WA cattle make history in Botswana

The Republic of Botswana government's initiative aims to fast track the growth, production and genetic merit of the country's beef breeding herd through artificial breeding programs using top genetics sourced from beyond the landlocked southern African country's borders.

A group of technical and veterinary consultants overseen by Thapelo Setlalekgosi, 3in1 Agric Consultancy Pty Ltd, Gaborone, Botswana, travelled the State earlier this year, visiting beef studs and privately purchased a total of 77 European, British and Bos Indicus breed bulls and heifers from nine WA studs, and two breeders generously gifted an animal each to the Botswana government.

The cattle are currently in quarantine at an export accredited feedlot at Popanyinning and will be airfreighted to their new home, arriving at the capital's Gaborone international airport on Tuesday, May 14.

The consignment has also made history on several fronts - being the first live Murray Grey cattle imported to the African continent, the first Australian Limousin and Shorthorn exported live into Botswana and the first red factor Charolais cattle ever imported into Botswana.

The WA shipment follows the Botswana government's investment in 162 bulls and heifers from Texas, in the United States, in May last year.

Mr Setlalekgosi said the cattle were owned by the Botswana government and would go into artificial breeding facilities to produce germplasm in the form of fertilised embryos and semen.

"The aim of the government is to produce as many embryos and semen as possible so cattle farmers can buy the genetics from these quality stud animals," Mr Setlalekgosi said.

"This will improve the breeds with quality genetics and increase cattle numbers as quickly as possible.

"Good cattle improve weight, more weight is more dollars.

"We were very serious in terms of selection, we had a team of scientists as part of the trip to assist in selecting top notch bulls and females.

"We looked for top potential stud bulls and heifers with proven genetic traits in its pedigree.

"I have to say, Australia has some of the best cattle in the world."

The Botswana national cattle herd is estimated at 1.5 million head, supplying domestic and export markets, but Mr Setlalekgosi said the government was looking to double the size of the herd in the next three years.

"The breeding program is government subsided so the embryos and semen will be very affordable for the Botswana cattle farmers," he said.

"We have supplied the EU and other African markets for many years with beef and are continually looking for lucrative markets.

"Our beef is basically 90pc organic, grassfed and free of growth hormones and why it's the best beef in the world."

Mr Setlalekgosi said the WA visit stemmed from Republic of Botswana president Mokgweetsi Masisi's visit to the Munda Reds Droughtmaster stud at Gingin in September last year, where he was very impressed with what he saw and wanted to widen the search across different breeds.

Munda Reds stud principal Mike Thompson said the visit from the Botswana president and his entourage last year was a special experience for the Munda Reds team.

"President Masisi with 50 of his ministers and bodyguards visited the farm for an afternoon in September, it was quite a sight," he said.

"We put on a barbecue and showed them what we do - they were staying for a couple of hours and ended up staying all day.

"The group was impressed with our cattle and the government started formulating plans to return to buy bulls, heifers and semen from us.

"A huge undertaking using a 747 jumbo jet direct flight into Gaborone airport.

"The cattle sales to Botswana have been a great result for the Droughtmaster breed and WA beef cattle industry as a whole."

Munda Reds Droughtmasters represented the largest individual stud consignment of cattle consisting of 20 bulls and heifers.

This included five yearling and rising two-year-old bulls and 12 heifers by influential sires Garthowen Velocity, Sc Glencoe, Munda Brute Force, Glenavon Redmont, Kapalee Game Changer, Wajatryn Industry, High Country First Rate and Glenavon Tornado.

One of these heifers by Garthowen Velocity was generously donated by the Thompson family and the Munda Reds team to the Republic of Botswana government.

Mr Setlalekgosi also purchased three rising two-year-old bulls by Sc Glencoe, Glenavon Tornado and Lisgar Dallas from the Munda Reds on-property bull sale recently, with the Sc Glencoe son the only bull to make the flight to Botswana with the other two bulls purchased as semen sires.

Also among the larger individual stud contributions was 16 animals in total from Tony and Loreen Kitchen's Bandeeka Simmental and Red Angus stud, Boyanup.

From the traditional Simmentals they selected two rising two-year-old bulls and a yearling bull, an unjoined first calving cow and calf at foot, two rising two-year-old show heifers (one joined and one unjoined) and five unjoined yearling heifers to go with four maiden calving PTIC Red Angus heifers.

The first of the older bulls, Bandeeka Tigermoth T41, was selected from the Bandeeka show team with its only showing yielding the interbreed junior champion bull exhibit at the Brunswick Show last year.

