Specific cattles for milk and beef

[Ian1980]

This could be a continue topic of the other one i open already about plan a trip for look after some milk and beef cows, but i would like to open a specific one. There is anyone that knows if in Thailand Simmenthal cattle is ready to sell? Or similar beef cattles?

[kickstart]

About  10 years  ago  the Government  Livestock  Department  DLD, had some Simmenthal  bulls ,they were  mainly used on Thai  dairy  cows ,they thinking was the cross breed  could  be a useful  milking cow  like they are in  Germany and  Switzerland  ,but it did not work  out I come across  a few cross breeds  and most were not good milkers , below average  on milk yield  ,and a lot suffered  from  heat stress ,we had  one crossbreed used as  suckler cow , poor milk yield ,and suffered from heat stress .After this thay died out ,Thai's  never thought of them as a  beef breed ,just a  dairy breed .

The  DLD  did  try a SimBra, a Simmenthal x Brahman, semen ,to be used on Thai  native,and Thai crossbreed cattle,trying to up grade the beef quality ,I  did see  a few  of the crossbreeds  about , a few nice looking animals too, the DLD did not promote  this breed , and  they fell by the way side ,a lot in part due to the growing popularity  of the Indo- Brazil  breed at the time .

Finding semen now not easy Pornchie  in Ratchaburi, if they are still going ,might have some, or you  could try some of the Thai farming  magazines , have seen adverts for bull semen in them.

Or you could try  Charolais, semen available  from the DLD  , and some  Thai farming companies sell Charolais  semen ,having reared both Simmenthal, and Charolais cattle in the UK  they is not a lot between them . 

 

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[Craig krup]

"..a lot suffered  from  heat stress.."

 

In freezing Scotland in the middle of winter cattle can overheat just by being in a tin barn. They kick out a horrific amount of heat, and they don't have that much area for their volume. 

[kickstart]

11 hours ago, Craig krup said:

"..a lot suffered  from  heat stress.."

 

In freezing Scotland in the middle of winter cattle can overheat just by being in a tin barn. They kick out a horrific amount of heat, and they don't have that much area for their volume. 

I have milked cows in the uk  at minus god knows what ,and the milking  palor, with all the cows   use to be the warmest place on the farm .

In Russia  100 plus years ago people lived above the cattle shed ,heat rises ,cattle produce a  lot of heat .

But in the Tropics  were the daily temperature  is  30c plus  ,cattle  still produce a lot of heat ,but with the high   temp ,they can not get rid of the heat ,hence  the heat stress , cattle chew the cud  up to 7 hours a day  if they diet  is rough bulky forage , like rice straw ,that takes a lot of digesting ,a lot of heat is produced ,  one of the major causes of heat stress .

Look at the local beef cattle thay have long ears , with 2 large blood veins ,close to the surface ,blood flowing though  they helps keep the animal cool , European breeds have short ears , that does not help to keep them cool.

I know Thai native cattle  have short ears , but they have become very well adapted to the heat.