersey, Holstein, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire and Illawarra breeds and their crosses. Over one third of the cows are purebred Fleckviehs with a few Fleckvieh crosses. All young stock are Fleckvieh and Fleckvieh cross. “We find the Fleckvieh breed to be very versatile in our farming situation”, Karyn says. “We use imported dual-purpose Fleckvieh semen across the entire herd with excellent results. When we compare our figures to industry standards published through Dairy Australia, we are well above the recommended targets for year-round calving herds. “We have nearly as many heifers as we have adult cows, which considering we have bought in our entire herd over the past three years, is very validating. It starts at conception, for without that we would have no calves, through to calving ease, calf rearing and calf survivability. “We have less problem calving with Fleckvieh cross calves than we do with the other dairy breeds! I believe that a lot of it has to do with the fact that muscle can move and has ‘give’ in it, whereas bone does not. “It always surprises people that we use Fleckvieh on our Jersey cows – they are typically about the size of a Jersey calf, but half again wider. As with the other crosses, they start off small but grow and expand very rapidly after three days of age.” Using Fleckvieh on their herd has also impacted the profitability of the operation in a positive way. With more pregnancies and less problems, it means the herd is able to stay healthy and continue the cycle of the farm. Bull calves are of value, selling as beef cross rather than pure dairy,
which has been of benefit to the young business. “With unfavourable milk prices and weather patterns, extra diversified income is of great importance. Typically for our region, dairy bull calves have little to no value, depending upon breed,” says Carissa. “We have always been able to ask a premium price for our Fleckvieh cross calves as buyers know they are getting a beef cross calf. The sale of bull calves helps cover the rearing costs of the heifers, and we typically have people wanting them direct from farm which doesn’t incur the costs if we were to sell them through the saleyards.” Their operation is not complicated. Milking cows are individually fed a dairy pellet during milking, with pasture supplemented by silage during poor growth phases. The quantity of the dairy pellet fed per cow is based upon the stage of lactation/ pregnancy, body condition with respect to the production of each cow. “We have found that with the Fleckvieh and Fleckvieh cross, we can actually reduce the amount of pellets we give them without any detrimental effects. They produce milk on less ‘bought-in’ feed, really shining when the going gets tough, which has been more often than not since we started, maintaining production where the other breeds tend to drop production as feed quality drops.” So what’s in the future for Benmar Farm and “Benmar Fleckvieh”? Producing an animal that does well in pasture conditions and humid environment, with strong values in both dairy and beef.
Benmar Fleckvieh Successfully using Fleckvieh for Dairy and Beef Calving Ease, Environmental Resilience, Milk Production/Components, Quality Beef
Karyn Cassar & Carissa Wolfe
thegirls@benmarfarm.com.au 0478 771 086 www.facebook.com/benmarfarm
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Wondenia Fleckviehs 45 Years Breeding the Universal Breed Breeding Dual Purpose Fleckvieh Cattle
Four Generations of Breeding Fleckviehs
Working with Schools Beef & Milk Proudly part of Fleckvieh2Farms Pty Ltd Wondenia Fleckviehs
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Max Dench “Wolaroi” Gilgandra NSW 02 6886 1238 0412 113 768 wondeniafleckvieh@gmail.com fleckvieh THE UNIVERSAL BREED 2017-18
Wondenia launches Fleckvieh2Farms initiative at grassroots branding level W
ondenia have been breeding Fleckvieh cattle since 1972, so they are now going into their 45th year of breeding with this universal breed. When they commenced they were concentrating on breeding with the more beef lines in the breed but lately, for the last five or six years, they have been breeding with the more dual purpose lines from Germany.
“We intend to continue down this pathway because we have not only increased the milk in our herd, we have also increased the beef, something we didn’t expect. Prior to breeding with these dual purpose lines, we were achieving 12-month-of-age weights of around 470 to 490kg liveweight in our purebred show steers. But since using the dual purpose German lines, we consistently achieve weights of 540 to 560kg liveweight for our 12-month-old purebred show steers. A nice gain when we were only looking for increased milk to be able to fully utilise our cattle as true dual purpose by producing both milk and beef.” With four generations of family involved in breeding and showing Fleckvieh cattle, there are now two other family studs breeding alongside Wondenia. Denmire Fleckviehs at Gilgandra and Midlands Fleckviehs, operated by the Cramp family at Crookwell in the southern highlands of New South Wales.
With the aims now at Wondenia to produce both milk and beef from our cattle, we along with other Fleckvieh breeders recently formed the business Fleckvieh2Farms to produce and market branded Fleckvieh milk and beef. These Fleckvieh2 branded milk and beef products will be available in the marketplace in early 2017.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: 12-month-old steer 490kg by Wondenia Hero; 15½-month-old steer 710kg by Tennysonvale Derrig; Wondenia Hot Choc at 4½ years; Wondenia Glenda at 5½ years; Four generations at Wondenia Fleckviehs.
