Beef Farming History Introduction of Beef Cattle to

Beef Farming History

Introduction of Beef Cattle to New Zealand • Reverend Samuel Marsden landed the first cattle in Bay of Islands in 1814. • By the 1840’s Shorthorns were imported from Australia.

Beef cattle’s primary role was to clear land to be used for sheep farming

By 1851 - For every 6 sheep there was 1 cattle beast

By 1950’s the ratio was 12 -14 sheep per one cattle beast

By 2000 the ratio had decreased to 9 sheep per 1 cattle beast due to an increase in popularity in beef breeds

Main Beef Breeds • Early maturing breeds, therefore can be bred early as well as finished early. • They can also tolerate harsh conditions.

Aberdeen Angus

Hereford

White Face Angus X Hereford

Exotics Beef Breeds • Introduced to New Zealand to increase cattle beast size and leanness of meat. • Pure bred exotics require high quality feed so are suited to intensive farms

Charolais

Limousin

Simmental

Belgium Blue High meat yield

Wagyu Very high quality meat

Murray Grey

Cross Breeding • Cross breeding has enabled farmers to incorporate the exotic breed qualities into our main beef breeds. • This new cross breeds has qualities of both and used on semi-extensive farms.

Angus vs Charolais The angus calf is actually 5 weeks older then the charolais!!

Friesian Bulls • Easily available as by product of dairy farms. • Fast growth rates and produce lean meat! • This bull beef is mainly exported to USA to be used in hamburgers.

Dairy Beef Dairy cows X Beef bulls • These are surplus calves off dairy farms grown as bulls, steers or heifers for the prime beef or manufacturing beef. • Friesian bulls • Friesian X Hereford (beef bull) • Jersey X Murray grey (beef bull)

Minor Breeds

Belted Galloway

White Galloway

Santa Gertrudis Survives in hot, dry conditions

Red Devon