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Breed pioneers continue family tradition
Case study
LIVESTOC
Breeds...
rustrated with the inability of the Hereford
cattle to handle ticks and the heat of the
Queensland outback, the Rea brothers, Bill,
Robert, Hugh, Adam (whose passion for the
new breed directed its development) and Mac
turned to breeding Brafords in 1946.
F
Today, Elwyn Rea (son of Mac and nephew
of Adam) continues in the family tradition
as Brafords have proven an easy low
maintenance breed. Through careful selection
for resistance to parasites and easy calving,
herd maintenance has been reduced to a
stage of low cost labour input, with one
labour unit per 1000 head of cattle being run
on Elwyn s 8094-hectare Rockhampton,
Queensland, property.
The Reas bought a second 24,282ha
property at Alpha, Queensland, during 1997
with a herd of about 1500 Brahman females.
These are joined to Braford bulls, with selected
female progeny being retained and joined
back to Braford bulls.
Cull females and steers are sold on dressed
weight to abattoirs and on liveweight through
the Emerald, Queensland, saleyards. Elwyn
said concentrating on achieving the correct
growth rates meant there were no penalties
for teeth and fat.
Cattle from the Rockhampton operation are
sold on best offer but mainly to the local
Consolidated Meat Group Lakes Creek facility.
Stud bulls are sold to Queensland breeders for
$3000 $5000 each. Each year, the Reas also
send about three bulls to the Braford Societysponsored sale in Rockhampton.
For example, when females are withdrawn
from the US market, prices rise due to the
reduced volume of cattle. According to the
Reas, this is the best time to sell.
Breeding programme
To improve the herd, bulls are bought from
the top bloodlines within Australia and semen
is also bought from Australia and the US (for
about $40 per straw) for use in the stud s
artificial insemination programme.
Semen from the US has been used in a small
programme in the commercial cattle herd in
the past but due to some poor seasons over
the past 10 years, Elwyn said an artificial
insemination programme had not proved
feasible and he relied on natural servicing.
The best females are selected and retained in
the herd, with a strong emphasis on quality
udders and the ability to raise a calf each year.
Udder formation is critical in the Reas selection
process. Other selection criteria include good
hooded eyes, broad muscling, growth rates
and structural soundness.
Marketing strategy
Ill-thrift and parasite carrying animals are
culled from the herd. The Reas have not
dipped their cattle for 20 years and cull cows
that may have tick infestations. Elwyn said
culling tick-infested cattle was a cheaper
option than buying chemical dips, particularly
as he prefers not to use chemicals.
Elwyn, his wife Joanne and son Andrew
study the markets and obtain current prices
Many breeders in northern Australia with
Bos Indicus cattle have found that by not
There are no sales of stud females as the
top females are retained in the breeding herd
and culls are sold.
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from the Meat and Livestock Australia market
report, Cattlefacts, a private market reporting
service contributed to by producers, the Curry
cattle report from the US Agricultural Centre
and the US Department of Agriculture livestock
kill reports. This information allows the Reas to
make strategic investments. They also follow
US market trends and plan their cattle sales
around this to maximise opportunities.
The Rea family, Rockhampton, Queensland, have
been breeding Brafords for more than 50 years, in
fact, the Reas pioneered the breed.
dipping their cattle and culling for tick
infestations they develop a tick-resistant herd.
If they continue to dip, over time the number
of chemical-resistant ticks will multiply.
Females are joined at two years of age and
while there is no upper limit on the age of
females in the Reas herd, they must calve every
year to be retained in the breeding herd.
Experimental breeding
The Reas have experimented with various
other breeds such as Waygu, Limousin and
Simmental in small single sire matings. These
breeds already are adaptable to any
environment so Elwyn prefers to concentrate
on breeding Brahman-Braford-cross cattle that
can survive harsh environments.
Bull selection focuses on sheath
development and temperament. Body length
is also strongly selected for as cattle need to be
structurally and reproductively sound.
The Reas cull heavily on undesirable traits
such as poor temperament, low fertility
and looseness of sheath.
FARMING AHEAD No. 114 June - 2001