Breed Standards - Sussex Cattle Breeders Society

THE SUSSEX CATTLE
BREEDERS SOCIETY OF
SOUTH AFRICA
THE STANDARD OF
EXCELLENCE
GENERAL APPEARANCE
General:
MALES: showing strong masculine
character
FEMALES: showing femininity and
fecundity
Size:
Well grown, of medium mature size
Performance:
Low birth weight, good weaning weight,
good post- weaning growth and
efficient feed conversion
Form;
Well balanced, with a good breadth
and length. Topline sraight and
horizontal
Hide:
Thick, loose and elastic.
Coat:
Dense short hair, glossy and smooth
coated in summer, but wavy long in
winter is normal.
Bone:
Dense, strong bone.
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DIE SUSSEX BEESTELERS-
GENOOTSKAP VAN SUID-
AFRIKA
STANDAARD VAN
VOORTREFLIKHEID EN
INSPEKSIESTANDAARDE
ALGEMENE VOORKOMS
Algemeen;
MANLIKE DIERE: moet sterk manlike
eienskappe toon
VROULIKE DIERE: moet vroulikheid en
vrugbaarheid toon
Grootte:
Goed ontwikkel en van medium
volwasse grootte
Prestasie:
Lae geboortegewig, goeie speengewig,
naspeengroei en doeltreffende
voeromsetting
Vorm;
Goed gebalanseerd met goeie breedte
en lente. Toplyn reguit en horisontaal.
Vel:
Dik, los en elasties.
Haarbedekking:
Digte, kort, reguit hare, blink en glad in
somer, maar ‘n golwende en lang
haarbedekking in die winter is normaal.
Beenstruktuur:
Gesond en sterk.

Fleshing:
Deep covering of firm flesh; males
showing well defined muscling along
the backbone, in the hindquarter and
the forearm; females smoothly fleshed.
Colour:
Deep red. NOTE: A little white on the
underside behind the navel is
permissible; a white patch elsewhere is
a disqualification, however a few grey
hairs are not.
HEAD AND NECK
Muzzel:
Broad and moist; wide mouth, flesh
coloured nostrils; a few black spots are
undesirable but not a disqualification.
Jaw:
Strong; the teeth must touch the front
of the pad on the top gum when the jaw
is closed.
Eyes:
Large; and clear with placid expression
and prominent eyebrows, preferably
deep set.
Face:
Well-proportioned.
Forehead:
Broad and flat.
Ears:
Medium size, fine texture and alert.
Horns:
De-horning is compulsory.
Neck:
Of medium length; thick in male, with a
good covering of hair; flat and smoothhaired
in the female; blending well with
the shoulders in each case.
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Bevlesing:
Goeie bedekking van ferm vleis; manlike
diere moet duidelik gedefinieerde
bespiering in die oogspier, die agterkwart
en voorarm vertoon; vroulike diere moet
egalig bevlees wees.
Kleur:
Diep rooi. NOTA: ‘n bietjie wit aan die
onderlyn en agter die naeltjie is
toelaatbaar; ‘n wit merk op enige ander
plek is ontoelaatbaar, maar ‘n paar grys
hare is toelaatbaar.
KOP EN NEK
Neusspieël:
Breed en klam; wye bek, vleeskleurige
neusgate; ‘n paar swart kolletjies is
ongewens maar nie ‘n diskwalifikasie nie.
Kakebeen:
Sterk; wanneer die kakebeen gesluit is
moet die tande die voorkant van die
boonste verhemelte-kussing raak.
Oê:
Groot; en oop, met vreedsame
uitdrukking en prominente wenkbroue;
verkieslik diep gesonke.
Gesig:
Goed geproporsioneer
Voorkop:
Breed en plat.
Ore
Medium grootte, fyn tekstuur en wakker.
Horings
Dit is verpligtend dat Sussex-diere
onthoring word.
Nek:
Medium lengte; dik by manlike diere
met goeie haarbedekking; plat en
gladde hare by vroulike diere; nek moet
in beide gevalle goed by skouers
aansluit.

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the shoulders in each case. in beide gevalle goed by skouers
aansluit.
FOREQUARTERS
Shoulder:
Well-set, evenly fleshed, not coarse;
neat and sloping in the female with
ease of movement; withers not too
prominent.
Breast:
Wide; brisket not too full, moderate
development of dewlap.
BODY
Chest:
Wide and deep; girth large; crops full.
Back:
Broad and level; well muscles in the
male with even width from loin to
shoulder; smoothly fleshed in the
female, narrowing somewhat from loin
to shoulder.
Ribs:
Well arched, evenly fleshed and well
sprung.
Loin:
Broad, thick and straight.
HINDQUARTERS
Hips:
Smoothly covered, width in proportion
to width of rump.
Rump:
Long, wide and deep; sloping slightly
from hips to pin bones; pelvic ridge not
too prominent; tail head smooth.
VOORKWART
Skouer:
Goed geplaas, egalig bevless, nie grof
nie; netjies en hangend by vroulike
diere, met gemak van beweging. Skof
nie te prominent nie.
Bors:
Breed; borsstuk nie te prominent nie;
gemiddeld ontwikkelde keelvel.
LIGGAAM
Borskas:
Breed en diep; groot borsomvang;
haasleers vol.
Rug:
Breed en gelyk; g oed bespierd by
manlike diere met egalige wydte vanaf
lende tot skouer.
Ribbes:
Goed gerond, egalig bevlees en goed
gesprong.
Lende:
Breed, dik en reguit.
AGTERKWART
Heupe:
Breedte in verhouding met breedte van
kruis, egalig bevlees.
Kruis:
Lank, breed en diep met ietwat van ‘n
daling vanaf heupe na sitbene;
bekkenrif nie te prominent; stertwortel
glad.

Pine Bones:
Set widely apart and not too prominent.
Thighs:
Thick, full and broad.
Twist:
Deep and full.
Switch:
A key feature of the Sussex is its white
switch.
LEGS
Front legs:
Straight and squarely placed when
viewed from the front; cannon bone of
good length, with well-formed joints;
arms full and well muscled in the male;
hooves well formed, even, and not too
long. Toes straight.
Hind Legs:
Straight and squarely placed when
viewed from behind; of medium length;
strong hocks, showing spring at the
hock without being too sickle. Dense
strong bone, but not coarse. Hooves
well formed, even and not too long.
Toes straight.
REPRODUCTIVE ORGAN
Male:
Well developed. Large, equal sized
testicles, that are at right angles to the
body, not too pendulous.
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glad.
Sit bene:
Wyd uitmekaar geplaas en nie te
prominent nie.
Dye:
Dik, vol en breed.
Draai:
Diep en vol.
Stertkwas:
‘n Kenmerkende eienskap van Sussex
is n wit stertkwas.
BENE
Voorbene:
Reguit en vierkantig geplaas wanneer
van voor beskou; pypbeen van goeie
lengte, met goed gevormed litte;
voorarms vol en goed bespierd by
manlike diere; hoewe goed gevorm,
egalig en nie te lank nie. Tone reguit.
Agterbene:
Reguit en vierkantig geplaas wanneer
van agter beskou; van medium lengte;
sterk hakke wat veerkragtig by die
hakke vertoon sonder om sekelhakkig
te vertoon. Dig saamgestelde en sterk
bene; nie grof nie. Welgevormde
hoewe, egalig en nie te lank nie. Tone
reguit.
REPRODUKSIE-ORGANE
Manlik:
Goed ontwikkel, twee ewe groot
testikels wat reghoekig van die liggaam
afhang en nie te laag hang nie.

Female:
Well-developed vulva. Udder well
developed, showing four well placed
teats.
THE SUSSEX CATTLE
BREEDERS SOCIETY
OF SOUTH AFRICA
INSPECTION STANDARDS
(TO BE READ IN CONJUNCTION
WITH THE
STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE)
The Sussex is a medium size beef
animal, with good fertility and milk
characteristics, which is well adapted to
a variety of Southern Africa climatic
conditions. Its role in the industry is
that of a specialized male line, whose
major function is in producing crossbred
commercial females, or steers
which can be economically produced
under extensive conditions, or as a
third cross in a three-way crossing
system. The following Breed
Standards should therefore be applied
with these functions in mind:
- FERTILITY
- GOOD MILK SUPPY
- ADAPTABILITY, ESPECIALLY
UNDER EXTENSIVE HOT AND
COLD CONDITIONS
- GOOD POST-WEANING
GROWTH, LEADING TO MEDIUM
MATURE SIZE, WITHOUT
SACRIFICING EASY CALVING.
- GOOD FEED CONVERSION
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Vroulik:
Goed ontwikkelde vulva. Uier goed
ontwikkel wat vier goed geplaasde
spene vertoon.
DIE SUSSEX BEES -
TELERSGENOOTSKAP
VAN SUID-AFRIKA
INSPEKSIESTANDAARDE
(OM IN SAMEHANG MET DIE
STANDAARD VAN
VOORTREFLIKHEID GELEES TE
WORD)
Die Sussex is ‘n medium grootte
vleisbees met goeie vrugbaarheid en
melkeienskappe, wat goed aangepas is
by ‘n verskeidenheid van Suider
Afrikaanse klimaatstoestande. Die rol
wat hy in die bedryf vervul is die van
gespesialiseerde manlike lyn en sy
hooffunksie is om kommersiële
kruisgeteelde vroulike diere of slagosse
wat onder ekstensiewe toestande
ekonomies aangehou kan word, te teel
of as ‘n derde kruis in ‘n drieledige
kruisteelstelsel gebruik te word.
Rasstandaarde moet dus teen die
agtergrond van ondergenoemde
aspekte toegepas word.
- VRUGBAARHEID
- GOEIE MELKVOORSIENING
- AANPASBAARHEID VERAL
ONDER EKSTENSIEWE WARM
EN KOUE TOESTANDE
- GOEIE NASPEENGROEI, WAT LEI
TOT MEDIUM VOLWASSE
GROOTTE, SONDER OM
MAKLIKE KALWING PRYS TE
GEE

