Demand for quality native cattle from German breeders seems to be soaring. We've already seen Galloway and Highland cattle head across the water and now the Herefords are next to begin their travels.
One of the UK's leading Hereford herds, J R B Wilson and Sons from Cowbog, Kelso have re-established links with Europe with a 17-month old bull and two heifers travelling to near Bremen in Northern Germany to Hergen Eickhorst, a regular buyer from the Wilson's Romany Herd prior to the EU Export ban in 1990.
Accompanying Romany 1 Classic was Romany 1 Cavalier, a son of senior stock bull Crickley 1 Figurehead, sold to Rinderproduktion Weigand, who have Germany's largest Hereford Herd of 100 cows south of Berlin. This five figure shipment arrived safely in Germany last Saturday.
Also tapping into the UK market are Danish breeders Annie and Bjarne Lawrie-Eichen of Holbaek. Picking out some of the best genetics from the Mara Herd Sale held at the home of Bob and Margaret Borwick of Preston Deanery, Northampton, during the Autumn.
Included in this shipment were the 18 month old bull, Mara Bastion, sired by Clipston Bowman (see below). Bastion had, during the previous summer, been judged the best suckling calf in the East Midlands Herds competition.
Also a 3-year old daughter of Bowman, Mara Bonny 15th, together with her bull calf, Mara Dictator, sired by An-hay Bosorne (bred by John and Melanie Williams, Helston, Cornwall) and a 10-month old maiden heifer, Mara Bonny 19th, also sired by Bosorne.
Comments (3)
Great to see the Hereford breed making progress overseas. This breed has a lot to offer and needs to capture every optortunity to promote and market them.
The Hereford breed seams to be a sleeping giant, potentially they can challenge the other native breeds, such as the Angus and Shorthorns. It would be nice to see more about this breed.
Thank you
Posted by Kerry Buttriss | February 28, 2007 2:17 PM
Posted on February 28, 2007 14:17
I agree, but I think there is still some work to be done in terms of balancing frame, size and available meat yeild. I think there's still too many excessively framed (Canadian-bred) bulls being used, which aren't delivering quite what the market needs.
Get the right cross for a suckler cow and I've seen them do wonders for producing quality crossbred cattle.
Posted by Chrissie | March 2, 2007 8:50 AM
Posted on March 2, 2007 08:50
Totally agree with you, again similar to what has happened to the Angus breed, with too much frame, slightly losing sight of good conformantion, and purpose of breed!
Posted by Kerry Buttriss | March 2, 2007 12:00 PM
Posted on March 2, 2007 12:00