CATTLE FOR TROPICS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20786, 22 April 1939, Page 26 (Supplement)

CATTLE FOR TROPICS

EXPERIMENTS IN AUSTRALIA Promising results have been obtained, it is reported, from the trials conducted by the Australian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research iu the breeding of Zebu crossbred cattle for North Australia, combining hardiness, tick resistance, and beef and milk production. In an interim report, Dr. R. B. Kelly states that it is now five years since the Zebu cattle were imported from the United States. They were not liberated, however, until January, 1934, so that the breeding life of the cattle has been four years and seven months. In this period, the n-umber of their progeny has become approximately 1193. among which the olderst halfbreds are approximately three and a - half years of age. Twenty-five per cent is the greatest dilution of Zebu blood yet possible, and most of tli ■ are nol more than year-

lings. Tractability is an important characteristic, and upon this point the evidence of experts is unanimously against the half-bred as a suitable animal for large extensively worked runs. It is not so definitely against their use on intensively worked coastal properties, nor does it preclude the use of Zebu hybridisation upon the larger areas. It suggests, however, that for them the Zebu blood should be still further diluted, and indicates the prabaiHe extent of the dilution to be three-quarters British and onequarter Zebu.