The standards are compulsory for all
animals. The registration of animals
that fail to comply will be cancelled.
NB: MEMBERSHIP OF AND
PARTICIPATION IN THE NATIONAL
BEEF PERFORMANCE TESTING
SCHEME IS COMPULSORY FOR ALL
SUSSEX BREEDERS.
1. REPRODUCTION
Females
1.1 A heifer must calve before or at the
age of 42 months for the first time.
With special permission from the
council, an animal that has calved for
the first time after 42 months can
remain registered with studbook as
long as the reasons given are
compelling enough. This animal
however may not be sold as a stud
animal.
1.2 Calving internal may not exceed 26
months or 790 days.
1.3 The minimum number of calves a
cow must have produced by a
particular age is as follows:
3 years 6 months 1
5 years 6 months 2
6 years 6 months 3
7 years 7 months 4
9 years 6 months 5
10 years 6 months 6
11 years 6 months 7
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- GOEIE VOEROMSETTING
Die standaarde is verpligtend vir all
diere. Die registrasie van diere wat nie
aan die eise voldoen nie, sal
gekanselleer word.
NB: DIE LIDMAATSKAP VAN EN
DEELNAME AAN DIE NASIONALE
VLEISBEESPRESTASIE NAGESLAG-
TOETSSKEMA IS VERPLIGTEND VIR
ALLE SUSSEX TELERS.
1. REPRODUKSIE
Vroulike Diere
1.1 ‘n Vers moet op of voor die
ouderdom van 42 maande vir die
eerste keer kalf.
Met toestemming van die Raad en
spesiale vergunning mag n dier wat na
42 maande gekalf geregistreer bly op
die voorwaarde dat sy nie verhandel
mag word nie.
1.2 Die kalfinterval mag nie 26 maande
of 790 dae oorskry nie.
1.3 Die minimum aantal kalwers wat ‘n
koei op ‘n sekere ouderdom moes
geproduseer het, is as volg:
3 jaar 6 maande 1
5 jaar 6 maande 2
6 jaar 6 maande 3
7 jaar 6 maande 4
9 jaar 6 maande 5
10 jaar 6 maande 6
11 jaar 6 maande 7

1.4 A cow must rear at lest two of any
three consecutive calves to
weaning age.
1.5 A cow must calve unassisted at
least twice out of three consecutive
births.
Bulls
1.6 The minimum scrotal circumference
for bulls is the following;
12 – 14 months 30cm
14 – 16 months 32cm
16 – 18 months 34cm
2. MILK PRODUCTION
2.1A cow may wean a maximum of two
calves with an index of below 90.
3. GROWTH
Females
3.1 The following minimum indices shall
apply:
Weaning 90
12 month 90
18 month growth 90
OR
Average of above indices 90
Bulls
3.2 Phase B
Weaning 90
12 month 90
18 month growth 90
OR
Average of above indices 90
3.3 Phase D
Weaning 90
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1.4‘n Koei moet ten minste twee van
enige drie agtereenvolgende
kalwers tot speenouderdom
grootmaak.
1.5 Uit enige drie agtereenvolgende
kalwings moet ten minste twee
sonder enige hulp geskied.
Manlike diere
1.6 Die minimum testesomvang ten
opsigte van bulle is die volgende:
12 – 14 maande 30cm
14 – 16 maande 32cm
16 – 18 maande 34cm
2. MELKPRODUKSIE
2.1 ‘n Koei mag slegs twee kalwers
met ‘n indeks laer as 90 speen.
3. GROEI
Vroulike Diere
3.1 Die volgende minimum indekse is
van toepassing:
Speenouderdom 90
12 maande 90
18 maande 90
OF
Gemiddeld van bogenoemde
indekse 90
Bulle
3.2 Fase B
Speenouderdom 90
12 maande 90
18 maande 90
OF
Gemiddeld van bogenoemde
indekse 90
3.3 Fase D

ADG 90
ADA 90
OR
Average of above indices 90
3.4 Phase C
Weaning 90
ADG 90
FRC 90
ADA 90
OR
Average of above indices 90
3.5 Pelvis Measurments
Pelvis measument is compulsory for
sussex breeders and this measurement
must be done by a vet
The following performance data is
compulsory for Sussex Breeeders
• Birth mass
• Wean Mass
• 12 Month or 12 and 18 months
or Phase B or
Phase C or Phase D
4. VISUAL APPRAISAL
The following characteristics are
considered undesirable and animals
showing these defects may by culled:
4.1 General Appearance
4.1.1 Lack of masculinity in bulls, as
exhibited by a weak head,
extreme lack of muscling, etc.
4.1.2 Lack of femininity in heifers, as
exhibited by a masculine head,
very heavy muscling, etc.
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Speenouderdom 90
GDT 90
GDO 90
OF
Gemiddeld van bogenoemde
indekse 90
3.4 Fase C
Speenouderdom 90
GDT 90
VOV 90
GDO
OF
Gemiddeld van bogenoemde
indekse 90
3.5 Pelvismeting
Pelvismeting is vir Sussex telers
verpligtend en dit moet deur n veearts
gedoen word.
Prestasiedata wat verlipgtend is vir
Sussex telers:
• Geboorte gewig
• Speen gewig
• 12 Maande of beide 12 en 18
Maande of Fase B of Fase C of
Fase D.
4. VISUELE BEOORDELING
Die volgende eienskappe word as
onwenslik beskou en diere wat
sodanige afwykings toon, mag
afgekeur word:
4.1 Algemene voorkoms
4.1.1 Gebrek aan manlikheid by bulle
waarvan ‘n swak kop, uitermatig
gebrekkige bespriering, ens. ‘n
aanduiding is.
4.1.2 Gebrek aan vroulikheid by verse
waarvan ‘n manlike kop en baie
swaar bespriering, ensovoorts ‘n
aanduiding is.

very heavy muscling, etc.
4.1.3 Extremes in size, whether
excessively tall or very small,
pony type.
4.1.4 Excessively fine bone.
4.1.5 Wild temperament.
4.1.6 White patches anywhere except
on the underline behind the
naval.
4.1.7 Black nose
4.1.8 Not true to type in terms of coat,
colour, etc.
4.2 Head
4.2.1 Overshot jaw
4.2.2 Undershot jaw
4.2.3 Skew face
4.2.4 Very short, bulldog-type head
4.3 Legs
4.3.1 Straight hocks
4.3.2 Extreme sickles or cow hocks
4.3.3 Slack pasterns (extreme cases)
4.3.4 X front legs
4.3.5 Bandy legs
4.3.6 Pigeon toes
4.3.7 Unsound hock or pastern joints
4.3.8 Long hooves and laminitis
4.3.9 Splayed hooves
4.3.10 Shallow hooves
4.3.11 Corns
4.4 Shoulders
4.4.1 Excessive shoulder development
4.4.2 Excessively loose shoulders
4.5 Top line
4.5.1 Excessively weak loin
1.5.2 Roack back
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waarvan ‘n manlike kop en baie
swaar bespriering, ensovoorts ‘n
aanduiding is.
4.1.3 Uiterstes in grootte, of dit nou
uitermatig groot of baie klein,
ponie-agtig is.
4.1.4 Uitermatig fyn beenstruktuur.
4.1.5 Onaanvaarbare temperament.
4.1.6 Wit kolle op enige ander plek as
die onderlyn agter die naeltjie.
4.1.7 Swart neus.
4.1.8 Nie fenotipies in terme van
haarbedekking, kleur, ensovoorts
nie.
4.2 Kop
4.2.1 Papegaaibek
4.2.2 Visbek
4.2.3 Skewe gesig
4.2.4 Baie kort “bulldog” tipe kop.
4.3 Bene
4.3.1 Regop hakke
4.3.2 Oormatige sekel- of
koeihakkigheid
4.3.3 Slap kootgewrigte (uiterste
gevalle)
4.3.4 X-voorbene
4.3.5 Krombene
4.3.6 Knyptone (Duiftonige)
4.3.7 Gebrekkige hak- of
kootgewrigaansluitings
4.3.8 Lang hoewe en laminitis
4.3.9 Gesplete hoewe
4.3.10 Vlak hakskene
4.3.11 Eelte
4.4 Skouers
4.4.1 Oormatige skouerontwikkeling
4.4.2 Oormatige los skouers
4.5 Bolyn
4.5.1 Oormatige swak lende
4.5.2 Boggelrug

1.5.3 Devil’s grip
1.6 Hind quarter
4.6.1 Narrow pelvis
4.6.2 Excessively roofy or sloping rump
4.6.3 Wry tail
4.6.4 Excessively prominent tail setting
4.7 Reproductive organs
4.7.1 Hypoplastic testicles
4.7.2 Single testicle
4.7.3 Twisted testicles (more than 45
degrees)
4.7.4 Long sheath
4.7.5 Prolapse of the prepuce
4.7.6 Short penis
4.7.7 Infantile vulva
4.7.8 Proplapse of uterus
4.7.9 Deformed teats
4.7.10 Excessive imbalance of the
udder
4.8 Coat
4.8.1 Woolly coat
4.8.2 Long summer coat
10
4.5.3 Duiwelsgreep
4.6 Agterkwart
4.6.1 Smal bekken/pelvis
4.6.2 Oormatige hangkruis
4.6.3 Gedraaide of skewe stertwortel
4.6.4 Oormatig prominente stertwortel
4.7 Reproduksie-organe
4.7.1 Klein testikels
4.7.2 Enkel testikel
4.7.3 Gedraaide testikels (meer as 45
grade)
4.7.4 Lang skede
4.7.5 Prolaps van die voorhuid
4.7.6 Kort penis
4.7.7 Infantilitiese vulva
4.7.8 Prolaps van die baarmoeder
4.7.9 Misvormde spene
4.7.10 Oormatig ongebalanseerde uier.
4.9 Haarbedekking
4.9.1 Wollerige haarbedekking (dof en
krullerig)
4.9.2 Lang haarbedekking in die somer

