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HISTORY
The first Beefmaster semen reached South Africa in 1981. Paul
Yiannakis of Compa Beefmasters, at the time a Santa Gertrudis
breeder, was visiting the USA in 1978 in search of new genetic
material when he came across Beefmasters. Charlie Bradbury and
Mickey Johnson from BBU (Beefmaster Breeders’ Universal) visited
South Africa in 1980 and on their return to the USA approached a
number BBU members to donate semen to South Africa. The first
consignment was imported via Botswana and used on Brahman-cross
cows.
In 1986 Paul Yiannakis of Compa Beefmasters was one of the founder
members of Beefmaster SA. In 1988 he was also the first breeder to
import American bulls from the Lasater Ranch in Colorado. With the
assistance of Dr Herman Venter a total of six bulls were chosen
and imported from the USA.
Manuel da Costa of Manjoh Ranch was inspired by the same Dr
Venter, his herd consultant, to purchase his first Beefmaster
bulls in 1988. After seeing the calving results, Manjoh Ranch
joined the Beefmaster Breeders’ Society in 1990.
In 2001 Compa and Manjoh decided to present their production
auction jointly under the auspices of the Beefmaster Alliance.
After a very successful auction, the Alliance decided to visit
America to explore new genetics. The Beefmaster Alliance imported
four bulls and became South African distributor of Lasater semen
from the USA.
Since 2002 only American semen is used for AI. Between 800 and
1000 female animals are artificially inseminated annually. These
include heifers aged between 12 and 15 months who are synchronised
and inseminated. Heifers must calve at 24 months and conceive
again in order to remain in the herd.
In 2007 the Beefmaster Alliance decided to integrate their herds,
thus pooling half a century’s breeding expertise in one herd. With
their more than 1800 females, they became the largest registered
Beefmaster herd in South Africa. All females are kept at Nigel and
all males at Delmas. This is so that females and males can be
compared with one another in an identical environment. The herd at
Moloto will provisionally remain there because of the heartwater
area.
Some 700 bull calves are performance tested annually. Since 2006
approximately 2800 bulls have been performance tested. Annually,
200 bulls are selected for the Beefmaster Alliance production sale
held on the first Thursday in August. |
GESKIEDENIS
Die heel eerste Beefmastersemen het Suid-Afrika in 1981 bereik.
Paul Yiannakis van Compa Beefmasters, destyds ’n Santa
Gertrudis-teler, was in 1978 op soek na nuwe genetika in Amerika
toe hy met Beefmasters kennis gemaak het. In 1980 het Charlie
Bradbury en Mickey Johnson Suid-Afrika besoek en met hul terugkeer
na Amerika ’n aantal Beefmaster Breeders’ Union (BBU) telers
genader om semen aan Suid-Afrika te skenk. Die eerste semen is via
Botswana ingevoer en op Brahmaankruiskoeie gebruik.
In 1986 was Paul Yiannakis van Compa Beefmasters een van die
stigterslede van Beefmaster SA. Hy was ook in 1988 een van die
eerste telers wat Amerikaanse bulle van die Lasater Ranch in
Colorado ingevoer het nadat hy met behulp van dr. Herman Venter
bulle op een van Tom Lasater se produksieveilings uitgesoek het.
Manuel da Costa van Manjoh Ranch is in 1988 deur die einste dr.
Herman Venter, wat ook sy kuddekonsultant was, geïnspireer om sy
eerste Beefmasterbulle te koop. Nadat hy die kalfoes gesien het,
sluit Manjoh Ranch in 1990 by die Beefmasterbeestelersgenootskap
aan.
In 2001 besluit Compa en Manjoh om hul produksieveiling
gesamentlik aan te bied, onder die vaandel van Beefmaster
Alliance. Na ’n baie suksesvolle veiling, besluit die Alliance om
Amerika te besoek om nuwe genetika te ondersoek. Die Beefmaster
Alliance het vier bulle ingevoer en die alleenverspreider in
Suid-Afrika van alle Lasatersemen uit Amerika geword.
Sedert 2002 word slegs Amerikaanse semen vir KI gebruik. Tussen
800 en 1000 vroulike diere word jaarliks kunsmatige geïnsemineer,
insluitend verse wat tussen 12 en 15 maande gesinkroniseer en
geïnsemineer word. Verse moet op 24 maande kalf en herbeset word
om in die kudde te bly.
In 2007 besluit die Beefmaster Alliance om hulle kuddes saam te
snoer. Sodoende word sowat ’n halfeeu se telingondervinding saam
in een kudde byeengebring en word die onderneming met sy meer as
1800 vroulike diere die grootste geregistreerde Beefmasterkudde in
Suid-Afrika. Alle vroulike diere loop by Nigel en alle manlike
diere by Delmas. Die rede hiervoor is om vroulike diere in
dieselfde omgewing met mekaar te kan vergelyk. Die kudde op Moloto
bly voorlopig daar as gevolg van die hartwaterarea.
Daar word jaarliks op sowat 700 bulkalwers prestasietoetsing
gedoen. Sedert 2006 is 2800 bulle reeds prestasiegetoets en 200
word vir die Beefmaster Alliance se jaarlikse produksieveiling
voorberei wat op die eerste Donderdag in Augustus aangebied word. |
