Bull semen Argentina bound

There are 10 million cattle with Braford blood thoughout the north and centre of Argentina, making it the second most popular breed in the country, and they are about to get a new genetic injection.

Magdalena Paris, whose parents have operated their stud La Mision for over 30 years, bought the top-priced bull at the National Braford Sale last week.
“We were looking for new blood-lines away from Ascot Neimen so we thought this was the best sale to attend,” Ms Paris.

The Paris family has a long association with Jill Galloway and family, Ascot Neimen, Banana, who also bought a share in the bull.  Ms Paris operates a genetic bank, selling semen from her family’s stud bulls and embryos made from their donors and Ascot Neimen semen.
“I’ve being working with them for 11 years now.  We import the semen from Australia, use it in our own herd and sell it to other studs.”

Braford were the breed of choice for a large country with different climates, and in the last few years agriculture pushed livestock to hard country, especially in the north, she said.
“The diverse nature of the breed allows it to adapt from the hot tropics to inland desert.”
Ms Paris, who sits on the board of directors of the Argentine Braford Association said there are over 700,000 Braford breeding stock registered in the herd books since it began 40 years ago.

Some 300 registered studs with Braford breeding stock are in 15 different provinces in Argentina, registering 50,000 head per year.
“Over 140 properties contributed 220,000 nehaviour-related data from 1300 bulls to EPDs calculations up to 2014”, she said.

The Argentine Braford Association exports around 100 tons of Braford beef a year with its own Hilton Quota to the European Union.
“Australia started with Braford Breed 30 years before us, so it has more generations than us.  That means that the dispersion is less, so the progeny is more predictable than ours,” Ms Paris said.
Now we can say that the intorduction of Australian genetics was very important for our breed.”

Ms Paris also bought Little Valley Warrego, which is different to Garinya Penrith, “So I can say that with these two different bulls a lot of needs can be covered in Argentina.”

The bulls have gone to Rocky Repro, for their semen to be exported to Argentina, and in turn the semen will be esported to other South American countries – perhaps even Africa.

Story by: Inga Stunzner, Queensland Country Life, Fairfax Media.

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