11
KRUIS - RUMP
HANG KRUIS KORREK PLAT
KORREK DAKKIG
KORT SMAL LANK ORT
BREED NOU

12
VOORBENE – FRONT LEGS
KORREK / CORRECT X-BENIG / KNOCK KNEED KROMBENIG / BANDY
AGTERBENE – HIND LEGS
KORREK / CORRECT KOEIHAKKIG / COW HOCKED KROMBENIG / BANDY
HAKKE - HOCKS
KORREK / CORRECT REGOP / STRAIGHT SEKEL / SICKLE
KOOTGEWRIG - PASTERN
KORREK / CORRECT REGOP / STRAIGHT SLAP / SLACK TRAP DEUR / TREAD THROUGH

13
KORREK / CORRECT VISBEK / OVERSHOT PAPPEGAAIBEK / UNDERSHOT
KORREK / CORRECT ONGEBALANSEERD / UNBALANCED ›45°
( (PRUL / TO CULL)
MINDER AS 45GRADE N DISKREMINASIE MAAR NIE N PRUL NIE
BOKUIER

14
PRINCIPLES OF STUD BREEDING
Professor A.O. de Lange, Faculty of Agriculture, U.O.F.S.
About five years ago, Mendel’s laws of
heredity were re-discovered. How has
this influenced breeding practice? In
one sense detrimentally and other
instance beneficially. Detrimentally in
the sense that it promoted an oversimplified
view of breeding
improvement. It was an inevitable
consequence of the kind of
characteristics which were exceedingly
well suitable for genetic studies –
discreet, qualitative differences
reflecting a firm Mendelian pattern of
hereditary. The result was a school of
thought directed at “good” and “bad”
genes and a breeding of homozygosis
of the “good” genes. This approach
had two particularly detrimental side
effects:
1. The belief that in-breeding is an aid
in selection because is promoted
homozygosis, and
2. The exaggerated value attached to
uniformity.
From the 1940’s more and more
empirical research was carried out in
two, one can say almost “new” fields of
genetics, namely biochemical genetics
and the genetics of populations. The
circumlative results of a wide variety of
experiments have gradually, over the
years, led to a new perception of the
complex nature of genetic variation
which actually only clearly took shape
during the past one and a half decades
– in fact, this is still taking place. There
are four particular aspects of cardinal
importance for a realistic view of
breeding improvement: the extent of
variation existing in a population, the
role of sexual reproduction, the unity of
the genotype and in-breeding decline.
Firstly, let us consider briefly the
genetic differences in a natural
population – which is indeed the raw
materials with which an animal breeder
works – and see how we can
manipulate them to bring out breeding
improvement.
Types of differences
All differences among individuals can
be classified into two main groups:
discreet differences and continuous
differences. The former of the two
includes traits such as horns, colour,
blood group types, etc. Selection for or
against such traits is relatively easy and
the breeding ideal is mainly uniformity.
Selection for a recessive trait is
hundred per cent effective and all
individuals that reflect the trait
externally will henceforth breed pure for
that particular trait, as will their
progeny. Selection for a dominant trait
is not quite as effective – as the
recessive genes are being excluded,
they are increasingly hidden in the
heterzygotes. When a recessive gene
is very rare in a population it wil by
nature seldom occur in the
homozygous condition. To incur
trouble and costs especially to test
male animals before use to establish
whether they possibly carry such
genes, is not worth the while. Say for
example that one of 20,000 cattle
reflects a certain detrimental recessive
trait, then one out of every seventy
bulls will be a carrier of the recessive
gene in the heterozygous condition.

The chances that he may serve a
heterozygous cow are 1/70x1/70 =
1/5000. The possibility that she will
have a recessive homozygous calf is _,
in other words, it takes us back to the
frequency of the trait in the population,
namely 1/4x1/5000 = 1/2000. To go
and carry out the necessary test
matings to identify this bull as a
heterozygote only to prevent those
1/2000 undesirable calves, is simply
not worth the time and the cost.
Production Traits
In contrast with discreet differences the
vast majority of economically important
traits reflect continuous variation, for
example milk production, growth rate,
wool production, size, length, width,
etc. The population cannot be divided
in a few clearly defined classes and
variations among individuals are merely
degree variations in contrast with the
absolute differences of the discreet
traits. Characteristic of the type of traits
is the fact that should we measure a
large enough sample of individuals, the
values would be divided campanuately.
In other words, the majority of he
population does not deviate much from
the average – the large the deviation,
the more such rare individuals become
(See Fig 1)
15
Extent of variation
By far the most surprising result of the
experiments referred to above is the
astounding extent of genetic variation
occurring in the populations. According
to the classic genetics one would
expect that the loci of a specific species
must be predominantly homozygous
owing to the prolonged effect of the
selection. Two sources of evidence
reflect however, that the genetic pools
which we manipulate in animal
breeding, show amazing variation.
Studies of electrophic variants of the
same protein indicate that
approximately a quarter and a half the
gene pairs of sexually reproductive
species, alternative genes are found in
the same locus (Lawontin, 1973). This
means that there must be literally
thousands of gene pairs in any breed
where alternative gene combinations
are possible. This in turn, ensures that
each individual must have a unique
genotype.
The second type of experiments
shedding light on the question of how
much variation exists in a population, is
long term selection for a specific trait
until later it not longer reacts. In a
review of such experiments Krass
(1975) found that the total response to
selection vary much from trait to trait
and from organism to organism. The
average variation was about a threefold
increase or decrease of the population
average. This is a very large variation
and indicates a particular pliability of
the gene pool. Moreover, two
unexpected phenomena came to light
in these experiments. The first is that
the variation in regard to the particular
trait for which is selected, frequently
tends to increase rather than decrease;

and the second is that even after the
population stood still at a selection limit
for a considerable period of time, it
reacts immediately on reversed
selection in the vast majority of cases,
In other words, the genetic variation is
also not exhausted noteably by
selection.
Variety is Normal
The first principle that we should
understand, therefore, is that the
animal breeder is busy manipulating a
highly variable genetic pool. The
second major principle to remember is
that the primary function of sexual
reproduction is in fact to maintain this
generic variation. No two individuals in
a sexually reproductive population
appear or are alike – no two people,
sheep, horses or whatever. Each fly on
the windowpane has it’s own face like
every human being has his or her own
face. They only appear alike to us, just
like the animals of a stud breeder will
appear like to the inexperienced city
dweller.
Avoid In-breeding
At last we can accept, after half a
century’s controlled matings of
affinities, that species which normally
reproduce sexually , retrogress with inbreeding
and that even strong selection
pressure has barely any influences in
counteracting this retrogression
(Pircher, 1969). Even with poultry,
where it is possible for in-breeding to
take place much faster than with bigger
farm animals, Stephenson and his coworkers
came to the conclusion that
“strong in-breeding can decrease
16
performance much more effectively that
selection can increase it. Therefore it
hardly seems economical to produce
inbred lines for commercial use”
(Stephenson et al. 1953). The
success stories which in practice are
frequently attributed to in-breeding on
closer investigation, usually appear to
be more likely due to selection.
Against this background, namely the
extent of variation that is present,
sexual reproduction, the unity of the
genotype and in-breeding retrogression
a few remarks on a number of aspects
of breeding in practice, are relevant.
Firstly avoid in-breeding. Why follow a
mating system which even in the
vegetable kingdom, nature goes out of
its way to avoid? Don’t take the
botanist as an example. His situation is
totally different because he can, for
example, self-fertilize maize, he can
reach a degree of in-breeding which
would take 40 years of parent-onprogeny
or full blood brother on full
blood sister with farm animals. The
botanist normally does at least 5
generations of self-fertilization before
he starts crossing. Also remember that
the approximately 60 inbred maize lines
used for the reproduction of hybrid
maize in the USA towards 1950, were
selected from about 100 000 original inbred
lines.
Selection the Key to Success
Selection remains the most powerful
method to change the genetic
composition of the population. Often,
however, selection takes place exactly
with the view to stabilizing the
population average at an intermediate
optimum (for example fibre diameter in
the case of Merino’s). This type of

selection has three results: naturally it
decreases the variation of the present
population, but it has no notable effect
on the variation of the next generation
and it prevents a change of the
average.
More often, however, selection is aimed
at a higher or lower value, for example
for bigger or smaller animals. This
results in displacement of the
population averages, but again the
variation is seldom notably influenced.
The differences between the best and
the poorest remain about the same, but
both groups continue to improve. It is
simply not possible to get all the
animals of a large stude to be equally
as good. Inherently they differ from
each other and for this very reason
sexually reproductive populations ar so
pliable and therefore susceptible to
selection. For this reason the
Simmentaler in Germany could be
selected as a dual purposed breed,
while the same breed is primarily a beef
breed in Australia.
There are no short cut magic formulas
to change the genetic composition of a
breed overnight (except, of course,
through crossbreeding with another
breed). It is a question of continuous
selection pressure with a firm objective
in mind. One or two percent progress
in a year is the best one can hope for in
the majority of cases. This is why it is
so important to limit mistakes to the
minimum. Firstly, and perhaps most
important, with regard to objectives, but
of course also as far as selection itself
is concerned.
17
Objectives
One of the most difficult aspects in
animal breeding is to formulate clearly
outlined breeding objectives. Consider
the changing needs of the market; the
diversity of conditions in which the
same breed must produce the lack of
knowledge on exactly what the breed
originally looked like; and where one’s
physiological limits are, then one can
understand why breeding objectives
are vaguely formulated in terms of
breed standards. Breed standards, in
the case of older breeds, are in many
respects a description of the breeding
progress already achieved. One
should expect in these cases that breed
societies should rather entertain the
view that the vast majority of their
animals conform to the breed standards
at any rate, and that the differences
that do occur are very natural and will
always be there if the population
reproduces sexually (in contract with,
for example, cloning). Instead of being
possessed by ideas of breed
standards, such a bred society should
incessantly propagate the strong
aspects of its own breed, while the
breeder asks himself: in respect of
which traits should my breed be
improved further, and selection should
then be aimed primarily at those traits.
The major function of the stud breeder
is to provide bulls to the conventional
producer. The bulls that he provides
should, however, possess certain
characteristics and it is firstly important
for the breeder to formulate these
characteristics clearly for himself and
then strive for them consistently. When
establishing objectives, three factors
should be borne in mind: the objectives