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Crossbreeding with Fleckvieh: a recipe for grass-fed success T
aralga Springs Beef began using Fleckvieh bulls across a herd of 400 Angus females in 2006 with a view to producing both yearling cattle for slaughter and replacement breeders. Bulls were sourced from both Wirrabilla and Newlands studs. The combination worked so well that, 10 years later, there hasn’t been a reason to alter the recipe. From its base on the Southern Tablelands of NSW, Taralga Springs Beef (TSB) supplied premium bodies of beef directly to butchers in Sydney from 2006. Critical to the success of the TSB product was that the beef came from cattle that were conceived, born, raised and finished on the property – guaranteeing provenance. Another foundation of the TSB product was that the cattle were raised and finished on pasture. With the need to raise and finish cattle, exclusively on pasture, and confined to a single cold-climate property, the hurdle was set high for the Fleckvieh-Angus cross. For one thing, the cattle needed to be early finishing. When breeding, growing, and finishing cattle within a single operation, there is immense pressure on the system to have cattle ready to turn off as early as 13-months of age and certainly no later than 18 months. There is simply no room for slow-growing or slow-finishing cattle to be clogging up the system. The goal was to achieve carcass weights in the 240-290 kilogram range, with good all-over fat cover and intramuscular fat (IMF). The Fleckvieh-Angus cross could achieve these metrics in the allotted time without grain or Hormone Growth Promotants. One of the more interesting observations that can be made from the eight years of MSA data collected and analysed by TSB relates to IMF. Given the importance of IMF to the eating quality of beef, particular attention was paid to the relationship between Fleckvieh content and IMF measurements at slaughter. In short, there was no relationship. That is, there was no reliable difference in the IMF of a body of TSB beef
whether it came from 100% Angus or 50:50 Angus-Fleckvieh. The TSB experience has been that the age of the animal and the quality of the season were related to IMF in the end product, not the proportion of Fleckvieh in the cross. In this way, the Fleckvieh genetics provided all of the benefits of hybrid vigor without compromising the ability of the Angus breed to put IMF into a carcass. Another important feature of the TSB cattle is their quiet nature. In addition to the obvious safety aspect of working with quiet cattle, the ability to handle and transport cattle without them becoming stressed is critical to delivering a premium product to the chiller. In the 10 years TSB has been breeding and processing Angus-Fleckvieh yearlings there have been a grand total of two dark-cutters (both from the rare occasion heifers were processed). The replacement Fleckvieh-cross females produced by TSBs breeding program are reliably good mothers. Typically being larger-framed than their full-blood Angus counterparts, assistance is rarely required for the cows when calving. Arguably more importantly, the Fleckvieh-cross mothers are better milkers than their straight Angus sisters, providing the calves with all the nutrition required to be transformed into 300+kg weaners. And they are hardy too, as evidenced by their ability to thrive in the tough cold-climate winters. In summary, for the past decade TSB has managed to breed, grow and finish yearling cattle in a pasture-based premium beef production system. Introducing Fleckvieh genetics to the Angus female herd has allowed target weights and carcass quality to be achieved, purely off grass.
NEWLANDS FLECKVIEH
Sourced from South Africa
Bred for Australia
��y and Sylvia �ar�n 1908 Rhyanna Road, Taralga, NSW, 2580 • 0428 622 404 • newlandsfleckvieh@gmail.com 26
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For all your animal's needs
domestic & livestock Dubbo Pet & Stock Feeds is known for providing quality stock food and supplements in Dubbo and surrounding areas. We are locally owned and operated business known for our professional, friendly and reliable services which are second to none. We ensure high quality standards on stock feeds and supplements.
• Animal feeds • Custom blends • Dairy feed • Fodder • Horse feed • Pasture seeds • Pig feed • Stock yards • Water & feed troughs and more! 14 Jannali Rd, Dubbo NSW 2830
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www.aussierural.com.au fleckvieh
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Son of Sibelle Dirty Harry 25Z at 4 months of age, December 2016
Top Performing Cattle FOR A COMMERCIAL OPERATION IS OUR FOCUS
W
irrabilla Fleckvieh & Angus focuses on producing top performing cattle for a commercial operation. We emphasise breeding bulls that will
of terrific sons by the great Bar 5 SA Burner 825R, the Grand Champion bull at Royal Toronto in 2006, in our bull line-up.
give the purchaser an ideal vealer calf that has the ability to perform above average both off grass and in the feedlot. We target high 200 and 400 day growth and good fat cover. The success of our approach is evidenced by the top performance of our cattle in feedlot and carcase trials. In 2014 we benchmarked our steers for feedlot and carcase performance in the Beef Spectacular Feedback Trial – the largest feedback competition of its kind in eastern Australia. A Wirrabilla Fleckvieh/Angus cross steer achieved the highest point score out of 600 steers entered in the Trial. The result combined full marks for feedlot performance, with outstanding carcase performance, including excellent marbling and yield.
Bar 5 SA Burner 825R The exciting new sire at Wirrabilla this year is Sibelle Dirty Harry 25Z, a Canadian sire whose progeny have been topping sales in North America. His calves are standouts – moderate birth weight, very soft, thick and deep. They are worth seeing.
Sourcing the best genetics is a big part of continually improving
All the benefits of Fleckvieh genetics – growth, muscle and
what we do at Wirrabilla. We currently have a very even line
milk, with a moderate birth weight!
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THE UNIVERSAL BREED 2017-18 For more information on Wirrabilla Fleckvieh & Angus visit www.wirrabilla.com.au
Fleckvieh (Fleck-V)
milk + growth Bulls & Females for Sale on Farm FLECKVIEH – THE DUAL PURPOSE BREED Excellent Milking Retained Females and High Growth Steers Contact Guy Martin – Cowpers Lane, Taralga 02 4840 6182 For more information on Wirrabilla Fleckvieh & Angus visit www.wirrabilla.com.au
The Rump As Seen By The Judge by Peter Massmann, South Africa This article, first published in Fleckvieh-World 2011-2012, is also an extract from Peter's book Visual Evaluation of Simmental
Fleckvieh Cattle.
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Figure 1: A = Rump width (also hip or hookbone width) The horizontal distance between the hipbones at the widest point. B = Rump length: The distance from the front (cranial) end of the hipbone and the back (caudal) end of the pinbone. C = Pinbone width: The distance between the pinbones at the widest point. D = Length between hipbone and thigh joint.
