Australian checks local cattle

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 385, 7 May 1991, Page 13

Australian checks local cattle

Each year the New Zealand Santa Gertrudis Breeders Association brings a classifier from Australia to classify their New Zealand cattle.

Russell Gray, classifier for The Australian Santa Gertrudis Cattle Breeders Association was classifying heifers for Te Wheronui Partnership at Raetihi on Thursday 1 1 April. The Te Wheronui Partnership of Harold Windle and Greg and Chris Windle had five heifers up for classification. Four received the 'S' bar classification which shows that they are a third cross with one heifer receiving the 'S' classification

which shows it is a purebred. 'The heifers that were presented were a good beefy feminine line," said Mr Gray. While he was at Te Wheronui Mr Gray looked at the two and a half year old bulls which will be sold on 7 June this year at the stud's first bull sale. "This is the second time a classifier has seen these bulls. They are good thickset, well muscled commercial bulls," said Mr Gray.

On looking at this season's weaner bulls Mr Gray said that they were excellent and he could see an improvement on last season's bulls. This is Mr Gray's first trip to New Zealand as a classifier and he is in the country for 11 days to classify Santa Gertrudis cattle throughout the country from Kerikeri to Dipton. "Overall the standard of the Santa's in New Zealand is higher than I thought it would be," said Mr Gray. "The females are pretty good but there is still work to

be done on the bulls. Once the females are up to standard the quality of the bulls will improve." Mr Gray said that New Zealand cattle will improve over the next few years with recent imports of semen and embryos from Australia. The semen and embryos that have been imported are from good strong pure bred lines. There should be an obvious improvement in size and weight. This has been limited over the last few years. The Australian Santa Gertrudis Breeders Association employs three classifiers who are based in Brisbane but travel around Australia and classify purebred santas. Even though an animal may be a purebred if it does not meet the classifier's standard it can not be registered as a pure bred. This year 18,000 head were classified, almost 5,000 up on last year. In Australia most breeders are calving heifers at two they are not worrying about pure size as long as the genetics are there for size. All breeders of Santa Gertrudis have their stock classified in this manner to maintain the high standard of the breed. The New Zealand Santa Gertrudis Breeders Association are holding this year's annual conference in Ohakune on 10 and 1 1 July .