Senepol’s Island Fling
In August a small Australian Senepol delegation travelled to New Caledonia at the personal invitation of Mr Roger Galliot, the President of the New Caledonia Senepol Breeders. The trip was entirely self funded by the individuals involved. Whilst in New Caledonia Tony Baker signed an accord agreeing, on behalf of the ASCBA, to assist with the supply of further genetics and make representations on behalf of the New Caledonia Senepol Breeders to the Australian Minister for Primary Industries on their behalf and also on behalf of Australian Senepol Breeders wishing to supply genetics. Also we again thank our hosts for their hospitality and showing us such a wonderful time.
Breed offers quality and tackles ticks
BEEF is a popular part of the diet for New Caledonians, despite the small island being a great place to grab a bite of seafood. The taste for red meat comes from the French influence and has been adopted by the locals too, said the managing director for the Brisbane based breeding consultant company, Breedlink, Don Nicol. However, the development of resistance to chemicals in the cattle tick population has meant diversifying their breeds, mainly Limousin and Charolais, by introducing Brahmans, Droughtmasters, Santa Gertrudis, and most recently, Senepol. The president of the Australian Senepol Cattle Breeders’ Association, Tony Baker, said the New Caledonian Senepol Association was formed in 2007 and now has 35 members. It was formed to establish the Senepol breed in New Caledonia, situated to the north east of Australia, for pure and crossbreeding. “Basically they’re looking for something to give a bit of tick resistance as well as maintaining their meat quality,” Mr Baker said. The main product was boueff (beef) cut from three-year-old steers finished on improved pastures, and processed at one of the island’s multi-species abattoirs. Mr Nicol said the pastures in New Caledonia were being improved with the introduction of panic, setaria, rhodes grass, signal grass and the legume, seca stylo. Mr Baker was invited to New Caledonia by the New Caledonian Senepol Association president, Roger Gagaloit, to the first Senepol exhibition following the first shipment’s release from quarantine. This was held at the Bourail Agricultural Fair, the island’s second largest show, where the Senepol breed had a static display of Senepol and Senepol/Charolais cattle. “The guys over there were ecstatic with the interest they got, but their big problem is actually sourcing more genetics.” He said New Caledonian Senepol breeders had begun looking at importing embryos, “which is out of their comfort zone because they haven’t done a lot of work with embryos”. There were also limitations on where they could source new genetics, the available methods of transport and quarantine capacity on entry to New Caledonia. Mr Nicol said any imported cattle had to be from tick free zones and south of the bluetongue line, and there was a limit of about 40 head at any one time in the New Caledonia quarantine facility. He said the preferred option would be to use portable livestock units (PLUs) via boat, which took about two days from Australia and was cheaper than air freight, but these were presently not covered by Australia’s live export regulations. “I think the key to it will be success in embryo transfer (ET), this is number one,” Mr Nicol said. ET would also reduce the disease risk and there were plans for a pilot trial later this year. Meanwhile, an application to get the PLUs up to export standards had been submitted and if successful would become a preferred option, allowing regular shipments of small numbers at a relatively low cost to the importers.
A complete package
NEW Caledonia is better known as a getaway destination than for its beef, but Australian beef producers have found a small market there for their genetics. The managing director of breeding consultant company, Breedlink at Brisbane, Don Nicol, said the French island’s herd of about 110,000 head was predominantly Charolais and Limousin. These breeds had been adequate until the past few years when the development of chemical resistance in the cattle tick population (introduced from Australia) meant they needed better tick resistance in their cattle. Importations of Brahmans, Droughtmasters and Santa Gertrudis had occurred, but after recent visits, the Senepol breed had caught their eye for its Bos taurus-type temperament, meat quality and tick resistance, all in the one package. Mr Nicol said the New Caledonians also felt the breed was suited to their farm size where 150 head was the general size for a large herd. He said the first shipment went in 2007 from Dallas Hawkins’ Caribbean stud, Holbrook and Hay, and included 24 one and two-year-old bulls and 15 heifers. Pictured is a line of Charolais and Limousin breeders with Senepol-cross calves.
Articles by ANDREW NORRIS Livestock editor, THE LAND.