Large framed cows tend to have large pelvic areas, but also have proportionately heavier calves at birth which compensate any advantage of less calving difficulty. Every Simmental/Fleckvieh judge should be aware of the high relationship between animal size and birth weight and that it has been well documented over and again that birth weight is the most important factor causing calving difficulty. Especially under extensive suckler systems judges should steer clear of anything associated with heavy birth weight. In USA Simmental they found a high genetic correlation between pelvic area and birth weight and that a potential benefit from larger pelvic size in reducing calving difficulty may be negated by a correlated increase in birth weight. In an investigation with 40,000 first calving German Fleckvieh they compared the measured hipbone width with calving difficulty scores and found the same pattern: namely all the hip width size categories had more or less the same calving difficulty. However, one would visualize that rump width measured at the pinbones is a much better gauge of calving ease than the width between the hipbones. That’s why the Germans went and measured the pinbone width of nearly 20,000 first calving Fleckvieh cows and also scored them for calving difficulty. The percentage calving difficulty (in brackets) for the evenly distributed ‘five pin-bone-width-groups’ is: • very narrow pins (6.2 %) • narrow (7.3 %) • average (5.8 %) • wide (6.2 %) and • very wide (7.5 %). They observe that in general larger cows are wider at the pins but also have larger/heavier calves which, as mentioned above already, compensate any advantage of less calving difficulty.
Large rumps are better?
Large rumps and beef cuts
Refer to Figure 1 for rump measurements used here. By “large rump” I refer to wide between the hipbones, wide between the pinbones and long from the hip to pinbone. Frequently you hear a judge comment: “I prefer females with a large rump because this gives you a wider pelvis with more room for calving and therefore calving ease.” Think again Mr. Judge, research indicates that with regard to calving ease wider and longer is not necessarily better. Let’s put the speculation aside and look at proven facts: Internal pelvic area has been shown to be the most important cow variable influencing calving difficulty (refer below to birth weight being the most overall cause of calving problems). Many judges visualize a positive relationship between external and internal pelvic size and therefore favour cows with ‘large rumps’. However, studies confirm that what you see from the outside rarely gives a true indication of what the pelvic opening will look like inside and more specifically that the external rump measurements are not at all good indicators of pelvic area measured by pelvic meters.
In suckler and dual purpose Simmental/Fleckvieh the rump or hindquarter should be large to provide space for a lot of beef. After all, ‘the greater rump area’ (photo) forms an important part of the valuable beef cuts. In Germany hundreds of Fleckvieh bulls were dissected at 450 days old weighing over 600kg and they found that according to their system 40 % of the total carcass consists of the “high value cuts” and threequarters of these cuts are in the rump area. But beware Mr Judge and consider nature’s relationship among traits which we cannot change. Skeletons grow proportionately and animals with large rumps will also be large which we try to avoid because of the proven positive relation between large cattle and heavy birth weight which causes calving problems which, as I mentioned already, cannot be tolerated under extensive suckler production conditions. The key word in judging is ‘optimum’ and not maximum. Always follow the balanced approach and give preference to medium sized cattle which will give you medium sized rumps. The great Sir John Hammond (1889 - 1964; physiologist, research scientist, veterinarian and pioneer of artificial insemination) said “nature never tolerates extremes”. Judges must always remember this.
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THE UNIVERSAL BREED 2017-18
Figure 2: Milk type dual purpose Simmental/Fleckvieh.
Body parts are always in proportion to each other Judges must recognize that nature determines the proportion of the different body parts within the same size and the breeder cannot change that. I find it disturbing when judges refer to an animal being better because it has a longer or wider part in a certain segment or area of its body than another similar sized animal. For example: “My first and second placing are of the same size and length but number one has a much longer and wider rump and that’s why I placed her first.” In general this is not possible and is caused by optical illusion due to for example a more sloping rump. You don’t get a long tall animal with a short rump and vice versa. Let measurements confirm this point within the same as well as across Simmental/Fleckvieh types. I asked BAYERN GENETIK to measure all the dual purpose Fleckvieh cows (Refer to Figure 2 for example of type) with two and more calvings at an important show and they found that both rump width and rump length was 40% of the cow size which is expressed as a average rump height of 146 cm. This relation was just about the same for the different sizes and classes. Now let’s look at a completely different type of Simmental/ Fleckvieh. I always thought the beefier and compacter suckler type used in Africa (example Figure 3) will proportionately have longer/wider rumps because we bred them beefier. I asked a South African breeder to measure typical mature cows in exactly the same way than the Germans. To my surprise these beefy suckler production cows, which were 10cm smaller, had virtually the same relation of rump width and rump length to size (39%) than their German dual type counterpart. Are there breed differences? In Hungary they measured suckler cows of nine breeds of the same age and kept under the same conditions. The largest breed (they took height at withers) was the heaviest and had the longest and widest rumps and the smallest breed was the lightest and had the shortest and narrowest rump. The size to rump measurements relationship was more or less the same for all the breeds.
Figure 3: Beef type ’suckler’ Simmental/Fleckvieh.
wider than long, (iii) 42,000 first calving dual purpose Simmental/Fleckvieh measured in 2009 in Bavaria = irrelevant 2% wider and over 2000 mature Simmental/ Fleckvieh cows in Bavaria = insignificant 1.5% wider. How long, how wide? Based on the measurement method described in Figure 1, BAYERN GENETIK found that dual type top German Fleckvieh show cows with two and more calvings have a rump width and length in the order of 58-60cm and are 146cm tall. For a selected group of mature South African beef type Simmental/Fleckvieh cows the measurement was around 53cm but bear in mind they were 10cm smaller. Finally, the average for the over 40,000 German Fleckvieh first-calving cows measured annually is around 54cm long and wide. End result: In the different suckler and dual purpose Simmental/Fleckvieh types (figures 2 and 3) there is no noticeable variation in the relationship (i) between rumpsize to cow-size and (ii) rump-width to rump-length.