must be meaningful, they must not
change too frequently and the number
of characteristics taken into
consideration must be minimized. In
the short term, the stud breeder with
salesmanship can convince the
commercial customer that what he has
to offer, is exactly the right thing. In the
long term only those breeders will
remain in the industry who offer bulls
that are lucrative to form with to the
commercial producer. Therefore it is so
vitally important for the stud breeder to
have clarity about what he is trying to
breed. Secondly one must realize that
there is no instant formula in breeding
improvement – it is based on sustained
selection in regard to the set objectives.
If these objectives change too often
(which happened frequently with some
of our livestock breeds in the past), it
cannot be expected that much breeding
progress will be made.
Thirdly, it is a well-known fact that each
animal possesses good as well as
undesirable traits. The more
characteristics are therefore bone in
mind during selection, the weaker the
selection pressure will be in regard to
any one seen separately.
Accurate Selection
With the objectives clearly defined, the
following important aspect is the
techniques used to measure the traits
on which have been decided. The
more accurately the animals are being
evaluated, the larger the selection
progress will be. The golden principle
is to measure all traits that can be
measured objectively instead of
estimating subjectively, for instance
body mass, height, length, width and
18
depth, etc. The second principle is, as
far as possible, to select directly for the
traits which we want to improve. For
example, if one wants to improve
fertility, one should select for it
specifically instead of, for example, only
considering the performance of the
mother of the bull.
Performance Testing
Performance testing as such is no new
concept. The performance of a plant or
animal was, through all ages, the
foundation on which selection was
based. Herein, however, we use the
term to refer to the objective measuring
certain traits of breed, for this is what
performance testing actually is – a
measuring technique. It is not a
breeding system and the question
which is often asked, namely whether
performance testing can replace the
breeder, is therefore out of context.
The breeder’s function is decision
taking and this function cannot be
replaced by a measuring technique or
any data processing system. Any
decision however, based on information
and this is where measuring data
processing enter the picture – they
provide information to form a basis for
decisions.
Selection Theory
Selection is the most powerful means
at our disposal to recreate plants or
animals according to our needs, and
breeding improvement within a breed is
based mainly on selection. The
difference between the outstanding
animal and the mediocre breeder is
mainly attributable to effective

selection, although management skill is
a prerequisite and a good farming
contributory factor. With efficient
selection we mean the ability accurately
to judge the value of an animal as well
as good judgement on the relative
importance of the various traits for
which are selected. In practice,
selection progress will be determined
by the following factors (over which we
have no control):
• The number of traits for which are
selected, limit this to a minimum.
One wonders often, for example,
whether it is worthwhile to divide a
trait such as conformation into head
and neck, forequarters, middle piece
and hindquarters. In practice, the
points awarded are so often
determined by the size of the animal
that it would perhaps be better only to
point a “general appearance”. Size
and body size can rather be
described in terms of objective
measuring.
• The proportion selected. This
determines the superiority of the
selected animals and is therefore
extremely important. In practice it
will depend on reproduction rate and
replacement needs. The latter, in
turn is largely determined by the
generation interval, which we will
discuss later.
• The accurate elevation of animals.
This is one of the most important
aspects of selection. The accuracy of
selection, firstly, directly determines
the response obtained by selection.
Secondly , the figures so obtained are
priceless value to determine breeding
policy. Many futile arguments take
place about breeding policy simply
because the data on which
arguments can be based, are not
19
available. Measuring the
bookkeeping is imperative if one
strives for maximum breeding
progress. Without it, it is not even
possible to determine the extent and
nature of the progress that is being
made.
Population Size
After the objective has been set and
decisions on accurate measuring
techniques have been taken, the
selection progress will further depend
on the effective size of the breeding
unit. Population size influences the
selection progress in a dual way: the
possibility of achieving favourable gene
combinations are better in a large
population, and risk of in-breeding
smaller. The gene pool of any member
of individuals found in such a species
represents but a fraction of the
potentially possible gene combinations.
The larger the population is, therefore
the better are the chances of getting
individuals with favourable gene
combinations. It has, in fact, been
found in selection experiments with
vinegar flies, that a low selection
pressure in a large population brings
about more progress than a high
selection pressure in a small
population. It is also noteworthy that
the top studs in any ramification of
animal breeding are always of an
above average size. It is sometimes
said that apart from the
knowledgeableness a stud breeder also
needs a bit of “luck” to get to the top. In
my view this luck element is strongly
connected with stud size. Provided
other factors are even, the large stud
will be “luckier” than the small one.

Economics of Breeding
Improvement
In conclusion, a few remarks on the
economics of breeding improvement.
Strictly speaking breeding improvement
should not be expensive and in view of
the cumulative effect is should yield an
excellent long-term profit. In practice,
however, this Is frequently not the case
because of a general tendency to pay
prices for breeding animals that are
hopelessly out of proportion to the
possible improvement that they can
achieve. This attitude is again due to
the disregard of the role of sexual
reproduction in nature. An outstanding
ram or bull on average always breeds
poorer than what he himself is, and an
extremely poor individual, on average,
better than itself. Sexual reproduction
sees to this, because it tends to
maintain the status quo of the
population. The breeder can,
conversely, force the population into a
direction through selection, but this
usually takes place at a relatively slow
pace.
20

Inleiding
21
DIE NASIONALE
VLEISBEESPRESTASIETOETSSKEMA
Die Nasionale Vleisbeesprestasie- en
nageslagtoetsskema is op 4 Desember
1959 in werking gestel. Sedertdien het
die skema tot ‘n goed georganiseerde
program ontwikkel wat ‘n groter invloed
op die bedryf as geheel uitoefen as wat
algemeen besef word.
‘n Adviesraad komitee, bestaande uit
verteenwoordigers van die verskillende
sektore van die bedryf, hou toesig oor
en dien as adviseurs vir die skema met
sy verskilende fases. Die leiding wat
van hierdie advisering ontvang word, is
een van die redes vir die kursus van die
skema.
Doel van die Skema
Die doel van die skema kan in die
volgende paar punte saamgevat word:
1. Die belangrikste doel van die
skema is om die gemiddelde
prestasies van die nasionale kudde
vir die ekonomiese belangrike
eienskappe te verhoog.
2. Om met behulp van objektief
bepaalde inligting die genetiese
verskille tussen diere so akkuraat
moontlik te identifiseer sodat
seleksiebesluite sinvol geneem kan
word.
3. Om bestuurspraktyke te evalueer
en seleksiebesluite te vergemaklik.
4. Om die geleentheid te skep vir
wetenskaplikes en telers om byeen
te kom en sake van
gemeenskaplike belang te
bespreek. Die afgelope dekade of
meer het die gesindheid van beide
stoet- en kommersiële telers
teenoor wetenskaplike hulpmiddels
en tegnieke dramaties verander.
Prestasietoetsing is een van die
voortreflikste opvoedkundige
mediums wat vandag in die
vleisbedryf funksioneer.
5. Om die ekonomiese voortreflikhede
van die verskillende rasse en
veranderings wat deur die jare
plaasvind, te dokumenteer sodat dit
vir die bedryf waardevolle inligting
vir beplanning kan verskaf.
6. Om in samewerking met die Suid-
Afrikaanse Stam-boekvereeniging
‘n geintegreerde rekenaarprogram
daar te stel wat duplikasie uitskakel
en die stoetbedryf op ‘n gesonder
basis plaas.
Basis waarop Prestasietoetsing
berus
1. Individuele diere verskil geneties
wat hul groeivermoë, groeikurwe,
patroon van ontwikkeling, tydperk
tot geslagsrypheid,
voeromsetverhouding, ens. Betref.
2. Daar bestaan dramatiese
produksieverskille tussen diere wat
uiterlik eenders vertoon. Dit word

veral by FASE C toetssentrums
gereeld opgemerk.
3. Die meeste eienskappe by
vleisbeeste is middelmatig tot hoog
oorerflik. Verskeie komponente van
reproduksie is hoog oorerflik. Die
dier se eie prestasie is dus ‘n goeie
aanduiding van sy teelwaarde.
4. Melkproduksie is ‘n eienskap met ‘n
hoë herhaalbaarheid. Seleksie vir
koeidoeltreffendheid, wat gewoonlik
met verhoogte melkproduksie
gepaard gaan, kan dus met groot
suskes gedoen word.
5. Navorsingsresultate en gegewens
uit die praktyk toon besondere
vordering, in ‘n aantal eienskappe,
deur die toepassing van
prestasietoetsing as seleksiehulpmiddel.
Eienskappe wat aandag geniet in
Prestasietoetsing
Die belangrikste eienskappe wat
produksie doeltreffendheid beïnvloed
word deur die skema geevalueer, en is:
1. Vrugbaarheid
2. Moederseienskappe
3. Koeidoeltreffendheid
4. Groei (intensief en ekstensief)
(a) Geboortemassa
(b) Groei per dag van ouderdom
(c) Naspeen groei
5. Voeromset
6. Skelet ontwikkeling
7. Karkaseienskappe
Hierdie eienskape geniet aandag onder
verskillende fases van die skema.
22
Uiteensetting van die Skema
Die Skema behels vyf fases, waarvan
Fases A en B (kudde evaluering onder
heersende plaastoestande) die basis
vorm, terwyl Fases C en D groeitoetse
van jong bulle behels. In Fase A en B
wor geen vergelykings tussen kuddes
getref nie aangesien toestande van
plaas tot plaas verskil.
Fase A: Koeikudde Evaluasie
(Verpligtend)
Die moedereienskappe van die koei
word d.m.v. die massa van haar kalf
geevalueer. Die koei se
reproduksieprestasie en
doeltreffendheid van produksie word
ook geevalueer.
1. Geboortemassa: (Opsioneel)
Voorgeboortelike groei word deur
hierdie meting geevalueer en is
belangrik vir die volgende redes:
(a) Die rol wat dit speel by die
kalfprobleme en kalfmortaliteit
(b) Die rol wat dit speel by
uterusherstel na kalwing;
(c) Korrelasie met alle massas en
groeivermoë tot volwassenheid;
(d) Dit speel ‘n belangrike rol by
akkuraatheid van
indeksbepaling;
(e) Seleksie vir groei kan
veroorsaak dat geboortemassa
toeneem.
2. Voorspeenmassa: (Opsioneel)
Hierdie massa is die beste massa
om die melkproduksie van die koei
te bepaal.

