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The first
shipment for some years of Charolais embryos, amounting to 200 units,
has been made to Australia, together with some strong semen sales to
leading breeders.
The 200 embryos, the largest embryo export order for
British Charolais, were collected from the Alsnow, Loganbar and Thornham
herds for leading
Queensland breeder, Will Tarry following a visit to the UK earlier this
year when he toured a number of herds, explained Sheila Eggleston, of
Eggs-Port, who facilitated the deal. “He was seriously impressed
by the growth rate, scale, locomotion, calving ease and quality conformation
demonstrated by British Charolais cattle and decided he needed to introduce
some of those genetics to his newly established herd.”
The 1,500 straw consignment from Burradon Talisman, owned
by the Campbell family of Thurnton, Northumberland has been secured by
Charolais Society
of Australia vice-president, Bill Dunlop, of New South Wales. “The
Australian Charolais herd has reached the stage where it is seeking new
blood,” he commented. “We need to put some more structure
and muscularity back in to the breed and British Charolais can help do
that job.” Burradon Talisman is the sire of the Perth (Scotland)
intermediate champion, Thrunton Voldemort who sold for £57,500
(pounds sterling).
Mr Dunlop invested in Talisman on a return trip to
the UK this season after initially securing 1,200 straws of semen from
Goldies Unbeatable
whose first crop of calves are already demonstrating ‘terrific
structure’, he said. “I saw some of Talisman’s calves
and they are the type that will suit the Australian marketplace.”
British Charolais Cattle Society’s David Benson commented: “This
is the first of several embryo shipments to Australia, where Charolais
remains the leading European terminal sire breed. Breeders there are
pleased to have the opportunity to reintroduce British Charolais genetics
which they believe are the right type for the Australian Charolais Herd
Book.”
He added: “British beef producers are not alone - Australian farmers
are also being squeezed to the bone on price by processors. They, too,
have to get the best return per hectare to remain profitable, so that’s
why Charolais naturally fits the bill on weight for age and overall yield.”
For more info see www.charolais.co.uk and www.eggsport.co.uk
[11 Dec 06]
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