Figure 4: Rump angles slope from hook or hipbone (A) to pinbone (B) and angle of line A-B and B-C (thurls).
Length-width relationship
Rump angle - how much slope
I was flabbergasted to read this comment by a judge and scientist: “The rump width between the hooks should be at least six centimetres wider than the rump length from hook to pin. This is the highest indicator of fertility and femininity.” To me this statement is nonsensical and unsubstantiated. However, it made me think: “Can the rump be wider than longer?” Let’s look at actual rump width and rump length relationships (A and B in Figure 1): (i) BAYERN GENETIK data on above mentioned dual purpose Simmental/Fleckvieh = No difference, (ii) Beef Simmental/Fleckvieh suckler cows = immaterial 2%
The different rump angles are presented in Figure 4: Slope from hook or hipbone (A) to pinbone (B) and angle of line A-B and B-C (thurls). Fry claims that the suckler cow thurl bone should be on a ± 45 degree angle down from both the hip and pinbone. I will only focus on the slope from A to B which is best expressed by the difference in centimetres between the height from ground to A and to B (see arrows). Figure 5 shows a typical sloped and square rumped Simmental/ Fleckvieh cow. Rump angle is somewhat controversial amongst cattle judges. It is well documented that the main cow factor involved with calving difficulty is pelvic area. In the little research that has been conducted, the measured pelvic angle
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Figure 5: Typical examples of a sloped and square rump.
Figure 6: All known for calving ease and all have a sloped rump shape – coincidence or natures way to select for calving ease? (from L-R) Zebu, Sanga and Springbok.
or slope of rump had an insignificant or low correlation with calving difficulty as well as internal pelvic measurements. These studies will surprise African, Australian and some South American Simmental/Fleckvieh judges. The favoured degree of slope differs in Simmental/Fleckvieh countries. Simmental/Fleckvieh judges I contacted in the USA and UK state that they prefer square rumped animals and in Canada they desire only a little slope but will not discriminate against a square rump. The Germans measure 40,000 Fleckvieh cows per year and score them from 1 (pinbone 3cm higher than hipbone) to 9 (pinbone 18cm lower). Their ideal is 5 which represents a slope of 4-5cm (arrow B in figure 4 is 4-5cm lower/shorter than arrow A). The same applies to Austria. Breeders in Africa differ and prefer a definite slope from hip to pinbones. In fact, Simmental/ Fleckvieh judges in Africa will not place an animal with a square rump and that’s why you hardly see them any longer. I am not aware of any scientific research that’s proves our point but we base our policy on observations by pioneer breeders under extensive calving conditions and the fact that the buffalo’s, antelope, Zebu and Sanga cattle (figure 6), who are known for their calving ease, all have sloped rumps. Data from many sources clearly demonstrate that as the
Figure 7: When observing from behind the judge will opt for the left cow and reject the right one with her roofy (from roof) or droopy rump shape. Note that this is not because of the tailroot because they both have the same top-level.
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percentage of Zebu breeding increases in the cow, calving problems decline and we in Africa believe that this is to a large extent mainly due to their sloped rump. A local scientist states that “it is evident that, as you raise the pinbones (flat rump), you automatically narrow the opening the cow has for calving – you lessen the distance between the pelvic floor and the base of the tale.” The ideal rump angle in Africa is a drop of 6-10cm from hip to pins (like figure 3) or a slope of around 20 degrees.
Rump faults As mentioned above, avoid any extremes in rump length and width. Hip to pin angle preferences differ between countries. The tailhead or tailroot is the beginning of the tail, where the tail joins the rump, and it consists of the first three tail vertebrae. Because Simmental/Fleckvieh in general has a higher tailroot setting than British beef breeds, Simmental/Fleckvieh judges are more tolerant in this regard. Actually I know many Simmental/Fleckvieh judges who associate a somewhat higher tail setting with easier calving. Many maintain that a high tail setting is more cosmetic than anything else.
Figure 8: We want a good width between the pinbones – the slant from hip to pin should not be to large.
When observing from behind the Simmental/Fleckvieh judge should pay attention to the following: • We don’t want a roofy (fromroof) or droopy rump setting (see figure 7). Be careful with an animal with a prominent trailhead setting which could cause a roofy look. • One issue where all dual and beef breed judges agree is a good width between the pinbones. Although there is a positive correlation between pinboneand hipbone width, we get cases where the slant from hip to pin is larger as shown in figure 8. When show animals are narrow in the pinbones you often find blobs of fat on the pinbone.
• As shown if figure 9 we want a rounded and not a flat rump shape. • The wry tail, where the tailroot is not in line to the spine or off centre, is a discrimination and unwanted spinal misalignment. Further down the tail, many discriminate against a skew or kinky tail.
Figure 9: We want a rounded rump and not flat looking from behind.
The Fleckvieh Society of Australia has available copies of Peter Massman’s book, Visual Evaluation of Simmental Fleckvieh Cattle. This is a must for any breeder and reflects on Peter Massman’s over 50 years involvement and development of the breed. The book explains in plain terms how to evaluate cattle and provides photos showing the correct and incorrect forms of the part of the animal being evaluated. So, whether you are a junior just starting out in the industry and participating in junior judging competitions or an older person having to evaluate your own cattle and purchase bulls or females, this book is an invaluable resource. A great gift idea! There are a few copies left, so contact George Cassar on 02 6550 7661 if you would like one.
