ALZU BEEF MASTERS STUD (cattle)

Open invitation
We invite you to visit our farm in the Middelburg - Wonderfontein area in Mpumalanga, to view our animals, to discuss our breeding programme and commercial operations and to observe how easily a Beefmasters cowherd is managed.

Please contact:
Pieter Strydom     Stud Manager         082 388 3338

Hardiness
Hardiness is exemplified by those individuals which carry on their relentless production assignments year after year with minimum assistance.

The hardy animal must perform with only the minimum amount of help.

Milk Production
Selecting for milk production is a simple matter of evaluating the cow's milking abilities as reflected in her calf's weaning weight.

In the case of bulls, herd sires are selected from the bulls with top weaning weights thereby perpetuating the blood from heavy milking females.

Heifers are culled on weight at weaning: cows weaning lightweight calves are also eliminated.

Conformation
In selecting for confirmation what is really under consideration is carcass confirmation fortunately selecting for this characteristic is not difficult because "form follows function" in desirable traits such as body lenght, weaning weight, fertility, feedlot preformance and cutability.

Weight
The vast majority of cattle are marketed on a weight basis thus the importance of weight is universally recognized.

In selecting males for weight under the Alzu system, two factors are involved:

 Weaning weight and
 Post-weaning gain

The weaning weight reflects the milking ability of the mother; the post weaning gain indicates the individuals own capability.

Fertility
The single most important aspect of the Beefmasters animal. A 90% conception rate has been the key to our success. Each female must conceive during a short breeding season of 90 days and then wean a calf, or will be culled. No exceptions are tolerated.

Our herd now comprises 500 studcows, giving consistent production year after year of high quality beef.

Disposition
Disposition has probably received less consideration from cattlemen although it has always been important and today it is even more important because of the increased labour costs. Selecting for disposition is simple, at weaning time the animal with poor disposition can be spotted and culled.

ALZU BEEFMASTERS STUD