3. Speenmassa: (Verpligtend)
Die speenmassa van ‘n kalf
weerspieël die melkproduksie van
die koei sowel as die groeivermoë
van die kalf.
Die beenmassa van ‘n koei se kalf
is ‘n herhaalbare eienskap. Dit
beteken dat die koei, met ‘n redelike
mate van akkuraatheid, geevalueer
kan word op die prestasie (groei)
van haar eerste kalf.
4. Koeimassa: (Opsioneel)
Indien die koei massa en
geboortemass (van die kalf) wel
geneem word kan ‘n koei-kalf
verhouding en ‘n
koeidoeltreffendheidsindeks bepaal
word.
Fase B: Massatoename naspeen
(Verpligtend)
Die massa van verse, osse en jong
bulle wat ekstensief grootgemaak word,
word met gereelde tussenposes vanaf
speen- tot teelouderdom gemeet.
Ons sien dus dat in hierdie fase
hoofsaaklik groei van die diere na
speen gemeet word. Aangesien dit
groei onder ekstensiewe toestande
meet, speel aanpassingsvermoë van
die dier hier ‘n rol.
Fase C: Gestandaardiseerde
Groeitoetse (Opsioneel)
Hier word twee verskillende groeitoetse
gedoen, nl.:
C1: Groeitoetse by departementele
toetssentrums en
23
C2: Groeitoetse by nie-departementele
toetssentrums.
In hierdie fase word jong bulle onder
gestandaardiseerde intensiewe
toestande by sentrale toetssentrums
oor ‘n tydperk van 112 dae getoets.
Die gelangrikste eienskap wat aandag
geniet is:
1. Die gemiddelde daaglikse toename
oor toetsperiode (GDT) ADG.
2. Voeromset verhouding (VOV),
d.w.s. die hoeveelheid voer gevreet
om ‘n kg gewig aan te sit (FC).
3. Groei per dag van ouderdom (GDO)
Ander mates wat aan die einde van die
toets geneem word is:
1. Skouerlengte
2. Liggaamslengte
3. Skrotumomvang
4. Veldikte
Fase D: Groeitoetse van Jong Bulle
(Opsioneel)
Hierdie wor drie verskillende
groeitoetse gedoen, naamlik:
D1: Op die plaas enkelkudde
groeitoets
D2: Gesentraliseerde veelkudde
groeitoets
D3: Verkorte enkel of veelkudde
groeitoets
Onder Fase D toetsing word die
naspeen-groeivermoë van jong
bulkalwers deur middel van groeitoetse,
onder gekontroleerde toestande op die
plaas van ‘n lid of by die geriewe van ‘n
privaatinstansie, geevalueer. Om ‘n
Fase D groeitoets te doen moet daar
ten minste 15 bulkalwers per ras in die
groeitoets opgeneem word. Ten minste

5 van hierdie bulkalwers moet
registreerbaar wees.
Fase D1 en D2 toetse strek oor ‘n
minimum van 140 dae en ‘n maksimum
van 365 dae met ‘n
aanpassingsperiode wat wissel tussen
21 en 90 dae. Die ouderdomme van
die bulle in die toetsgroep mag nie met
meer as 120 dae verskil nie en die
oudste bul mag nie ouer as 365 dae
wees nie. Die toetse word gewoonlik
ekstensief, met byvoeding soos die
teler dit verkies, gedoen. Vir die toets,
om amptelik te wees, moet die bulle ten
minste ‘n gemiddelde daaglikse
toename van tussen 450g en 650g
afhangend van die ras wissel,
handhaaf.
Fase D3 toetse strek oor ‘n 112 dae
periode, waartydens die bulle aan ‘n
kragvoerrantsoen onderwerp word. Die
aanpassingsperiode sal wissel tussen
28 en 35 dae. Die oudste bul in die
toetsgroep mag nie ouer as 270 dae
met die begin van die aanpassing wees
nie. Vir die toets om amptelik te wees,
moet die bulle ten minste ‘n gemiddelde
daaglikse toename wat tussen 1000g
en 1400g, afhangend van die ras
wissel, handhaaf
Fase E: Karkasevaluasie
(Opsioneel)
Die kwalitatiewe karkaskomponente
van die nageslag van ‘n bul word
geevalueer. Vir hierdie fase moet daar
15 nageslagte van ‘n spesifieke bul
geslag en geevalueer word.
24
Punte van belang
Prestasietoetsing is slegs ‘n seleksie
hulpmiddel en moetin balans met ander
hulpmiddels gebruik word.
Prestasietoets resultate moet dus met
diskresie gebruik word en visuele
beoordeling van funsionele
doeltreffendheid sowel as die produksie
sistem moetin aanmerking geneem
word.
Prestasietoetsing is nie die enigste
seleksie metode beskikbaar nie, maar
dit verskaf die mees akkurate metode
om beter en swakker diere te
identifiseer.
Sekere verwerkingsprosedures van die
skema gee voorkeur aan maksimum
groei. Die dier met die beste
groeivermoë sal dus die hoogste indeks
behaal. Telers is geneig om te aanvaar
dat die dier met die hoogste indeks die
aangewese een vir elke situasie is. Dit
is egter nie noodwendig die geval nie.
Telers moet dus die toestande
waaronder die dier moes presteer ook
in ag neem.

25
MARKETING REGISTERED CATTLE
Many factors are involved in effectively
marketing anything – whether it be
cars, clothing or registered cattle. What
follows are a few ways which seem
common it all successful stud breeding
programmes.
KNOW YOUR MARKET - perhaps
more than any other thing, this is a
must. It is futile to spend time and
money producing cattle for which there
is no market. Successful breeders first
find out what is needed, and then
produce for that need.
First you should try to raise an
acceptable product to market. One that
is acceptable to you in performance,
pedigree, type and adaptable to your
own environment. It is very hard to
convince someone else that your
programme is good if you are not first
satisfied.
The big question is, are you producing
for the purebred stud market, the
commercial cattleman or both? Some
breeders can have the best of both
worlds – work on the one that fits your
programme. Make sure that your cattle
fit the need, then start a good
marketing programme.
There are many ways to promote
registered cattle. Naturally an all year
advertising campaing in the smalls
column as well as in breed journals is
ideal. Shows, sales and field days are
also good promotion tools. Regardless
of the way that you promote cattle,
always keep one thing in mind. You’re
still producing for the man that uses
your product.
Any success that you have as a
breeder must stem from the fact that
you breed and select cattle to fit your
marketing area. Then you should try to
feed and handle them in a really
practical way so that the production and
performance records are meaningful.
Your customers should then be
more interested in the cattle than in
promotion
The local market should always be your
top priority, even though you might
have sold to all four provinces and to
neighbouring countries, you will find
that your most dependable market is
your home province. In fact, the most
successful outfits that stay in business
over a period of time have built their
business – at lesat the beginnings, the
rudiments, by selling to their
neighbours. One can safely say, that
with all the tools available to breeders
today to assist them with their breeding
programmes, a superior merchandiser
with minimal breeding ability will be
able to survive the financial realities of
the business better than a superior
breeder wth minimal merchandising
ability.
RECOGNISE WHAT YOU HAVE – with
todays artificial insemination and, even
more lately, embryo transfer usage,
every breeder has equal access to the
industry’s leading bloodlines, so it takes
more than just a popular pedigree to
command the top price. Successful
breeders with a track record of effective
marketing have travelled widely studied
the difference between “good” and
“great” and learned to recognize it in
their product.