TEN-ROSE
INT ERN ATION AL FL EC KVIEH On the Governor Export list Exporting to China & India Beef & Dairy Agribusiness Awards Baw Baw Shire & Casey Cardinia Shire 2016 Baw Baw Award Sustainability
Ten-Rose Poll Lofty S: Ten-Rose Joffa D: Hazel Dell Ursula Chris & Sharon Jordan “Longwarry” Melbourne VIC Australia email: tenrose@dcsi.net.au phone: 03 5629 9060
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From Days Gone By: 1960 - 1975 (C Peter Massmann, South Africa – Published in the 2008 Simmentaler Journal) Outmoded and presently of no genetic value. It gives one great pleasure, however, to look at the ancestors of the Fleckvieh beef industry – lets never take the delight out of breeding. Before I became CEO of the Simmental Association in South Africa in 1976, I had, for a couple of years, been responsible for the establishment and advancement of the German Fleckvieh in the so called beef Simmental countries viz Canada, USA, Brazil, Argentine, Uruguay, UK, Australia, New Zealand Namibia and South Africa. This was something new: (i) except for Namibia and South Africa, farming with Simmental was a first for all these countries and (ii) in Europe all the cows were milked and it was a true dual-purpose breed with emphasis on milk , but in the new beef countries the breed was kept only for beef production and not one cow was milked. We therefore had to indentify dual-purpose lines that excelled in producing beef. This was no easy task, because in Europe milk enjoyed preference as they had to compete against the Holstein and all my clients were beef boys! Another problem was that the German selection law determined that bulls that were low in milk had to be slaughtered and more often than not those were the good beef bulls. We could also not select promising beef bulls for export semen production, because the same livestock law determined that AI stations could only sell semen of milk performance tested bulls. By means of this series of photos I would like to portray AI bulls which met my beef requirements for promotion amongst the beef clients from the mentioned countries and from which semen and progeny had been exported by Germany to many beef countries. Apart from Baldo, Haxl, Honig en Moses all these sire lines have become extinct in Europe - a case of too much beef?
This [ ] number refers to the photo number [1] HAXL born 1966 (sire Hax): He doesn’t really belong in this specific discussion, but any “Fleckvieh story” must start with THE KING! Without doubt the bull that had the greatest influence on the central European Simmentals, but his colour made him unpopular with many overseas ‘beef-buyers’. He was the eleventh calf of an exceptionally attractive and structurally correct, but snow-white cow. In the seventies and eighties Haxl daughters totally dominated the show ring - fantastic udders and lots of milk. Another trait, although not of much value for the Germans, was the particular hair quality of his progeny. We in Africa, and other Sothern hemisphere countries like smooth coated animals. It is a pity that we hadn’t used him on dark cows in those days. [2] BENZ born 1968 (sire Bernheim): Had the greatest influence of all Fleckvieh sire lines on Simmental breeding in Southern Africa. Many of the other ‘beef countries’ would not use him because he was not fat enough. Our SA breeders, however, spotted the quality of this lean, but amply muscled average sized bull – photo taken as an old bull. I recommended Benz especially for his attractive mother, Nosta (a Bayer daughter). Here in South Africa, Benz blood has been eternalized, especially through his AI sons, Dan-Jaco Benz 314, BJ Benz 5 and Congosim Hamman and also by means of the mother line through Jahdal Ingo and Jahdal Ibbie. [3] BAYER born 1955 (sire Buergel – grandsire van Bernheim): He also doesn’t belong in this gallery, since we could not sell his semen to breeders for the simple reason that he was too ugly. (below 1 000kg in weight and withers only 146cm). I include him, however, for the thousands of outstanding daughters quite a number of whom were exported by us - that he bred.
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His influence via his daughters was enormous and his name is mentioned several times below. [4] BAUTZ born 1974 (sire Baum – a Bayer son): He was slaughtered at an early age by the Germans because of low milk production. International cattle judge Mr Martin Seyfferdt at that time singled him out as the best German beef bull. If he lived today, he would, with his 200day, 400day, 600day and milk BREEDPLAN EBVs resort under the best 5% of the breed. [5] BALDO born 1975 (sire Bali – a Bayer son): A very attractive, well muscled and correct beef bull that I strongly recommended. Beef countries took to him, but South Africans found him too yellow (colour obsession). He later became renowned by some of the sons and grandsons of his son Ballist, who had excellent