Weight Gain In Cattle Selection

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29844, 9 June 1962, Page 7

Weight Gain In Cattle Selection

To maintain a herd of good breed type and appearance, and even more important, one that is a sound proposition commercially, Mr John Garnock, of 6000-acre South Bukalong. near Bombala, in south-eastern New South Wales, selects visually for breed type and conformation and uses the scales on his property for assessment of daily weight gain. Daily" weight gain as a tool "in cattle selection has been used on South Bukalong since 1956 and after six years of working on this basis Mr Garnock says that it pays “extremely well.” There is both a horned and a polled Hereford stud on the propertv.

The first noticeable iifforovement in the South Bukalong cattle was an increase in the weight of calves weaned by first-calf selected letters i three-year-olds) in tomparison with their mothers selected before veighing began. Within four rears first-calf heifers were weaning calves at 3561 b at 180 days old. This was almost jqual to the weight of calves weaned by mature five-year-old cows at the beginning of weighing and grading. This year with calf weighing just completed, selected first-calf heifers, of three years of age, have weaned calves at an average of 4181 b. This is only 201 b lighter than the average weight of calves weaned by mature cows which have been selected on their calf-producing ability for four years. Improvement The improvement in the over-all herd quality and appearance has been very marked and the average weaning weight of calves has risen from 3921 b in 1956 to 4331 b in 1962. In addition, because at their ability to grow more . rapidly, heifers are now joined to drop this first calf a year earlier at two years. The average weaning weight of calves dropped by two-year-old heifers this year was 3721 b. or almost the average weaning weight of the whole herd in 1956 and 161 b heavier than the 1960 calves weaned by three-year-old first-calf heifers.

Mr Garnock has a contract for supplying yearling steers at the rate of one truck every two weeks. The steers dress out at about 5001 b beginning at 15 months of age and buyers are quite happy to accept these steers selected on their liveweights over the scales at South Bukalong. Prices are above those available through normal commercial channels and buyers say that these thick, well-fleshed steers cut out better over the block than other animals, and they can afford to pay more for them. When Bombala graziers visited the Co-operative Meat Supply in Victoria last year a, beef carcase shown to the party as the ideal for market requirements was traced to a consignment of steers from South Bukalong. The purchase and fattening of steers are quite a big part of Mr Garnock’s cattle work, and he has found that it pays to buy steers from clients who have purchased

performance-tested bulls. Time and again these steers have proved their ability to fatten and turn over more quickly than purchased steers dropped to bulls of any other source, irrespective of the bull’s purchase price or individual appearance. Steer calves bred on the property are either sold off their mothers or carried through to the yearling stage, depending on seasons and prices. Those sold off their mothers go to places throughout south-eastern New South Wales and Victoria, and where possible a check is made on their progress. Some of those carried through by buyers have weighed more than 10001 b liveweight at 18 to 20 months, while the tops of the last draft carried through at South Bukalong were weighing 9301 b at 15 months and made £44 in the paddock. Although bull selling did not start until 1958, early clients have been back for second and third consignments, and annual turnover is now approaching 40 bulls. Prices are fixed on the basis of ability to gain weight and grade. In February this year one

central New South Wales client of South Bukalong sold pure Hereford steer calves for £33 a head in the paddock. The calves were five-and-a-half-months old. and were by South Bukalong bulls from selected cows and heifers, most of which had been dropped to earlier bulls from Mr Gamock's property. All the mothers were performance tested.

In addition to cattle scales, Mr Garnock has a set of sheep-weighing scales, and in his own words “my most successful sales in recent years have always been over the scales on a weight and grade basis. In this way I am being paid for what I breed and grow, and the returns give me every reason to extend weighing and grading as far as it is possible to do so.” Increases In the last 10 to 1? years stocking on South Bukalong has risen from 5000 sheep (including 2300 ewes), 200 head of cattle with a woolclip of 150 bales to 11,000 sheep (7000 ewes), 1000 head of cattle and a wool clip of 400 bales. In earlier years cattle income was about 10 per cent, of income from wool. Now cattle returns are only slightly ’below wool .returns. Mr Garnock says that by 1969-70 the property should be carrying 10.000 breeding ewes and 1000 head of breedcattle. A foundation member of the Bomkfala district rural advisory service, Mr Garnock’s recommendations for success in farming operations are:—(1) Get good advice and follow it intelligently. (2) Plan your improvements years ahead and develop your property to a preconceived plan.

(3) Breed by weight and grade and sell by weight and grade whereever possible.

(4) Management is everything. The whole future of your property, stock and balance-sheet is dependent on your ability as a manager in all and every aspect of your business.