PROMOTE YOUR PROGRAMME – in
the highly competitive environment of
the purebred cattle business today, if a
breeder doesn’t enjoy marketing his
product, then his chances for success
in his overall programme are slim.
Try to let people know your philosophy
of breeding cattle and tell them
everything that you know about your
herd sires and A.I. sires – because you
may have the greatest batch of calves
in the history of your breeding
programme, but will not make any
difference if those looking for a new
herd sire, ranch bull or replacement
heifers, don’t know about them.
It’s the people in the livestock industry
wyo consistently sell their cattle for a
premium that are the breeders who
enjoy selling.
Producing a quality product is the goal
of any business. All too often in the
stud industry breeders forget the most
important first step – MARKET
RESEARCH – they design and produce
a product and then begin searching for
someone to buy it.
More often than not, stud breeders
expect a promotional programme to
compensate for a poor product or for
inadequate preparation. Without a
quality product and a high level of
service, the sales you make are bound
to “one-time” customers.
Building a satisfied and loyal customer
base should be the ultimate goad.
Promotion requires several important
steps. First identify the positive things
that can be said about your product.
26
Then plan a promotional programme to
convey these facts to potential
customers. Advertising, sale
catalogues, personal contact and direct
mailings are all effective segments of a
total marketing strategy.
The easiest way to sell cattle is to sell
them the way you would like to buy
them. That is producing a good
product and promoting it accurately and
completely. Try to emphasize the
positive things about your cattle,
because if you are not excited about
them then you certainly can’t expect
anyone else to be.
Possibly one of the most neglected
areas in the Stud Industry is that sellers
do not help new breeders with their
problems when they start off. It is all
too easy to say thank you and walk
away after a sale is made. The
problem lies in the selling experienced
breeders a product and then new
breeders find their enthusiasm quickly
drains away when they don’t know how
to handle routine problems. To combat
this, the smaller seller should give this
new breeder management time. The
new breeder will then feel well
supported in his or her new endeavour
and more often than not, will be come a
REPEAT BUYER.
Follow-up and making sure the cattle
meet you customers expectations is
most important because your
operation should depend on repeat
customers not a new crop of buyers
every year.
Travelling as much as possible to
gather knowledge about what is
happening in the breed and with your
own herd, and to enjoy the friendship of

established and new breeders alike
should be important to you.
In an auction situation the breeder’s
catalogue is the true test. Are you
willing to publish ALL the performance
on your sale cattle, or are certain ratios
or calving dates conveniently left out?
May there are no figures at all. Nothing
disappoints buyers more than to get a
catalogue from a good production outfit
and find that the only figures included
are the lot numbers and the fact that a
grand old cow that you sold to
someone else brought in R10000.00 on
that breeders sale three years ago!!! If
the breeding and the performance
behind the offering looks good, then the
buyer will go to the effort of contacting
the breeder for more information.
Don’t underestimate the value of a
phone call. Remember no one has
ever bought a bull they didn’t know
existed.
A few basics I paperwork are important.
Always write “thank you’s” to your cattle
buyers. You should have a card file on
buyers which includes a record of all
purchases made, the dates and
amounts. This information on past
purchases will help to tell you what a
customer will want. Naturally this file
also serves as a mailing list.
27
When your cattle are sold, back them
with a guarantee. Something like:
“Your satisfaction guaranteed, or your
money back”. This indeed will let your
buyers know that you are sincere in
your desire to please them.
Developing customer confidence is the
key to successful marketing. They
must have confidence in you, your
programme and the cattle being
offered.
In summary, effective marketing is a
matter of knowing what to produce for
the market you have; recognizing
when you have a really great one to
sell; promoting the fact that you have
great ones to sell; and properly
presenting them tot he prospective
buyer.
A reputation for honesty and reliability,
standing behind the cattle you sell, and
follow-up with your customers are also
necessary ingredients in being a
successful merchandiser.
In shot, “successful marketing is like a
good golf swing: it’s the follow through
that helps improve the distance …”
and in the final analysis, each breeder
is responsible for his own success. He
can draft some help, but it is his own
initiative and ingenuity that makes a
successful merchandising prgoramme.
It’s the FOLLOW THROUGH – Think
about it!

28
SAMEVATTING VAN BASIESE BEGINSELS VAN
BEOORDELING
VAN BEESTE
Deur H.M. Seyfferdt
Dit moet altyd onthou word dat waar of
wanneer u ookal optree as
beoordellaar, u besig is om
opvoedings- en onderrigwerk te verrig.
U is besig om die toeskouers en
vertoners te toon wat korrek is en wat
nie.
Daarom is dit noodsaaklik da u u
kennis van beeste in die algemeen,
asook van die Sussex-ras in die
besonder, gedurig sal uitbou.
Om objektief te beoordeel, moet u oor
die nodige kennis beskik, maar u moet
ook eerlik wees. U mag nie toelaat dat
enigiets of iemand, behalwe wat u sien
en waarneem in die diere, u besluite
beïnvloed nie. U moet ook nooit die
ekonomiese faktore of eienskappe uit
die oog verloor nie. U kennis moet oor
die volgende beskik:
1. Die samestelling van die bees.
2. Die korrekte benaming van die
verskillende liggaamsdele.
3. U moet die korrekte benaming van
die foute ken.
4. U moet die standaard van
voortreflikheid ken.
Ons wil nie nou op al bogenoemde
punte ingaan nie, maar tog kortliks vir u
‘n paar foute noem waarna u moet
oplet wanneer u beoordeel:
(a) Voorbene: X-benig or
krombenig
(b) Agterbene: Krombenig,
koeihakkig, sekelhakkig,
regophakkig
(c) Pote: Te regop, te slap,
deurtrap
(d) Kop: Skewe of gedraaide
neusbeen, kort bek, lang
onderkaak
(e) Lende: Swak lende, swak rug en
lende aansluiting
(f) Grootte: Vir ouderdom
Dit is egter belangrik dat u weet
waarvoor die ras geteel word, m.a.w.
die doel van die ras, sodat u veral ag
kan slaan daarop dat die dier aan sy
doel beantwoord. Die Sussex is ‘n
vleisras wat funksioneel moet wees.
Om in kort alles saam te vat:
Om ‘n beoordelaar te word, moet u leer
want u moet oor kennis beskik. Leer uit
boeke, leer van mede-telers en veral
beoordelaars, leer op skoue en leer
dan om op grond van u eie kennis die
verskille in diere raak te sien, die
verskille teen mekaar op te weet en te
besluit hoe die verskille tussen diere
teen mekaar opweeg.

From experience, I have found that
the number of an animal most easily
read, is the tattooi above the top vein
of the ear.
Step one is therefore to put the year
letter plust the sequence number in
the top half of your tattooi pliers and
the herd designation letters in the
bottom half o f your pliers, for
example:
Voorvoegsel + Jaartal + volg
nommer.
CN 06 0100
If your are not sure how the numbers
will look when tattooed, use a pice of
paper and clamp it with the pliers.
The best tattooing ink is ZEBO
STOVE POLISH or A BLACK LEAD
IN SUSPENSION.
The calf to be tattooed, must be held
firmly. The tattoo in the pliers must
then be thoroughly wet with the
tattooi ink. (An old toothbrush is the
ideal applicator).
The pliers are then postioned in the
calf’s LEFT EAR WITH THE TOP
29
THE ART OF TATTOOING
VEIN OF THE EAR BETWEEN THE
NUMBER AND THE HERD
DESIGNATION LETTERS. Making
sure that they are not too near the
end of the ear or too deep in towards
the head. THE PLIERS THEN ARE
CLOSED WITH A HARD, POSITIVE
ACTION AND HELD IN CLOSED
POSITION FOR AT LEAST THIRTY
(30) SECONDS. This allows the
holes to remain open for a while after
the pliers have been opened and
removed.
Immediately after removing the
pliers, the TATTOO INK SHOULD
BE THOROUGHLY WORKED IN
WITH THE SAME TOOTHBRUSH
THAT IS WET WITH TATTOO INK.
SPEND AT LEAST FIFTEEN (15()
SECONDS BRUSHING THE INK
INTO THE TATTOO.
The animal is then released and if
possible, left for at least three weeks
before reading thenumber in the ear.
If one takes care, the numbers in the
ear will be clearly visible even when
the animal is very old.

30
VOEDING VAN VLEISBEESTE EN GROOTMAAK VAN
BULLE
Deur Willie Grobler van Rumevite
Aangesien die landsoppervlakte vir
landbougebruik jaarliks verminder en
die bevolkingsgetalle jaarliks groei,
word daar ‘n groter druk op , veral die
veeboer, geplaas om meer te
produseer. Dit kan slegs geskied
indien die beginsels en praktyke van
voeding gerespekteer en nagekom
word.
VOEDINGSPRAKTYKE
Dierevoeding word hoofsaaklik in drie
praktyke ingedeel, naamlik aanvullende
voeding, byvoeding en volvoeding.
Elkeen van hierdie praktyke het ‘n
spesifieke doel en bepaalde reëls
waaraan die praktyk moet voldoen om
as sulks geklas te word.
(a) Aanvullende voeding:
Dit is die maksimum ruvoer- of
weidingsinname. Lekinname maak
minder as 10% van die dier se
daaglikse inname uit.
(b) Byvoeding:
Wanneer ruvoer0 of
weidingsinname nie maksimum kan
wees nie, hetsy weens tekort of
swak waarde wat inname beperk,
word kragvoer volgens behoefte
gegee. Hierdie is ‘n praktyk wat
baie gereeld, veral in die kouer dele
van Suid-Afrika, toegepas word
deur bv. Voorsiening van heel
gemaalde mielieplante.
(c) Volvoeding:
Hierdie praktyk is vanselfsprekend.
Maksimum kragvoerinname en
ruvoer slegs om gesonde
rumenfunksie te verseker.
Die algemene praktyk van afronding
van beeste en dus ook van bulle in
krale of stalle, val in hierdie praktyk.
Al hierdie verskillende praktyke het ook
spesifieke beginsels wat geken en
daarom gerespekteer behoort te word.
Hiervan is, vir hierdie artikel, die
beginsels van lekaanvulling die
belangrikste.
(a) Aanvullende voeding of lekke moet
die voedingstekorte in die dieet
balanseer en aanvul sodat meer
ruvoer ingeneem kan word en ook
beter benut kan word.
(b) Lekke moet aanvullende tot die
weiding wees en dit nooit vervang of
die vrywillige inname beperk nie.
Ruvoer-inname moet die maksimum
wees.
(c) Die norm en samestelling van die
lek moet gelykmatig en
gekontroleerde vrywillige inname
verseker.
In die voeding van beeste kom
verskillende knelpunte voor. Soos o.a.
lae en selfs onverteerbaarheid van
wintergrasse, wat ‘n direkte tekort aan
inname van energie veroorsaak.
Tekort aan proteïen in die winter en laat
somer op natuurlike weidings, asook
marginale fosfor tekort in die somer.
Van hierdie knelpunte kan reggestel