beef traits but showed difficult calving. [6] BARETT born 1975 (sire Bali – Bayer son): Notwithstanding the fact that he had been linebred, (both he and his mother had Bali as sire), some South Africans liked him (red with glasses) and even today we herald him as a trait leader in calving ease. Other beef countries regarded him as too small. [7] PEPPO born 1971 (sire Perutz): British and Australian breeders did not rave about him (too small), but South Africans liked him (red with goggles). I did not recommend him strongly at that time, because his father had a poor coat cover. [8] HAFKE born 1976 (sire Harz): Ample beef, but he did not live long, because the milk was not enough for the German milk parlour. He played a major role in propagating the breed in the new countries towards an acknowledged beef breed. His mark was left with us especially through Kykso Hafet. [9] GRABER born 1976 (sire Grande): A reasonably unknown line and from a Haxl dam. In those days I strongly recommended this bull everywhere due to his overall correctness, muscling, wonderful temperament and walking ability. [10] SALAMON born 1968 (father Salus) In beef countries this Austrian dual-purpose bull was very popular. Up till today he still boasts a positive beef value. (Due to the annual improvement in population it is increasingly difficult for older bulls to maintain a positive beef or milk value - Haxl, the best milk bull at that time, today has a negative milk rating). [11] MOSES born 1968 (sire Mut): The other Austrian beef bull that produced a large quantity of semen, since he was also a good milk bull. His best known daughter in South Africa is Odensim Martie, the triple champion, viz. national grand champion, gold cup winner and interbreed super cow. In Europe his blood still runs thick, especially through his son, Maurer. [12] PICKL born 1969 (sire Pirol – not the polled Pirol): “Ugly, but an excellent breeder”. We could not sell a dose of his semsn to clients, but by virtue of his very attractive mother, Ulme, and progeny, I sold a number of doses to Dan-Jaco en Dirk Uys where he did exceptionally well. His daughters, Dan-Jaco, DJ Erma, DJ Erna, DJ Esna en DJ Eveline are our best known cow line (refer to previous Journal for article on cow lines). continued page 39
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BREEDER DIRECTORY 3D
Buccabullaburra
Glyndebourne
Aaron Boon PO Box 675 Young NSW 2594
Grandjudan Pastoral Co 52 Jugiong Street Boorowa NSW 2586
John Petty 575 Old Sale Road Drouin East VIC 3818
Phone: 02 6382 1502 Email: admin@amboon.com.au
Phone: 02 6385 1277 Email: buccabullaburra@hotmail.com
Phone: 0409 199 092 Email: johnpetty@live.com.au
Altvalora
Byronvale
Gundaroo
Byron Wiseman C/- “Boorang” 213 McKanes Falls Road South Bowenfels NSW 2790
Phone:
Ashleigh Kuipers 178 Kings Hill Road Mulgoa NSW 2745 Phone: 02 4773 9502 Mobile: 0411 282 619 Email: billkimash@hotmail.com
Araluen Park Malcolm & Gay Brewster 131 Willawong Street Young NSW 2594 Phone:
02 6382 6422
Ashstead Park A J & M J Jarvis 61 Ashstead Park Lane Cudgewa VIC 3705 Phone: 02 6077 4324 Email: elmstead61@bigpond.com
BALDRY PARK
02 6352 1087
Cania Gold Russell & Karen Nowland 1007 Cania Road Monto QLD 4630 Phone: 07 4167 8183 Email: caniagold@bordernet.com.au
Cumberland 26 Toorah Road Londonderry NSW 2753 Phone: 02 4572 6882 Email: cumberlandsimmentals @hotmail.com
Daraabah
Carl Baldry 139 Cedric Street Junee NSW 2633
Bruce & Melinda McColl “Daraabah” 7R Jones Creek Road Dubbo NSW 2830
Mobile: 0405 848 224 Email: carl@baldryandcarr.com.au
Phone: 02 6887 2433 Email: brucemccoll1@bigpond.com
Benmar Farm Pty Ltd
Denmire
Karyn Cassar & Carissa Wolfe 1041 Hannam Vale Road Hannam Vale NSW 2443
Country Sand & Concrete Pty Ltd “Wolaroi” Gilgandra NSW 2827
Mobile: 0478 771 086 Email: office@benmarfarm.com.au
Phone: 02 6886 1238 Email: wondeniafleckvieh@gmail.com
Bilanda
Fairhaven
Grahame & Dianne Corney “Binjara” McKanes Falls Road South Bowenfels NSW 2790 Phone:
02 6352 1283
Bluestone Ridge Benjamin Ahern & Karen Jackson 88 Sylvan Road Toowong QLD 4066
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Phone:
Lloyd & Wendy Fairbairn PO Box 77 Kingaroy QLD 4610 Phone: 07 4162 4212 Email: lloyd.wendy@bigpond.com
Gaitco Suite 402, Level 4 50 Market Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Mobile: 0427 541 222 Email: karenjacksonaus@gmail.com
Phone: 03 8610 9888 Fax: 03 9620 4666 Email: admin@gaitco.com.au
Brenair Park Stud
Glenanna
Don Mathieson PO Box 537 Drysdale VIC 3222
Madelyn McColl 7R Jones Creek Road Dubbo NSW 2830
Mobile: 0419 562 555 Email: brenairpark@gmail.com
Phone: 02 6887 2433 Email: maddie@daraabah.com.au
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Andrew & Krystan Griffiths 119 Reserve Rd Marrangaroo NSW 2790 02 6351 4979
Hada Ahern Asset Trust 177 Kargorum Road Beaudesert QLD 4285 Mobile: 0439 668 394 Email: dhahern1@gmail.com