The mid-June 2022 born polled bull was sired by a Willandra Kingston son Bandeeka Ruffian and out of a Bullock Hills Kansas daughter Bandeeka Q Remember.

The other older bull was Bandeeka Take Charge T40, a late March 2022 born bull by another Kingston bred son Bandeeka Rockstar and out of a Bandeeka Casha daughter Bandeeka H Lady.

The late April 2023 born yearling bull Bandeeka Ultimate U11 was sired by K.B.V. Legacy and out of an influential sire Bandeeka Fancypants' daughter, Bandeeka Miss Tash2.

Also from the show team was mid-July 2021-born first calver Bandeeka Semmy S48 and her bull calf at foot by Bandeeka Rooster.

The unjoined cow was by influential sire Bandeeka Power Pack and out of a Fancypants's daughter Bandeeka Nemmy N6, who is the twin sister to Bandeeka Nimmy N2, who went unbeaten in the show ring for two years.

The top rising two-year-old heifer Bandeeka Topaz U11 was the champion junior Simmental female at the 2023 Brunswick Show and advanced in calf, AI'd to Bandeeka Tigermoth.

The mid-July 2022 born heifer was sired by Glen Anthony Y-Arta and out of a Powerpack daughter, Bandeeka Ruby R5.

The younger unjoined spring 2022 drop rising 2yo show heifer Bandeeka Tulip was by K.B.V. Legacy and out of another Fancypants daughter Bandeeka Nimmy.

K.B.V. Legacy featured as the sire of four of the yearling Simmental heifers which ranged from late March to mid-May 2023-drop.

The other Simmental heifer was a spring-drop by Ruffian which the Kitchen family gifted to Mr Setlalekgosi for his birthday present to use in his own Simmental stud.

The Bandeeka Red Angus heifers were all sired by Tronar Quid Q93 with three heifers born June and August 2022, while the other was a spring 2021-drop heifer.

All heifers were PTIC to Bandeeka's new Tronar sire Total T005 and the team included a heifer from their show team Bandeeka Red Toffee T2.

Ms Kitchen said it was a pleasure to host the Botswana group.

"They are beautiful people and great company who were terribly excited about our cattle," Ms Kitchen said.

The Yost family's Liberty Charolais and Shorthorn studs, Toodyay, were another large individual stud consignment with a total of 10 animals of both breeds booked for a flight across the Indian ocean.

It consisted of a single yearling Charolais bull and five yearling Charolais heifers, while making up the first live Australian Shorthorn animals to be imported into Botswana were two yearling bulls and two unjoined yearling heifers.

This reintroduces Shorthorns to the Botswana herd after its influence faded away some time ago.

First of the Shorthorn bulls is a roan late February 2023 born, Liberty U Cracker Jack U15 (P) (AI), the first son of Liberty's new AI sire Outback Sprys Solar R269 and out of a The Grove J0837 daughter, Liberty New Town Girl, which ranks in the breed's top 3pc for API index and top 2-3pc for weaning, yearling and maternal weaning weights.

The other deep red Shorthorn bull, Liberty U Ripper U17, is a double polled late February born son of Sprys Boom Time M222 and a Crathes Hastings daughter.

The older of the heifers was Liberty Tahiti T40, a late August 2022 born show heifer by a Crooked Post Stockman son, Liberty Quervo Q1 and out of a Southcote Hero H1 daughter, Narralda Eliza Q50, which was the supreme Shorthorn exhibit at the 2023 Perth Royal Show, aged 13 months.

The younger roan heifer was born late March 2023 to a Statue Hill Marshall son, Liberty Quarterback and out of a Sprys Exclusive J13 daughter, Liberty Nashville.

The shipment will also contain the first red factor Charolais cattle into Botswana and the Yost family will also contribute four red factor animals.

The March 1, 2023 born red factor polled yearling bull, Liberty U Betcha U33 (AI), is the first son of Liberty Smokin Aces S16 (by WC Milestone 5223) to be offered and is out of a Kooyong Powerplay daughter, Liberty Red Cherokee.

The high indexing (top 1-5pc) young bull recorded explosive performance being a trait leader for 400-DW and CW, top 15pc 600-DW, top 5pc mature cow weight, top 10pc 200-DW, top 15pc milk and positive fats.

The red factor Charolais heifer draft contains three polled daughters of Palgrove Poundmaker, born from mid-February to mid-March 2023, which all performed strongly in their Breedplan performance across a range of traits from calving ease and gestation to carcase and fats.

One of these heifers was Culham U Hot To Trot U2 from Kevin and Robin Yost daughters' Morgan and Jess Yost's Culham stud, which was out of a Liberty Panchali daughter Culham Royal Supernova.

