An evaluation of cattle types for the east Kimberley

The first cattle to be introduced to Western Australia\u27s Kimberley region arrived at Ord River Station in 1884, after Nathaniel Buchanan had walked 4000 head of Shorthorn cattle overland from Queensland, on behalf of the owners, Osmond and Panton. In the early years of the Kimberley pastoral industry the virgin pastures allowed stock numbers to increase rapidly. Little consideration was given to stock or rangeland management, or to whezther other types of cattle could be raised for improved production. The Department of Agriculture started a comprehensive trail at Ord Regeneration Research Station (previously Ord River Station) in 1980 to evaluate the fertility, mortality and growth rate of Brahman and Africander cattle and their crosses. This article discusses some of the highlights of this eight-year trial, and the implications for the industry

The Wokalup beef cattle selection experiment

The aim of the Department of Agriculture\u27s long-term beef cattle selection experiment at Wokalup is to examine the effects of selection for faster-growing cattle on biological traits that may influence the productivity of a commercial beef herd. Selection lines were established from Hereford and multibreed cattle in 1977. Twelve years of selection have produced an increase in growth rate to weaning of about 120 g per day in both lines. About 40 per cent of this increase is the result of permanent genetic improvement. We plan to compare these characteristics in cattle from the selection lines with cattle that have been grown from frozen embryos, stored since selection was first started

The Wokalup beef cattle selection experiment

The aim of the Department of Agriculture\u27s long-term beef cattle selection experiment at Wokalup is to examine the effects of selection for faster-growing cattle on biological traits that may influence the productivity of a commercial beef herd. Selection lines were established from Hereford and multibreed cattle in 1977. Twelve years of selection have produced an increase in growth rate to weaning of about 120 g per day in both lines. About 40 per cent of this increase is the result of permanent genetic improvement. We plan to compare these characteristics in cattle from the selection lines with cattle that have been grown from frozen embryos, stored since selection was first started

An evaluation of cattle types for the east Kimberley

The first cattle to be introduced to Western Australia\u27s Kimberley region arrived at Ord River Station in 1884, after Nathaniel Buchanan had walked 4000 head of Shorthorn cattle overland from Queensland, on behalf of the owners, Osmond and Panton. In the early years of the Kimberley pastoral industry the virgin pastures allowed stock numbers to increase rapidly. Little consideration was given to stock or rangeland management, or to whezther other types of cattle could be raised for improved production. The Department of Agriculture started a comprehensive trail at Ord Regeneration Research Station (previously Ord River Station) in 1980 to evaluate the fertility, mortality and growth rate of Brahman and Africander cattle and their crosses. This article discusses some of the highlights of this eight-year trial, and the implications for the industry