word deur gesonde voedingspraktyke
toe te pas, bv. Lekaanvulling.
Hierdie lekaanvulling moet genoeg
wees om tekorte aan te vul, maar in die
regte verhouding en ook op die regte
tyd. Hierdie aanvullende voeding
behoort alle essensiële voedingstowwe
te bevat, maar ook baie belangrik is dat
hulle gebalanseerd t.o.v. mekaar moet
wees. ‘n Motor se enjin bevat water,
olie en petrol. Nie een van hulle is, vir
doeltreffende werking, belangriker as ‘n
ander een nie, maar ook slegs indien
hulle in die regte verhouding is.
Aanvullende voeding moet net genoeg
wees om die einddoel te bereik, en
moet ekonomies wees.
Die belangrikheid van die balans van
voedingstowwe in aanvullende voeding
asook ‘n bepaling van die behoefte per
dag van verskillende diere, hoe dit deur
natuurlike weiding aangevul word, wat
die tekorte is en hoe dit dan deur
aanvullende voeding reggestel kan
word. Indien hierdie tekorte nie betyds
reggestel kan word nie, mag ons
hewige gewigsverliese ondervind wat
dalk aanleiding kan gee tot verlaagde
kalf en speenpersentasies.
Voordele:
Deur die gewendte teikenmassa by die
aanvang van die dekseisoen te bereik,
kan die volgende voordele in die hand
gewerk word:
- Hoë kalfpersentasie
- Hoër kalwingstempo
- Beter kan vir herbesetting
- Korter intekalfperiode
- Hoër speenmassa
- Hoër koeimassa
31
Teikenmassa by koeie is per definisie
die gewig wat ‘n koei met paring het,
wat haar die grootste kans gee om
beset te raak.
Slaggate by aanvullende voeding:
Onnodige aanvulling of wanbalans
tussen voedingstowwe wat aangevul
word:
1. Vervangingsvoeding: Inname
onderdruk natuurlike weidingslus of
maak ‘n te groot deel van daaglikse
dieet uit.
2. Probleme met innames wat te hoog
of te laag kan wees, kan die
volgende oorsake onderligged hê:
(a) Lek is nie deurentyd beskikbaar
nie en gulsigheid of southonger
word ondervind.
(b) Die lek is of te smaaklik, het dalk
te veel meel in, of is onsmaaklik
met ‘n hoë insluiting van sout.
(c) Weens ‘n tekort aan ruvoer kan
lek innames hoog wees en
indien goeie ruvoer in oorvloed
beskikbaar is, sal innames laag
wees. Lekinnames in nuwe
kampe en mielielande kan
aanvanklik laag wees, maar
verhoog langsaam namate
ruvoer verminder.
(d) Die aantal diere per lekpunt het
ook ‘n invloed op die lekinname.
Dominansie in ‘n kudde
veroorsaak dat party diere meer
vreet en swakkeres wat dit juis
nodig het, nie vrye toegang het

tot lek nie. ‘n Ideaal is 12 – 15
beeste per lekpunt.
(e) Die afstand wat lekke vanaf die
watersuipings geplaas word, het
baie beslis ‘n invloed op inname.
Verder vanaf die water gee laer
innames terwyl lekpunte nader
aan die suipings hoër innames in
die hand werk.
(f) Die formulasie en fisiese
voorkoms van lekke het ook ‘n
invloed op die hoër of laer
innames. Los lekke word meer
geredelik as blokke ingeneem,
maar blokke se inname is meer
gelykmatig.
(g) Een van die grootste oorsake
van te hoë innames is dat
lekaanvulling te laat in die winter
begin. Diere het reeds ‘n
agtersand en oormatige
behoefte aan lek bereik, voordat
aanvulling begin.
Grootmaak en voeding van bulle:
Meer as 95% van alle bulle word aan
kommersiële beesboere verkoop. Die
probleem is dat ±76% van all bulle voor
of op 24 maande van eienaar verander.
Die praktyk het bewys dat kommersiële
bulkopers, veral as hy ‘n bietjie hoë
prys betaal het vir ‘n bul, geneig is om
hom baie hard te laat werk, om
daardeur sy geld te probeer verhaal.
Hierdie jong bul ondergaan nou, nadat
hy gekoop is, ‘n paar strawwe toetse.
(a) Hy moet aanpas in die omgewing
waar hy nou gaan loop.
32
Byvoorbeeld vanaf die Transvaal
Hoëveld na die Noordkaap.
(b) Hy kry nie meer die hoë peil van
voeding waaraan hy vir ‘n lang tyd
gewoond was nie, omdat hy ‘n
sekere grootte en gewig moes
behaal om verkoopbaar te wees.
(c) Hy moet koeie dek, dit is waarvoor
hy gekoop is. (Verbeter die
genepoel en kry vroulike diere
dragtig is die algemene
uitgangspunt).
(d) Meeste rasse sny tande tussen die
ouderom van 21 en 30 maande.
Met al hierdie omstandighede in ag
geneem, kan so ‘n jong bul, indien hy
nie goed versorg word nie, baie gou
soos ‘n wrak daar uit sien. Die direkte
gevolg is ‘n bul wat ‘n lang herstel
period nodig het, en moontlik ‘n swak
naam aan die ras asook die teler
besorg.
Die wenslikste sou wees om hulle op ‘n
hoër ouderdom te bemark sodat hulle
‘n langer tyd gehad het om nader aan
hulle volwasse gewig te kon kom. Die
ekonomie van so ‘n praktyk kom egter
hier sterk ter sprake aangesien telers
bulle langer sal moet hou en voer.
Die verandering kan egter goedkoper
geskied, mits die volgende punte in ag
geneem word:
(a) Werk behoorlike doelwit gewigte uit
vir bulle teenoor hulle ouderdomme
bv. Speen, 12 maadne, 18 maande,
24 maande en 30 maande.

(b) Gee minder voer oor ‘n langer
tydperk om net hierdie
doelwitgewigte te behaal.
(c) Indien regstellings gemaak moet
word, bestaan daar meer tyd
daarvoor.
(d) Hou bulle nader aan die natuurlike
omstandighede, veral waar hulle
moet gaan werk, naamlik die veld.
Die moontlikheid dat hierdie bulle die
probleem kan optel wat jonger teëkom,
is baie skraler.
Die resultaat – ‘n Tevrede Bulkoper!
33
Die bulkoper wat weer en weer by jou
bulle aankoop, is die enigste maatstaf
om te bepaal hoe suksesvol jy as
bulteler is.
Kwaliteit is belangrik!!!
Hierdie is ‘n aanhaling van Ruskin:
KWALITEIT IS BELANGRIK
Daar is bykans niks ter wêreld wat nie
deur iemand effens swakker vervaardig
en effens goedkoer aangebied kan
word nie. Mense wat slegs die prys
van ‘n artikel in ag neem, is hierdie
vervaardiger se wettige prooi.

VELD BULL POWER HAS THE
COMPETITIVE EDGE
Why a Sussex veld club? IN most veld
clubs of today, Sussex are compared to
large framed animals which appear to
look better but do not necessarily
perform better. The commercial buyer
will not, or soon wil not, buy fat show
ring finished bulls as the “crash” under
commercial conditions.
Our bull club will be unique in that we
will incorporate growth tests under
intensive, semi-intensive and extensive
conditions, namely a ration test (official
Phas D2) and a veld test on Highveld
veld and Smutsfinger grass. This
determines the bulls hereditary
potential for weaners ending up in
feedlots, and the adaptability for future
commercial cows. This test is
approved by the Sussex Cattle
Breeders Society.
Performance data is often overlooked
but definitely plays an important role in
the future of a successful beef farmer.
A combination of data and
conformation in a selected bull is 50%
34
of the genetic material of your fuure
herd.
A comparison of bulls throughout the
country can be made under the same
conditions. The test will be carried out
on Vogelsfontein, Randfontein District
on severe Redwater and Gallsickness
veld and will be completed over a
period of 18 mnths. There will be 12
monhs of testing under commercial
conditions, followed by rounding off for
an auction.
All bulls are sold under the auspices of
the Sussex Society.
For furher information contact:
Geoff Cowley (011 – 696 1452
Founder Member of the Sussex
Veld Bull Club South Africa

VELDBUL HET DIE BEMARKBARE
VOORDEEL
Is ‘n Sussex Veldbulklub nodig? In die
huidige veldbul klub’s word Sussex met
groot raam rasse vergelyk, wat soms
beter lyk, maar nie noodwending beter
presteer nie. Die kommersiële koper
sal nie of sal binnkort nie vet skou bulle
koop nie, want onder kommersiële
toestande gaan hulle agteruit.
Ons Veldbulklub sal uniek wees met
betrekking ot die inluyf van groei toetse
onder intensief, semi-intensief en
ekstensiewe toestande, naamlik
rantsoen toets (offisiële Fase D2) en
veld toets op die Hoëveld en
Smutsvinger gras. Dit bepaal die
oorerflike potensiaal vir voerkalwers,
wat in die voerkraal eindig, sowel as die
aanpasbaarheid van toekomstige
kommersiële koeie. Hierdie toetse is
deur die Sussex Beestelers
Genootskap goedgekeur.
Prestasie data word dikwels misgekyk,
maar speel ‘n belangrike rol vir die
suksesvolle beesboer. ‘n Kombinasie
van prestasie data en bouvorm van ‘n
uitgesoekte bul gee 50% van die
35
genetiese material van jou toekomstige
kudde.
‘n Vergelyking van bulle uit die hele
land onder dieselfde toestande kan
gemaak word. Die toets vind plaas te
Vogelsfontein, Randfontein Distrik, op
strawwe Rooiwater en Galsiekte veld,
vir ‘n tydperk van 18 maande. Met 12
maande onder kommersiële toestande
en dan afgerond vir ‘n veiling.
Alle bulle word deur die Sussex
Genootskap goedgekeur en onder hul
beskerming verkoop.
Vir meer besonderhede, skakel:
Geoff Cowley (011) 696 1452
Stigterslid Van Die Sussex
Veldbulklub Van Suid-Afrika

