Easy access at the tip of your fingers, subscribe to our daily ePaper version of our New Era Newspaper.
Home / Brahmans scoop 54 percent of all places at 2016 auctions
Brahmans scoop 54 percent of all places at 2016 auctions
2016-11-15Staff Report 2 Windhoek - The Brahman breed proved itself once again to be an outstanding breed by winning 54 percent of all the first, second and third places at countrywide auctions for heifers in the feedlot, veld and breeding categories in 2016. Announcing these outstanding performances, Dawid Krause of Feedlot says Namibian breeders can deliver the best results possible by using Brahman as part of their production systems. He remarked during the recent annual Brahman Symposium and Auction in Windhoek that Brahman “was made for this country.” Krause added that the Brahman is sustainable, hardened and can survive in the veld. Commercial Brahman breeding in Namibia is of the highest quality and maintains high production. Krause used auctions at Grootfontein, Gobabis, Otavi, Outjo, Otjiwarongo, Rehoboth, Okahandja and Aub as examples to illustrate where Brahman and Brahman cross-breed weaners were by far the most popular, because of their better overall build, especially their back muscles. He said usually breeders enter a package of weaners for these auctions and due to the drought, producers had to enter packages of not less than 12 animals. These animals were then judged according to strict criteria, depending on whether they were from the veld, feedlots or for breeding purposes. The judging criteria included branding, hide and skin damage, temperament, de-horning, mass uniformity, as well as growth potential. Heifers were judged for their breeding capacity and Krause says the Brahman did so well because commercial producers of these animals do fertility tests annually and due to their uniformity. These breeders also ensure they buy top quality bulls from the best breeders possible and make sure they understand breeding values to obtain the best results. During the symposium the contribution of the Brahman toward better overall quality of the national herd was also discussed and lauded. Jacques Els of the Namibian Stud Breeders Association further informed the attendants about the genetics breeding programme for Brahman in Namibia. 2016-11-15Staff Report 2
