Meeting post weaning market specifications for the live cattle export trade to South East Asia

Summary

The results of the project showed that in comparison to Brahman steers, when slaughtered at the same fatness, 1/4 Charolais steers had a 10% weight advantage, Brahman bulls a 15% advantage and 1/4 Charolais bulls a 28% advantage. Since late maturing breeders have a large liveweight, their survival and productivity is a potential problem in the extensively managed production systems of the semi-arid tropics. A trial was therefore conducted at Victoria River Research Station (Kidman Springs) in the Victoria River District to compare the breeder herd efficiency of 1/2 Charolais breeders against Brahman and Droughtmaster.

The conclusion was that the breeding herd efficiency (31.7 kg per 100 kg of cow mated) of the 1/2 Charolais breeders was comparable to the other breeds, but their loss of condition was a concern. However a proportion as high as 50% Charolais genes would never arise under the criss-cross breeding system proposed, and it is suggested that a lower proportion of late maturing genes would be able to combine feedlot advantages with hardy and productive breeders. The recommendation to consider the marketing of bulls instead of steers poses obvious management difficulties. A trial in the Victoria River District therefore demonstrated the use of short scrotum bulls (artificial cryptorchid) as a possible strategy. An earlier project had proposed that a two stage production system with most post weaning production taking place on improved pasture in the Douglas Daly district would lead to a substantial increase in the number of NT steers available for export. Post weaning systems were therefore investigated on both improved pasture at Douglas Daly Research Farm and on native pasture on Mt Sanford Station in the Victoria River District.