What the Fecundity?

The fragile reality for Beef Cattle is that they have the lowest (worst) fecundity of any animal (livestock or poultry) kept for production of meat protein. Fecundity is a measure of fertility based on the number and frequency of offspring, and therefore incorporates such economic traits of interest as: days to calving, gestation length and directly effects the ability to achieve genetic gain through the generational interval and selection intensity that can be placed on a breeding population. Fecundity drives profitability so here at Gouron Creek Senepol we are busy using natural joining and ET programs based on imported and fresh embryos to build a herd packed full of fertility.

Fit, Fertile and Functional is the best way to describe Gouron Creek Kimberley, an active registered five year old purebred cow within the Gouron Creek Senepol herd. What makes her special? Nothing, she is a Senepol cow doing her job, a WJ Wizard daughter that has had four calves unassisted and is PTIC again to Gouron Lad. Kimberley is run on an old Merino wether block full of regrowth – marginal grazing country and has weaned calves at least 60% of her very efficient body weight of 450kg every year since 2 years of age. The photo below is from March 2010 showing over 540kg of calves (120% of her bodyweight) about to be weaned from Kimberley, while being 3 months PTIC.

It has been a busy year at Gouron Creek Senepol with bulls selling into Seedstock and commercial cattle operations across NSW. This year we have placed an emphasis on promoting and marketing Senepol Cattle on the North West Slopes and Plains of NSW in order to generate continued interest and growth in the use of Senepol genetics anywhere – but particularly where the environment demands it. I look forward to catching up with as many of you as possible at Open Days, shows, meetings etc in 2011. Trevor Price.