Producers with British bred breeding herds are increasingly turning to Santa Gertrudis to take advantage of the breed’s leading resilience and sustainability traits to hit specifications in a variable climate and markets.

Santa Gertrudis Breeders Association of Australia director, breeder and stock agent Neil Watson, of Tamworth, NSW, said using Santa genetics was proving an attractive option for the beef supply chain with weight for age, carcase quality, feed efficiency, longevity and docility.

“Santa Gertrudis is one of the most versatile breeds of cattle – they can be crossed with any other breed for a profitable result,” Mr Watson said.

“They can be joined to Hereford, Angus, Charolais, Shorthorn and Brahman, positively changing the outcome of the progeny not only in weight for age and meat Standards Australia compliance but also importantly sustainability.”

Mr Watson said the breed was tracking well on genetic gain in the key profit drivers leading to improved outcomes for the producer, supply chain and end consumer.

He was one of the first seedstock producers to collect intramuscular fat data on bulls and continues to be impressed with the results.

“We are now seeing individual bulls scanning as high as 7.0 and 8.0 score for marbling, which is as good if not better than many British bred cattle,” he said.

“Buyers are now actively chasing sires with higher IMF estimated breeding values (EBVS) with some processors offering 20-40c/kg premium for carcases with higher marble scores.

“The breed has also introduced a new selection index for using bulls as terminal sires to produce heavy export progeny.”

The Santa Gertrudis Breeders Association of Australia has strategic commercial supply chain initiatives to deliver feedlot and over the hooks data back to the producer to create new market options.

“Over the next 12months the Association will be partnering with feedlots to collect feed yard and chiller data on feedlot performance, profitability, carcase value and retail beef yield,” Mr Watson said.

“We are planning more programs with large commercial feedlots and collaborating with industry partners to support the breed with technology and R & D outcomes.

“The Association requires all stud sires to be DNA recorded using a 50K SNP to increase the genetic accuracy in our sire battery throughout the whole country.

“The straight bred and crossbred Santa cattle are well recognised in feedlots for their doability, weight gain and profit but to enhance it more the Association actively encourages beef producers to comply with health parameters, immune competence, and on-farm quality assurance programs.

“We are encouraging MSA grading data to be collected for evaluation in BREEDPLAN to deliver high eating quality and consistency. Driving that MSA Index is carcase weight, ossification, and marbling which the Santa does well with heavier cattle at a young skeletal maturity.”

Seedstock producers have actively selected for temperament over the decades with lot feeders and processors appreciating the docility, ability to settle on feed quickly and minimal dark cutters on the kill floor.

When it comes to grass fed production, the Santa Gertrudis shine with above average daily gain and early maturity for the yearling grass-fed beef market. While the breed also has the flexibility to meet specifications for the bullock or heavy grass-fed markets with high red meat yield and eye muscle area and adequate fat.

“Grass-fed is our key market as the cattle can do it naturally – Santa and Santa cross cattle have the ability to put on weight with adequate fat cover off grass in environments ranging from northern and central Queensland to Victoria,” Mr Watson said.

“There is a great versatility within the breed to suit different climatic areas giving market flexibility. The driver to profitability is hitting the market specifications with milk teeth cattle and Santas do that with ease.”

The breed’s superior average daily gains, feed efficiency, heat tolerance, docility, and immune competence result in strong demand from lot feeders for domestic and export programs.

“They are a low cost/low maintenance breed with a high resistance to bloat, heritable tick resistance, and hooded eyes for cancer and pink eye resistance, resulting in healthier and more profitable cattle in the paddock and feedlots,” Mr Watson said.

Inherently resilient, Santa Gertrudis is one of the few breeds genetically suited to all climatic conditions.

A slick coat, foraging ability, and ability to travel long distances to food and water ticks the boxes for sustainability and low carbon footprint.

Mr Watson said the breed was perfectly positioned to play a significant part in the sustainability solution for the beef industry.

He said the small birth weight and rapid weight gain to weaning equated to better calf survival and fewer production problems.

US research by the American Hereford Association revealed the net worth of a F1 Santa/Hereford (Five Star) female compared to a straight bred Hereford female was a $300 difference with the F1 female’s greater longevity, calf weaning weight and fertility.

“The maternal heterosis in a Santa cross female, especially over British breeds, makes that female one of the most productive on the planet with her increased fertility, better body condition score and weaning weight ratio,” Mr Watson said.

“There are now new commercial herds using Santa bulls for the first time for frame, weight gain and bone – the breed is pushing into the temperate regions of Australia injecting bloat resistance, environmental adaptation, survivability, and resilience as we face an increasingly hotter and drier climate. The demand for that F1 female is almost unprecedented with a standing order in the southern states.”

A move to sourcing Santa Gertrudis bulls a decade ago has paid dividends for a British bred herd in Northern NSW, with maternal heterosis resulting in the “free lunch” of weight gain, fertility and doability.

Feedlots and a major supermarket are now among the repeat customers of Santa Gertrudis-Angus cross cattle finished on grazing cereals or grain by Ingelwood Wallabadah Pastoral.

Company manager David Caslick wanted to inject greater weight gains, doability and foraging ability into the herd, which is run in hill country at Wallabadah in a 600mm rainfall zone.

Steer and cull heifer progeny were targeted at the feeder market or an on-farm short fed program for the supermarket trade.

“We were sending straight Angus and Santa cross steers from the same on-farm feeding program to Woolworths, and the crossbred cattle graded MSA and were consistently $200 more profitable due to a higher dressing percentage,” Mr Caslick said.

“Feedlots like the Santa cross cattle for their docility, immune competence, and early maturity. We have always achieved 100 per cent MSA compliance with the Santa cross animal.

“Our calving difficulties are almost non-existent now with a roomier F1 female, lower birthweights and a calf that hits the ground running.

“We retain the F1 heifer portion, and a lot of our cattle now have a high content of Santa, so we continue to cross to retain the hybrid vigour.”

Calves are weaned at 200-250kg liveweight, with heifers reaching the critical mating weight of 350kg ready for joining to calve as two-year-olds.

Steers are finished on grazing cereals to 400kg with average daily gains of 1.5-1.8kg while heifers on improved pasture have recorded 1.8-2kg per day.

Mr Caslick said fertility had increased in the F1 female with consistent conception rates of 96 per cent.

He has been impressed with the Santa bull’s longevity, lowering the cost per calf. Bulls are selected on temperament, structural soundness, and muscling along with BREEDPLAN figures in the top 30 per cent of the breed for growth, milk and mature cow weight.

“The bloat resistance of the Santa cross cow has been important to us along with the mothering ability and milk and pink eye resistance,” Mr Caslick said.