HaZELOCH Mick, Leanne & Megan Burgess Little Road Yinnar VIC 3869 Phone: 03 5122 3897 Mobile: 0417 035 996 Email: hazeloch11@gmail.com
Hogserod Patrik Blomquist Hogserod 223 2Y162 Loberod Sweden Phone: 467 0928 1828 Email: Blomqvist.hogserod@Tele2.Se
Kalkite Park Peter Fischer PO Box 1010 Jindabyne NSW 2627 Mobile: 0428 567 097 Email: hilltop.fischer@gmail.com
Kareni Katelyn Neiss 55 Leitch Ave Londonderry NSW 2753 Phone: Fax:
02 4572 0509 02 4572 0509
Knox Farms Jeff Knox PO Box 2875 Bowral NSW 2576 Mobile: 0414 611 414 Email: jeffknox@westnet.com.au
Koorinook Russell & Ruth McKelvey “Koorinook” 164 Price Hill Lane Cudgewa VIC 3705 Phone: 02 6077 4333 Fax: 02 6077 4333 Email: koorinook@gmail.com
BREEDER DIRECTORY Lakeside
Lily & Dong Cattle Stud Pty Ltd 59 Bowyers Way Robe SA 5276
Midlands Mick & Rachael Cramp PO Box 502 Goulburn NSW 2580
Mobile: 0406 256 216 Email: lakeside5276@outlook.com
Phone: 02 4844 3271 Email: wondeniafleckvieh@gmail.com
Langview
Minamoo
R J & P K Bygrave 27227 Burnett Highway Langley QLD 4630
Max Dench & Joseph Cramp “Wolaroi” Gilgandra NSW 2827
Phone: 07 4167 5146 Mobile: 0429 633 767 Email: langview@bordernet.com.au
Phone: 02 6886 1238 Email: cscliteblok@harboursat.com.au
Lizzy Valley
Moobaa
Troy & Shellee Hollis PO Box 104 Bodalla NSW 2545
Douglas Bird 5/135 Brownlow Hill Loop Road Camden NSW 2570
Phone: 02 4473 5735 Fax: 02 4473 5735 Email: troy.hollis@bigpond.com
Phone:
Lowbeau
Jemma Beaumont 595 Coramba Road Dorrigo NSW 2453 Phone: 02 6657 2389 Mobile: 0428 574 124 Email: dj.beaumont@bigpond.com
Loznik
Tomic Dusan 380 Koo Wee Rup Road Koo Wee Rup VIC 3981 Mobile: 0414 875 251 Fax: 03 5997 2352 Email: f.stomic@gmail.com
Malbow Park J P & S M Maloney 73 Princess Street Berry NSW 2535
Mobile: 0405 193 481 Email: Jason@Naturalganic.com.au
Mavrock
Mavrock Fleckvieh 4110 Hamilton Highway Hesse VIC 3321 Phone: 03 5287 1248 Email: mavstar0@bigpond.com
Meadow Park
Gerry & Sandra Hanning PO Box 6014 Goulburn North NSW 2580
02 4654 5660
Moore Phillip & Shannon Crocker “Crochdantigh” Massey Lane Muckadilla QLD 4461
Navillus Park Ryan Sullivan MS780 Kingaroy QLD 4610 Phone: 07 4164 2206 Email: sullivanra@bigpond.com
Newlands
[14] DIRIGENT born 1969 (sire Dior): His sire and fantastic mother line Prinzen-Putzi-Pusta had made him, because he was not an attractive bull. His progeny was good and we sold a few sons to AI stations. Of the best known Dirigent sons locally were Jahdal Dirigent and Swaarbou John Vorster. His son, DIRIN, sired numerous progeny in Southern Africa. Dirin is presently trait leader as far as calving ease: daughters is concerned and best known sons were AI bull Odensim Danie Craven, Kykso Dimal en Dan Jaco Dirin 2.
[16] PORTIKUS born 1964 (father Pontius): This was a gentleman that had been well cared for by his AI station, because he had always been introduced to foreigners as the ideal beef Fleckvieh. His best known son locally was imported KI bull, Porbar. Despite his age his local milk EBV ranks in the top 3% and 200 day EBV in die top 10% - what an achievement.
Guy & Sylvia Martin 1908 Rhyanna Road Taralga NSW 2580 Phone: 02 4840 6182 Email: sylviaguy89@gmail.com
PBH Paul & Bev Holloway PO Box 417 Forbes NSW 2871 Phone: 02 6853 4174 Email: bholloway@rspcansw.org.au
River View A Gaudron & G Bramble 283 Hillville Road Tinonee NSW 2430 Phone: 02 6550 6233 Email: adamgaudron@gmail.com
Medway Park
Rivulet
Phone: 02 6888 5326 Email: the.stimpsons@bigpond.com
Phone: 02 4464 3156 Email: bentley.bridal @southernphone.com.au
Ralph & VICki Stuart 90 Muellers Lane Berry NSW 2535
[13] HONIG born 1964 (father Horex): He had twice been German national champion and is the only one of all these bulls to, thanks to his sons, Holb, Horror, Horb, Horwein, Horst and their sons, still be popular in Austria/Germany today. England/Scotland especially was a good marketing area for Honig progeny.
[15] HADRIAN born 1966 (father Hektus): In those days one of the heaviest Bulls in Germany and we had no problem selling his semen to beef countries. His best known South African son is Meerhof Hektor. Another Hektus son that was not popular with beef countries, was Hellas from show winner cow, Pusta. He became known locally through his national champion son, Meerhof Hellas.
Phone: 07 4622 2574 Mobile: 0427 677 268 Email: pscrocker@hotmail.com
Mobile: 0427 014 149 Email: sandrahan2004@yahoo.com.au
The Stimpson Family “Medway Park” 131L Gilgandra Road Dubbo NSW 2830
continued from page 36
[17] HERODUS born 1965 (father Harnisch): A beef bull par excellence that was very popular, especially with the Scottish. At that stage one the heaviest bulls in Germany. His best known SA son is Kykso Herogez. [18] ZELOT born 1972 (father Zenit): This line is still continuing today because they also did well in milk. Zelot gained prominence in beef countries especially through his sons Zeier (1980) en Zeus (1981) that had been used by quite a number of South Africans. The Z-line is known for calving ease.