The two other white Charolais heifers were a mid-March 2023 born polled daughter of Liberty Panchali and a spring 2022-drop ET-bred double polled heifer by Liberty Just Ramblin Along and top donor cow, Liberty Herseys Kisses (by Liberty Below Zero).

Liberty stud co-principal Robin Yost said the family was very excited to be involved in the first live shipment of Australian Shorthorns and red factor Charolais introduced into Botswana.

Gary and Julie Buller, Monterey Murray Grey and Angus studs, Karridale/Scott River, sold 12 Murray Grey and Angus bulls and heifers which are the first live Murray Grey cattle ever exported to the African continent.

Not familiar with the Murray Grey breed, the Bullers generously donated yearling bull Monterey Ultra Star U3 to an appreciative government who later purchased heifers.

Ultra Star is by Monterey Marvellous M130 out of Monterey Joyce J296.

Monterey stud co-principal Gary Buller said Joyce was the dam of a well-performed stud sire, Monterey Pharaoh P224, currently breeding at Ayr Park Murray Grey stud at Woodstock, New South Wales and Marvellous's first crop of sons averaged $11,500 at the 2021 Monterey sale.

The three Murray Grey heifers were daughters of Monterey Limitless L198 and Monterey Monarch M278.

The Angus consignment comprised two bulls aged 16-19 months which were sons of Texas Handyman Q464 and Prime Dusty R41 while the six Angus heifers represented a good cross section of sires being by Monterey Patriarch P102, WR Full House, Prime Dusty R41, Prime Keystone R38, Millah Murrah Complement L238 and Texas Handyman Q464.

Mr Buller said he was involved with the first Murray Grey semen to be exported to South Africa for a research trial and was excited to export the first live Murray Grey cattle to the African continent.

"The group had never seen Murray Grey cattle before and our donation of Ultrastar U3 to the country caused great excitement among them and they returned to buy some Murray Grey heifers," Mr Buller said.

"They are nice people and my staff mingled and everyone enjoyed themselves.

"Great cattle people who appreciated having good cattle presented to select from, which is a positive.

"All females were later spring drop, vet checked, well grown beautiful heifers ready for mating and were straight off grass paddocks without supplementary feeding prior to their inspection."

James and Casey Morris, Morrisvale Limousin stud, Narrikup, were the first Australian breeders to export live Limousin cattle into Botswana with a consignment of three polled yearling bulls and four polled apricot coated yearling heifers.

The bulls consisted of a mid-March 2023 born apricot bull by RPY Paynes Cracker 17E, out of Maryvale Kaylah K444, a polled late February 2023 born red coated son of Greenwood Fernando 704F and a Morrisvale Kept Secret daughter Morrisvale Northern Flame and an early April 2023 born ET-bred apricot bull by Kept Secret and a Morrisvale Lethal Weapon daughter Morrisvale Natures Kiss N5.

Heading the line of heifers was the multibreed champion junior female at this year's Wagin Woolorama, Morrisvale Unforgettable Kiss, an early April 2023 born ET-bred full sister to the Kept Secret and Natures Kiss N5 bred bull.

Other heifers included a late March 2023 born daughter of renowned Kept Secret bred sire, Morrisvale Lumberjack and a Garren Park Nightrider daughter, Morrisvale Rarely Kissed, a late February 2023 born heifer by JVF Gentry 507G and a Kept Secret daughter Morrisvale Northern Flame and an early March 2023 born daughter of RPY Paynes Cracker 17E and Brentvale Stella N10.

James and Casey said they were extremely excited to export the first live Australian Limousins to Botswana who were particularly keen on Morrisvale Lumberjack and Kept Secret genetics.

"We are proud to add this to our breeding profile alongside selling the first live stud Limousin heifers to Maylasia in 2022," James said.

"Botswana has been losing bidders on Lumberjack sons and daughters in South Africa at numerous sales the past two years which have sold up to $60,000.

"Lumberjack is still the only Australian Limousin bull to be exported to three countries in one consignment; he is breeding well all over the world and they are excited to finally get their hands on his genetics.

"The winning heifer from Wagin sired by Kept Secret, the 2017 Limousin feature show winner in Sydney, wasn't initially offered for sale but they wanted the best so we decided to part with her so they could start with a star in the making."

Irongate Wagyu stud, Kalgan, sold a total of six full blood Wagyu cattle to Botswana consisting of two bulls and four heifers.