GUIDE TO SHOW JUDGING
Judging Sussex Cattle
36
1. PLIGTE VAN DIE BEOORDEELAAR VOOR BEGIN VAN BEOORDELING
1.1 Bestudeer die pryslys indien beskikbaar om jou te vergewis van die klasse en
voorwaardes.
1.2 Meld aan ten minste ‘n halfuur voor begin van die beoordeling, by die hoof
vee opsigter of verantwoordelike beampte. Dit is nie passend om die vorige
dag of heelwat vroeër dieselfde dag op die skougronde te wees nie. As dit
egter onvermydelik is, moet die beoordellaar weg bly van die beesstalle en
die vertoners.
1.3 Gewoonlik dra beoordelaars ‘n wit jas, maar dit is nie noodsaaklik nie. ‘n Lap
om hande af te vee na hantering van die beeste en ‘n klein notaboekie en
potlood kan nuttig wees.
1.4 Bespreek met jou opsigter die procedure wat jy gaan volg, bv. hoe en waar jy
die beeste gaan laat staan wannneer jy die plasing doen. Vind uit watter
inligting beskikbaar sal wees ten opsigte van die diere: gewigte,
kalwingsdatums, ens. Die aantal pryse wat toegeken word, moet ook
vasgestel word. Vra die opsigter om ook uit te vind of daar enige diere
vertoon sal word wat jyself geteel het. Indien wel, Sien paragraaf 7.2
2. JUDGING PROCEDURE AND RINGCRAFT
2.1 Ensure that the cattle parade in a clockwise direction with the handlers on the
outside of the ring. If your steward can arrange it, it is useful to have the
animals parade in order of age.
2.2 Parade the cattle one or twice around the ring to gain a general impression.
2.3 Select one animal to start, and examine it as follows:
2.3.1 Ask the steward the animal’s age and (if available) its weight, or
pregnancy status or calving record where applicable.
2.3.2Let it walk towards you; examine the placement of its front legs, length of
canon bone, shoulders, width of chest, head.
2.3.3Stop the animal, and examine the head and jaw – but only if you suspect
a fault, i.e. over / undershot jaw. There is nothing worse than a judge
who opens the jaw of every animal in the ring.
2.3.4From the side, handle the animal’s coat, and try to gain an impression of
condition. Observe the length, topline, muscling (look particularly at the
forearm) , legs and feet.
2.3.5 From the rear, examine the animal’s reproductive organs and uder,
hind legs, hindquarter, width and muscling.

37
2.3.6 As the animal walks away, watch placement of its hind legs, its
freedom of movement and balance. Assesss its size and growth.
2.4 After this close examination, you should have an overall impression of the
animal, together with a mental list of its strengths and weaknesses. Repeat
the process with each animal in turn. The exhibitor deserves this courtesy
from the judge, even in the case of animals which are obviously substandard.
2.5 Skilled judges are able to indicate to the spectators that they have spotted a
weakness on an animal. Try to put your hand on the problem area or in other
ways to indicate to the spectators that you have seen the fault.
2.6 Once you have examined each animal individually, let all the animals circle
the ring once or twice. By now, you should have an idea of your placings.
But it you are undecided, ask the steward to change the order to enable you
to compare animals more easily. Do not waste too much time. Remember
that first impressions are often the best, and that by delaying a decision for
too long, you very often get into even worse trouble.
2.7 Have the steward line up your selections in your order of preference; do not
forget to line the animals up from the same end for each class.
2.7 Compare the animals while they stand side by side. Do not hesitate at this
stage to change the order if you are sure that you initial placing was wrong.
But avoid continuous chopping and changing, especially with lower placings.
Be thorough, but don’t waste too much time.
2.8 It is always useful to parade the prize winners one more time before coming
to a final decision.
2.9 It there is a large class, it may be necessary to eliminate the worst animals,
and let them go out of the ring before lining up your selections. It is in any
case not necessary to place all the animals, it is usual to place one or two
more than the number of available prizes, with the remainder being merely
lined up behind the prize winners.
2.10 It is not required that you award all the prizes available. If the standard is
poor, you may decide for e.g. not to award a first prize. But this action should
only be taken in extreme cases!
2.11 Before indicating to the steward that you have finished, make a mental
note of the reasons for your placings. Then while the tickets are written out,
explain to the spectators why you have placed the animals in the order you
have. Be brief, polite and considerate of the exhibitors, but be specific. If is
not sufficient merely to say that “It is a very nice bull”! Apart from these
remarks it is not wise to talk privately either to spectators or to the leaders.
2.12 Apart from requests for information, or instructions concerning the
parading and placement of animals, the judge should not discuss any animals
with the steward.

3. KAMPIOENSKAPPE
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3.1 Jy sal onthou word hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die kampioene wat jy selekteer.
Meeste beoordelaars sal van die eerste klas af op soek wees vir ‘n moontlike
kampioen, en wanneer die kampioenskap klas instep, het hulle klaar besluit.
3.2 Dring daarop aan dat die diere instep in volgorde van ouderdom. Dit
vergemaklik die vergelyking en identifisering van die diere. Alleenlik eerste
pryswenners moet in die ring toegelaat word.
3.3 Selfs as jy reeds voorheen besluit het, moet jy baie deeglik die diere weer
ondersoek: die kampioenskap word nooit ligtelik toegeken nie.
3.4 Nadat jy die kampioen geselekteer het, laat die dier wat tweede na die
kampioen in sy klas gestaan het, ingebring word. Hierdie dier sal dan met die
oorblywende eerste pryswenners vir die reserve kampioenskap meeding.
3.5 Hierdie procedure word gevolg vir die junior en senior kampioenskappe – as
daar geen groot kampioen aangewys word, word die junior in aanmerking
geneem vir die senior kampioenskap.
3.6 Oor die algemeen is dit raadsaam om in die kampioenskap klas voorkeur te
gee aan ouer diere en in die geval van vroulike diere, aan diere wat alreeds
gekalf het.
4. GROEPKLASSE
4.1 Maak seker van die presiese bewoording van elke klas in die pryslys, en
beoordeel dit streng volgens die voorwaardes wat daar gestel word.
4.2 Gewoonlik maak die voorwaardes melding van ‘n groep, paar of
eenvormigheid. Dit beteken dat ‘n groep bestaande uit diere wat individueel
swakker as die diere in ander groepe, nogtans ‘n klas kan wen.
4.3 Groepe staan gewoonlik in lyn neus tot stert. Dring daarop aan dat die
groepe ook moet stap – diere wat nie mooi in ‘n groep pas nie kan makliker
uitgeken word wanneer hulle beweeg.
4.4 Terwyl individuele diere ook vergelyk moet word, probeer om nie te veel tyd
te mors nie, veral as jy alreeds al die diere in die individuele klasse beoordeel
het.
5. PERFORMANCE CLASSES
5.1 At most shows, there is a special performance class for tested bulls: (Phase
C and Phase D) visual appraisal counts 30% and performance 70%.
5.2 All that is necessary is that the judge places the bulls in the normal way
(without reference to their performance), and then assigns percentages to
each bull. These percentages are then combined with the bulls average
performance indices by the performance official to arrive at a final order.

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5.3 The major difficulty with performance classes is that it is sometimes possible
for a substandard bull with exceptional performance to win the class. The
rule here is that the judge during his visual appraisal is entitled to disqualify a
bull for serious defects – and eliminates the bull from the prize winners
(whatever his performance).
5.4 The calculations are done in the following manner e.g.:
Bull A – visual appraisal % 80% - 110% x 0.3 = 33.0
Bull B 75% - 103% x 0.3 = 30.9
Bull C 65% - 89% x 0.3 = 26.7
Average: 73%
Bull A – Ave Perf Indices 104 - 95% x 0.7 = 66.5
Bull B 109 – 100% x 0.7 = 70.0
Bull C 114 – 105% x 0.7 = 73.5
Average: 109
TOTAL PLACING
Bull A 99.5 THIRD
Bull B 100.9 FIRST
Bull C 100.2 SECOND
6. GENERAL
6.1 Even a good judge cannot always please exhibitors and spectators. A
judge’s only duty is to please himself. Remember that it is your opinion that
has been asked for.
6.2 A good judge will have a set of priorities by which he assesses animals: All
faults are not equally serious. Be careful of an obsession of one particular
strength. The following priorities can be used as a guide.
6.2.1The first requirement of a registered Sussex is that the animal should
be capable of breeding. Penalize any animal which shows signs of
infertility, and give preference to females which are in calf or which
have calved regularly. Pay attention to udders.
6.2.2The second requirement for a breeding animal is that it should be able
to move, so pay particular attention to legs and feet.
6.2.3The third requirement is that the animal must be capable of producing
beef. Growth and size are therefore important. But remember that the
Sussex is a medium sized breed, and we are therefore not necessarily
aiming at giants. Be careful of confusing beef with fat. The council
has directed that any animal with more fat cover than a super should

40
be discriminated against. Well filled hindquarters may indicate
overfeeding rather than good muscling. Remember too that a tall
animal rarely has great width of hindquarter; bulging muscles often
indicate short bones.
6.2.4The fourth major requirement is that the animal should show signs of
adaptability. A smooth glossy coat is a must and the animal should be
alert and fit.
7. PROBLEEMGEVALLE
7.1 Wat word gedoen met ‘n dier wat tekens van beserings wys? As dit ernsti
is, moet die mening van ‘n veearts aangevra word. Maar in elk geval die
reel is dat jy die dier moet beoordeel soos hulle die dag van die beoording
vertoon word: ‘n beseerde of anders ongesonde dier moet gepenaliseer
word.
7.2 Wat gebeur wanner ‘n dier wat deur die beoordelaar self geteel word? In
hierdie geval is die prosedure duidelik: die dier moet op sy gesit word, terwyl
al die ander soos gewoonlik geplaas word. Daarna word ‘n onafhanklike
beoordelaar (aangestel deur die hoof vee opsigter) gevra om die dier te
plaas, sonder om die volgorde van die diere wat alreeds geplaas is te
verander.