9
Cold Winter Climates
BEEF CATTLE EXPORTS TO COUNTRIES with cold winter climates are predominantly young heifers that
have the intended purpose of improving the genetic basis of local beef cattle breeding industries.
Depending on the mode of transport, either by sea or by air, heifers will be in a weight range of between 240kg
to 380kg, and in most circumstances will be unmated at the time of departure from Australia. A limited number of
pregnant heifers are exported, and liveweight for these animals will relect their older age and pregnancy status.
A lesser quantity of slaughter cattle are exported for the purpose of short-term feeding, and to generate
cash low for several large beef development projects until their own-production comes online and supports
these vertically integrated breeding, feedlotting, and processing enterprises.
A small number of breeding bulls are exported in conjunction with the heifer trade. These are
predominantly young bulls with a focus on use with exported heifers. However, a proportion have a wider
intended use in crossbreeding programs with selected local cattle.
Whilst the majority of live breeding cattle exported to cold climate countries in recent years have been of
Angus breeding, demand also exists for other breeds such as Hereford, Limousin, and Simmental in particular.
A concurrent demand for Holstein dairy heifers also exists in these markets, and heifers with similar speciications
as beef cattle are exported to these climates.
1.1. Importance of Planning
To successfully receive imported Australian beef cattle it is essential that adequate prior planning takes place, and
that facilities, staf, and feed resources are well prepared beforehand.
The irst 12 months following import are critical to the lifetime productivity of these breeding cattle. The
majority of these animals will be young heifers, and managing these animals to acclimate rapidly and
efectively to their new environment will ensure that they continue to gain weight, conceive at the earliest
opportunity, and successfully re-breed.
In the vast majority of cases, businesses receiving cattle will have existing cattle enterprises that they
wish to improve by using imported cattle to develop local genetics. They also have staf with experience
managing cattle under local conditions using traditional husbandry methods and facilities. However, the facilities
and management of local cattle in countries with a cold winter climate difers substantially from the management
of beef cattle under Australian conditions.
For the past two decades, beef has largely been a by- product of the dairy industry in these countries. Cull
cows and heifers, and weaner bulls provide the majority of beef available, and a substantial proportion of beef is
processed into small-goods.
These cattle are typically housed indoors in large sheds from October to May each year late autumn to early
spring, Fig. 1.1. As a consequence of this intensive management and daily handling from birth, local cattle
are highly domesticated, they are well accustomed to physical contact with humans, and husbandry activities
are comparatively easy to apply.
By contrast, imported beef cattle, whether they originate from Australia, or Canada and the USA the other
major suppliers of beef breeding cattle, are managed under extensive systems and remain undomesticated.
Therefore they are not used to physical human contact. Consequently, the facilities and handling techniques
required to efectively manage imported cattle in these receiving countries requires fundamental changes to
1. Receiving Australian Cattle
10
Beef Breeder MANUAL
be made that beneit both animal and human health, safety, and welfare.
With these conditions in mind, importers need to plan carefully and begin preparations in the 12 months prior
to receiving Australian beef cattle so that suicient time is available to develop the required infrastructure, feed
resources, and animal handling skills to safely receive cattle.
The following section describes the planning that needs to take place in the period before cattle arrive, and in the
immediate period after arrival.
1.2. Planning for Arrival