The heifers are late 2022-drop with three heifers by homebred sons of ET-bred sire Tyddewi N4451, being Irongate Mayitoshigeyama R162 (AI), Irongate Mayitoshigenami Jnr R219 (AI) and Irongate Mayitoharutaka R280 (AI), while the other heifer was by a son of ET-bred Irongate Michifuku F126 Jnr M352, being Irongate Michifuku P961.

The bulls were rising two-year-olds with one by Tyddewi N4451 and Mayitoshigeyama R162 (by Tyddewi N4451).

Irongate Wagyu livestock manager Lachy Gilmour said all the heifers were selected for their outstanding phenotype as well as advanced yet diverse genetics.

"They present some impressive maternal traits and provide a strong base for future breeding," Mr Gilmour said.

He said the bulls were selected based on their exceptional marbling and eye muscle area breeding potential.

"One of the bulls, Irongate T53, presents some impressive maternal and growth traits for future breeding generations," Mr Gilmour said.

"Both bulls are related to some degree back to the world-renowned Mayura Itoshigenami Jnr that has had a significant influence over the Australian Wagyu industry over the past 20 years."

David and Jan Ellis and family, Kooyong Charolais stud, Coolup, also contributed to the first consignment of red factor Charolais cattle into the country with a red factor bull and an unjoined two-year-old heifer.

The Kooyong sales also included three white unjoined two-year-old heifers.

The late April 2022 born red factor Charolais bull Kooyong Titanium T48 is a double polled bull by power sire Kooyong Power P34E (P) (ET-bred by Harvie Redemption 36P and Charnelle Elle) and out of a Kooyong Excalibur daughter, Kooyong Joyce.

The high indexing bull matches calving ease and gestation length (top 5-10pc), with strong growth in the top 1-5pc for 400 and 600-DW, top 5-10pc CW and IMF with positive fats.

The mid February 2022 double polled red factor heifer was also by Kooyong Power and out of a Kooyong Blandy daughter, Kooyong Hope H16.

The three white heifers consisted of a mid-March 2022 born polled heifer AI-bred by Chardonnay Blackjack Q4 and a TR Mr Fire Water 5792 daughter, Kooyong Kendall K18, a late March 2022 born double polled heifer ET-bred by Silverstream Manhattan M171 and a Kooyong Eric sired donor female Kooyong Jewel and finally a late April 2022 born horned heifer by Kooyong Ripper (ET-bred by Lt Bluegrass 4017 and Linkletter W1) and a D Angely R sired daughter, Kooyong Mischa.

Another stud in the Gingin area the group visited was Mark and Chloe Madew's Cundarra Santa Gertrudis stud, where they selected five rising two-year-old stud Santa Gertrudis heifers.

The unjoined heifers ranged from April to June 2022-drop and featured strong Rosevale influence in their pedigrees through their sires Rosevale Newton R548 (PP), Rosevale Jackaroo P294 (P) and Biara 7105 (PS), which is a son of Rosevale Crackerjack F334.

One of the heifers was Cundarra Tinkerbell T017, an early June 2022 born heifer by Biara 7105 and an AI-bred Rosevale Maverick M102 daughter, Cundarra Quartet, which recorded an awesome spread of Breedplan performance figures, ranking in the breed's top 1-5pc for gestation length, 200 and 600-day weights and carcase weights, top 5pc milk, top 5-10pc for 400-DW, mature cow weight and eye muscle area, top 15pc retail beef yield with positive fats.

The party ventured east to Williams to the Cowcher family's Willandra stud where they selected two stud yearling Red Angus heifers.

Heading the two unjoined April 2022-drop heifers was Willandra Copper Lady U75, which was sired by emerging stud sire Willandra Quo Vadis and the first calf out of a Jutland Nino N18 daughter, Willandra Copper Lady S52.

Willandra stud co-principal Peter Cowcher said U75 was the pick of the 2023-drop heifers.

"We rated her highly; it was a difficult decision to part with her," Mr Cowcher said.

"Once the group saw her and then her sire, they were really keen; Quo Vadis looks like he is going to be a good stud sire for us, trait leader for birthweight with good growth and carcase traits."

The other heifer, Willandra Urchin U57, was sired by a Willandra Memphis M14 son, Willandra Quest Q27 and out of a Willandra Highgate H50 daughter, Willandra Urchin N48.

In addition to the WA purchases, the Botswana government also purchased six full blood Wagyu cattle consisting of four heifers and two bulls from Austrek Wagyus in Queensland and six Brahman cattle from the Rocklea Brahman stud, also in Queensland, made up by five heifers and one bull.

While on the east coast, the government also selected 150 dairy goats (135 does and 15 bucks), representing three breeds which were sourced from Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.