Summary & Conclusions

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  16 mth Bull Ist Outing Toowoomba Show 09

  The Belmont has undergone more rigorous and exhaustive evaluations than any other breed. It has been compared in its own right and in crossbreeding trials to traditional British, European, Brahman and Brahman derived breeds in Tropical and temperate environments. All the results have proven beyond doubt that it has by far the best ability of all breeds to produce beef efficiently under a wide range of environments.

• It has been shown that the Belmont has many advantages over the British and European breeds as a sire breed in crossbreeding programmes with the Brahman and breeds derived from it in the North. The Belmont confers all the production and beef quality benefits of temperate breeds, but because of its adaptation, using Belmont bulls does not require special treatment as would temperate breed bulls (Angus, Charolaise, Hereford etc.)

• Of particular interest, are the CRC findings that using a composite like the Belmont, would result in $17 per adult equivalent higher gross margin than a crossbreeding programme based on Brahman herds. In addition to this there is the advantage of managing a simple straight breeding programme in contrast to a complex crossbreeding programme.

• Predicted Climate change indicates that large areas of temperate and sub-tropical Australia in which British and European breeds are currently being run, will become more harsh i.e. hotter and drier, making them less suitable for temperate breeds. The Belmont possessing all the production, carcase and meat quality traits, in addition to heat, drought, disease and parasite tolerance, makes them the logical replacement for temperate breeds in the regions that are or will be adversely impacted by climate change.

• What is abundantly clear, and has been conclusively proved, is that although the Belmont is a tropical breed, it is also equal to or better than the temperate breeds in the temperate environments for all the important production traits viz. Fertility and Growth, and Carcase and Meat quality traits. In addition it has all the traits required for easy and efficient management such survival, ease of calving, disease resistance, and heat tolerance. It can therefore replace many existing breeds in the temperate regions and improve productivity without any risk at all.

• All results from scientific and commercial trials prove conclusively and beyond doubt that the breed is;

1. Highly Fertile
2. Very Docile
3. High Weight gains
4. High yielding Carcases
5. High quality Beef in feedlots and on pasture in the northern and temperate environments
6. Adapted to a wide range of environments.