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BREEDER DIRECTORY Rocky
Tennysonvale
Wondenia
L W & D S Rockell “Maki” 35 Veechs Road Wongarbon NSW 2831
Colin & Joan Baldry 57 Derrig Road Tennyson NSW 2754
A B & T J Dench Genetrade P/L “Wolaroi” Gilgandra NSW 2827
Phone: 02 6887 8452 Mobile: 0409 832 868 Fax: 02 6882 3801 Email: Rockelll@Tpg.com.au
Serpells Peter & Rhonda Serpell 5280 Kiewa Valley Highway Running Creek VIC 3691 Phone: 02 6028 9356 Email: rhondaserpell@bigpond.com
N D & L L Edlington 64 Ridds Lane Duri NSW 2344 Mobile: 0428 441 774 Email: nedlington@bigpond.com
ShIRALEE UNGER Shiralee Unger “Wimmera” 196 Telescope Road Parkes NSW 2870 Mobile: 0429 794 727 Email: shiralee.unger@gmail.com
Spring Gully Bruce Crebert 5166 Illawarra Hwy Robertson NSW 2577 Phone: 02 4885 1350 Fax: 02 4885 1782 Email: brucecrebert@bigpond.com
Stargenetics Dr Peter J Gous PO Box 603 Gympie QLD 4570 Phone: 07 5483 1660 Email: familygous@hotmail.com
Tarago Valley John & Colleen Heatley 55 Old Sale Road Drouin West VIC 3818 Phone: 03 5625 2425 Mobile: 0408 315 196 Email: heatleycolleen@gmail.com
Ten-Rose Chris & Sharon Jordan 198 Koo-Wee-Rup Longwarry Road Longwarry VIC 3816 Phone: 03 5629 9060 Fax: 03 5629 9060 Email: tenrose@dcsi.net.au
fleckvieh
02 4576 5712
Ian & Cheryl Baldry “Ivanhoe” 297 Hillside Lane Illabo NSW 2590
Phone: 02 6886 1238 Email: wondeniafleckvieh@gmail.com
Phone: 02 6924 7215 Email: tennysonvale@hotmail.com
The Lodge Les & Su Borgstahl PO Box 2005 Bathurst NSW 2795 Phone:
Sherwood
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Phone:
02 6389 8970
Three Moon Douglas N & Juanita A Birch “Rosevale” Ms 711 Eidsvold QLD 4627 Phone: 07 4167 5139 Mobile: 0427 352 774 Email: birchpastoral@westnet.com.au
Trinity Vale Trevor Andersen & Barbara Evans PO Box 956 Kingaroy QLD 4610 Mobile: 0407 296 626 Email: trinityvale@yahoo.com.au
Viking Robert & Cathy Monk 2145 Main South Road Poowong East VIC 3988 Phone: 03 5659 7372 Email: vikingmonk@dcsi.net.au
Wandella park W H & H L Salway “Wandella Park” 125 McVeity Road Cobargo NSW 2550 Phone: 02 6493 7281 Mobile: 0407 105 767 Email: helensalway@optusnet.com.au
Wirrabilla Wirrabilla Pastoral P/L ’Wirrabilla’ Rhyanna Road Taralga NSW 2580 Phone: 02 4840 6182 Email: sylviaguy89@gmail.com
WinGham High School Charles Cassells 9 Rowley Street Wingham NSW 2429 Phone: 02 6553 5488 Email: c_cassels@yahoo.com
THE UNIVERSAL BREED 2017-18
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Friday 27TH - SUNDAY 29TH
OCTOBER 2017 Narrandera NSW check us out online at womencultureland2017 .wordpress.com or FOLLOW US ON
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Bayern Genetiks prove their worth B
ayern Genetik Australia or Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics (BFG) is operated by the Cassar family of Karova Fleckvieh. Their mission is to import the best available sires from BFG in Germany so all breeders have access to the very best Fleckvieh genetics. After several years of importations from other Fleckvieh breeding stations they realized that the type of Fleckvieh that was being promoted by Dr Thomas Grupp of BFG was more suited to the Australian environment and truly fits the model of Dual Purpose or Beef Fleckvieh. Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics is the world’s largest Fleckvieh Breeding organization and purchases about 100 genomically tested breeding bulls per year at local livestock auctions or directly out of the farmers’ barns. These bulls are selected from a population of about 750,000 Fleckvieh Herdbook cows in Bavaria. Many of these young sires (called candidates) come out of so-called planned matings, which means especially selected sire-dams were mated to the best Fleckvieh sires available.
BFG Illion
“When buying bulls we focus on production and fitness traits. However, great importance is also attached to the type traits of a bull. We believe in Dual Purpose and therefore to us it is crucial on the appearance of bull. Cow families and bloodlines are important for the decision making. We want to offer genetics that proves its worth in the long term in all different kinds of production systems and climates.”
BFG Rijeka daughter
During the testing period, 1,200 doses of semen of each candidate are collected and used in farms that take part in milk recording. The goal is to get as much data on the first lactations of daughters of a candidate as possible in order to judge his hereditary performance. After the testing period a further 15,000 semen straws are collected from each sire. Afterwards the sire is kept on one of the waiting stations at Börnchen/Saxony or Anzing, until the first production data of his daughters are published, a process that takes about four years. Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics attaches great importance to the fact that the bulls still run through a field progeny testing, especially the estimation of the type traits which is subject to quite high variations. After production results of the progeny are published and the daughters were inspected for their type traits, the selected bulls marketed as “proven sires” are chosen. New methods of biotechnology allow precise testing of single traits of the hereditary performance of a sire, for example beef quality traits or milk quality traits. BFG take advantage of these methods to test their sires and will continue to utilize new tools that will allow the enhanced performance of these sires. All are invited to join BFG on their mission – you too will see why Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics are Number 1 for Fleckvieh!
BFG Booroola
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Application for Membership Please complete this application form and return to: Fleckvieh Society of Australia c/- Livestock & Business Centre Ltd PO Box 189, Kiama NSW 2533 AUSTRALIA ABN: 12 249 057 232
Phone: 02 4232 3333 Fax: 02 4232 3350
Name: Address: Phone: Fax: Email: If Company or Partnership, please nominate a representative: The Stud Prefix (Stud Name) I would like to use (Twelve (12) letters maximum): 1st choice: 2nd choice: 3rd choice: The Herd Letters I would like to use for tattooing (three (3) letters): 1st choice:
2nd choice:
3rd choice:
Membership fees Joining Fee
Registration of Females & Bulls
All Transfers
Stud
$110.00
$27.50
lifetime registration
$27.50
Junior
$27.50
$27.50
lifetime registration
$27.50
Commercial
$27.50
Females registerable after first calf, first flush or before first exhibition. Bulls registerable before joining age, production of semen or before first exhibition.
I/We agree to conform to the by-laws and constitution of the Fleckvieh Society of Australia Inc. and agree to pay the prescribed fees as above. Signature: Date: Note: Membership fees include GST and are to be enclosed with lodgement of this form. Direct Deposit details – Account name: Fleckvieh Society of Australia Westpac Bank, Kiama branch BSB: 032-689 Acc No: 175930
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Showing isn’t just about the cattle...
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