DURHAM PHASE II
Published: 21 Dec 2006
News ID: 9917
News ID: 9917
Owing to the desperately dry conditions at Orange which show no sign of breaking, the DRD Central test herd has been relocated to the Lilyvale feedlot at Arubial, Condamine, Qld.
The 144 Shorthorn and Angus cows and 116 calves were trucked the 900 kms on 11th December and irrespective as to the commercial feeding arrangement negotiated with Lilyvale, the Durham board expresses sincere thanks to the Morgan family at Arubial for accommodating the herd in our hour of need.
Unlike a commercial operation which has the option of quitting cattle in these chronic circumstances, beef cattle research projects such as the progeny test are dependent upon maintaining numbers and integrity of data. A decision has been made to delay inseminating the cows until April to bring them into line with the satellite herd heifer matings due to expectations of a low conception in their current condition and a lengthy calving utilizing the follow-up bull.
The 2005 sire contributors, including the Reno syndicate in the U.S., have received raw calving data for the 2006 Spring drop calves.
The 127 Z and A Autumn drop steers currently at AMH Caroona have experienced very few problems, including BRD which has proved a major problem for feedlots recently. All have been scanned and assessed for structure in the last month and are due to be slaughtered in late February, 2007 at completion of a mid-fed regime.
75 A Spring drop Shorthorn and Angus steers are in good health under the management of Bruce McNeil at Norland Pastoral Company's 'Mayvale' property situated in the high country of Barraba. The Munro family has been a great supporter of the Durham project and we are extremely grateful to Sandy for providing a short-term option for the steers prior to induction to AMH Beef City in the near future.
The 81 Durham A Spring drop Shorthorn and Angus heifers will complete their nett feed efficiency test on January 10th at the CRC Tullimba feedlot prior to undergoing a two-shot insemination programme to the 2006 sires. These heifers are weighed on a weekly basis to measure gain and are to be scanned prior to leaving the pens.
The three satellite herds completed the insemination of approximately 400 heifers in late June and the lines of A drop steers with differing growth curves will enter Beef City according to their live weights, commencing with the Woolcott steers shortly.
Satellite records, which are being scrupulously maintained, indicate that a percentage of calves are being cross-mothered, that is, calves seen born of a dam are partnered with different dams at weaning.
To avoid flaws in data generated from the progeny test, agreement has been reached with Genetic Solutions to SIRETRACE all satellite herd progeny. To ensure progeny are correctly matched to sires, all Durham bulls are currently being DNA profiled for the exercise.
The 144 Shorthorn and Angus cows and 116 calves were trucked the 900 kms on 11th December and irrespective as to the commercial feeding arrangement negotiated with Lilyvale, the Durham board expresses sincere thanks to the Morgan family at Arubial for accommodating the herd in our hour of need.
Unlike a commercial operation which has the option of quitting cattle in these chronic circumstances, beef cattle research projects such as the progeny test are dependent upon maintaining numbers and integrity of data. A decision has been made to delay inseminating the cows until April to bring them into line with the satellite herd heifer matings due to expectations of a low conception in their current condition and a lengthy calving utilizing the follow-up bull.
The 2005 sire contributors, including the Reno syndicate in the U.S., have received raw calving data for the 2006 Spring drop calves.
The 127 Z and A Autumn drop steers currently at AMH Caroona have experienced very few problems, including BRD which has proved a major problem for feedlots recently. All have been scanned and assessed for structure in the last month and are due to be slaughtered in late February, 2007 at completion of a mid-fed regime.
75 A Spring drop Shorthorn and Angus steers are in good health under the management of Bruce McNeil at Norland Pastoral Company's 'Mayvale' property situated in the high country of Barraba. The Munro family has been a great supporter of the Durham project and we are extremely grateful to Sandy for providing a short-term option for the steers prior to induction to AMH Beef City in the near future.
The 81 Durham A Spring drop Shorthorn and Angus heifers will complete their nett feed efficiency test on January 10th at the CRC Tullimba feedlot prior to undergoing a two-shot insemination programme to the 2006 sires. These heifers are weighed on a weekly basis to measure gain and are to be scanned prior to leaving the pens.
The three satellite herds completed the insemination of approximately 400 heifers in late June and the lines of A drop steers with differing growth curves will enter Beef City according to their live weights, commencing with the Woolcott steers shortly.
Satellite records, which are being scrupulously maintained, indicate that a percentage of calves are being cross-mothered, that is, calves seen born of a dam are partnered with different dams at weaning.
To avoid flaws in data generated from the progeny test, agreement has been reached with Genetic Solutions to SIRETRACE all satellite herd progeny. To ensure progeny are correctly matched to sires, all Durham bulls are currently being DNA profiled for the exercise.
