SA Brangus breeder on the right track - The Brangus Cattle ...

PROMOTIONAL SUPPLEMENT
<strong>SA</strong> <strong>Brangus</strong> <strong>breeder</strong>
on the right track
The future of cattle breeding lies in selecting for profitability,
according to Lee Leachman.
Lee Leachman,
founder member
and co-owner
of Leachman Cattle
Company in Colorado,
US, has sold more than
9 000 bulls since 2004.
He recently discussed
his vision for the beef
stud industry with
leading stud <strong>breeder</strong>s,
cattlemen and invited
guests at the BVN Sales
complex near Winburg.
The key points from
his presentation and the
ensuing lively discussions
can be summarised as:
• Feed efficiency is
heritable and drives profit
(rand/ha and feedlot profit).
• Optimum cow size
is more profitable than
maximum cow size.
• Utilising heterosis
90 | farmer’s weekly| 3 FEBRUARY 2012
can increase profit by
more than 22%.
• Measure and monitor
all economically
important traits.
• A beef cattle enterprise
will only become more
profitable if the owner
selects for profit on the
basis of EBV indices.
Lee measures the feed
efficiency of cattle in
contemporary groups,
adjusting animal weights
to a specific size (same
physiological age based
on net/residual feed
efficiency) and not on gross
feed efficiency as is the
norm in South Africa.
He furthermore identifies
the most efficient animals
as those with the lowest
dry matter intake to
improve efficiency in
the breeding herd as
well as in the feedlot.
NET FEED
EFFICIENCY EBVs
Feed efficiency is one of
the most economically
important production
traits, whether in grazing
enterprises or feedlot
operations. In importance,
the cost of feed is second
only to fixed costs in
the profitability of a
commercial beef operation.
Breedplan produces two
ABOVE:
A group of
<strong>Brangus</strong>
cows in the
Welkom area.
PHOTOS
COURTESY OF THE
BRANGUS CATTLE
BREEDERS’
SOCIETY OF <strong>SA</strong>
EBV’s relating to feed
efficiency – net feed
intake (post-weaning) and
net feed intake (feedlot
finishing) to ultimately
improve the efficiency
of the breeding herds as
well as the progeny in
the feedlot to reduce unit
costs of production.
TECHNOLOGY
In South Africa, the
<strong>Brangus</strong> has its own Mr
Efficiency. Ferdi Naude
started the V5 <strong>Brangus</strong>
Stud between Welkom
and Theunissen in the
Free State in 1977. From
the onset he has measured
and monitored growth
and feed conversion, also
scanning for carcass traits.
He established his own
Phase C testing station
and tested most of
his young bulls in a
complete herd recording

The mathematics of cow size
(Information courtesy of Lee Leachman)
Criterion 575kg cow class 690kg cow class
Number of animals 116 100
% weaned per
cow mated
93% 88%
Weaning weight as
% of cow weight
46% 43%
Weaning weight
at eight months
238kg
272kg
Calculation (116 x 93% x 238) (100 x 88% x 272)
Total weaning weight 25 675kg 23 936kg
NOTE: The optimum average South African cow size is 450kg.
programme. Through
DNA technology (GeneStar
and Igenity) he then took
his herd selection a step
further, explaining that
modern technology was
crucial for the success of
his herd and ensured him
a competitive edge over
fellow stud <strong>breeder</strong>s.
FIVE TRAITS
The V5 <strong>Brangus</strong> stud
selection programme
emphasises five traits:
1. Fertility adaption:
Days to calving, gestation
length, DNA-based
heifer pregnancy rate.
2. Feed conversion
efficiency: Residual
feed intake and DNA
for efficiency.
3. ‘Curve benders’:
Light birth weight,
sufficient growth
to weaning age, but
limiting mature size.
4. Meat quality: Scanning
for ribeye muscle area,
retail beef yield and
fat cover, and DNA
testing for tenderness.
5. Easy care: A polled, easy
calving and docile breed.
All the above-mentioned
aspects and tests comprise
a toolset that allows the V5
stud to reach its breeding
<strong>Brangus</strong> Economic Index
BreedObject is a tool
to formalise breeding
objectives and Rand
Indices that can help
a cattleman breed
more profitable cattle.
Using BreedPlan EBVs,
it targets the herd
goals quicker and with
higher accuracy to ensure
its competitive edge.
Even though the <strong>Brangus</strong>
has one of the smallest
calves (32kg) in the beef
industry, it still aims to
breed ‘curve benders’
by combining an underaverage
birth weight with
an above-average weaning
weight to produce early
maturing replacement
females of average size
(below 480kg) and a cowcalf
ratio of above 48%.
performance a <strong>breeder</strong>
needs for a specific
market’s production
system (self-replacing
feedlot system, selfreplacing
grassfed
system and others)
and helps identify
TOP:
Red <strong>Brangus</strong> bull
V5 0620. Birth
weight EBV
+1,5 (+1,1), milk
EBV +3 (+2),
ribeye muscle
area EBV +1,1
(+0,1). He
has 7 stars for
feed efficiency
(GeneStar, 8 is
maximum), +7
Residual Feed
Intake (Igenity,
+1 = worst,
+10 = best), +6
ribeye (Igenity).
ABOVE:
Black <strong>Brangus</strong>
bull V5 0765.
Birth weight
EBV +2,1
(+1,1), milk
EBV +2 (+2),
weaning weight
(200 days) EBV
+15 (+11).
genetic prototypes
that will be best
suited to this goal.
Breed Object Rand
Indices are intended
for use by stud
<strong>breeder</strong>s as well as by
commercial cattlemen.
POSITIVE ASPECTS
Other positive aspects
of the breed are:
• Polled (<strong>Brangus</strong> calves
are genetically hornless).
• Excellent maternal
characteristics.
• Widely adapted.
• High resistance
to ectoparasites and
endemic diseases.
“We believe in
a holistic approach
whereby the balance
between the traits
for fertility, efficiency,
growth and functionality
produces an animal
that performs well under
commercial conditions,”
Ferdi explains. “If growth
or any other trait is overemphasised,
fertility
suffers. Fertility is, in
our opinion, one of the
most important factors in
cattle breeding today.”
V5 <strong>Brangus</strong> is a family
business. In 2002 Ferdi’s
daughter Marianna and her
husband Ben Badenhorst
joined Ferdi to ensure
a smooth transition to
the next generation.
Ben Badenhorst is
currently a member of
the <strong>Brangus</strong> board. Ferdi
has served the <strong>Brangus</strong>
Effects of heterosis
(Information courtesy of Lee Leachman)
breed for many years as
president, board member
and breed inspector.
He has also won just
about every competition
and award for the
<strong>Brangus</strong> breed and
the stud industry in
general. He received
an honorary award for
his contribution to the
<strong>Brangus</strong> breed in 2011.
• Visit www.v5brangus.co.za
or www.brangus.org.za, or
contact Ferdi on 082 490 5678
or Ben on 082 445 3366.
In temperate environments, a Hereford x Angus
F1 cross cow will wean 23% heavier calves
(227kg calf per cow versus 184kg calf per cow).
In tropical environments, a Brahman x Angus
F1 cross cow will wean 46% heavier calves
(245kg calf per cow versus 168kg calf per cow).
The V5 <strong>Brangus</strong> Production Sale, part of the Performance Driven
auction of, along with Vergesigte Limousins, V5 Dormers
and Vergesigte Ile de France, will take place at 11am on
15 February 2012 on the farm Doornpoort near Theunissen.
Contact Ferdi on 082 490 5678 or Ben on 082 445 3366.
3 FEBRUARY 2012 | farmer’s weekly| 91