The Vital Ingredient

Supplied by the Charbray Society of Australia Ltd

As Red Meat producers we are listening to our consumers. Our aim is to grow our animals thoughtfully on their journey from paddock to plate and to produce eating quality from an ethical and sustainable breeding program.

This journey starts in the paddock, does this mean we need to consider the adaptability of a cattle breed’s genetics to be able to survive in the extremes of our climate? It has been said that survivability merges into eating quality, kind to the country, kind to the cattle, kind to the product, kind to the consumer.

Australian Cattle Breeds are divided into two main groups, Bos Taurus, and Bos Indicus. Bos Taurus breeds are known for their temperament and are best suited to the cooler. Bos Indicus breeds are recognised for their foraging ability, low birth weights, parasite resistance and their adaptability to extremes in temperatures. Therefore, would it not make sense to combine Bos Taurus and Bos Indicus genetics to produce a breed designed with superior performance qualities.

Back in the late 1960’s that was exactly the thoughts of a man named George Robertson who instigated this marriage of genetics with the help of Professor Des Dowling, this was undertaken at the Gatton Agricultural College in Qld. The result, CHARBRAY a tropical breed that has built in Hybrid Vigor. This is the performance advantage that Charbray wield over their foundation parentage.  

Fast forward 50 plus years and Charbray has a solid breeding plan that produces Pure Charbray cattle that display these superior qualities of both Bos Taurus and Bos Indicus genetics. 

Charbray and Charbray infused cattle consistently make the headlines of market reports, their marketability at all stages of growth with weight for age providing flexibility and valuable cash options. They have a higher reproductive edge, more calves weaned for cows mated. Whether its grain or grass they are grading MSA.

The selection of top genetics has long been recognised as a vital ingredient in any beef operation. It is common knowledge that Bulls with depth of breeding will produce a quality line of cattle. It is also common knowledge that the more cattle are bred up genetically, the more softness, fat coverage and marbling is attainable.

Historical figures have proven that a developed Charbray Pedigree is not only delivering consistency in progeny type but more importantly much greater heritability of those important traits, Fat cover, Muscling and above all Temperament.   

This is where the Charbray Society of Australia has given its members the advantage by the creation of a breed plan that is transparent and shows buyers the depth of their linage through a grading system that takes you from the initial foundation progeny to a Charbray Bred grading of C4, C5 and C6.  This breed plan allows today’s cattlemen/women to select the correct type of Charbray genetics to complement their herd and know what they are going to get when their next lot of calves drop.

The “Vital Ingredient” is genetically bred Charbray Seed Stock by Certified Charbray Breeders.                      Proven genetics delivering established consistency in growth, softness, fertility, and temperament.

Links to Australian Charbray Information

Grading/Breeding Table: http://www.charbray.org/societyinfo/breeding-table.html

Standard of Excellence: http://www.charbray.org/breedinfo/standard.html

Breed Attributes: http://www.charbray.org/breedinfo/attributes.html

Breed History: http://www.charbray.org/breedinfo/history.html

Website: www.charbray.org