Cross Breeding
Maternal Traits
Carcass Qualities
National Performance Testing
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Although the breed has gradually increased in Muscle and Scale, the Red Poll still maintains its superiority as a feminine breed, and is an obvious choice where improvement of fertility and milking ability is required, particularly in regard to cross breeding programs.
The Red Poll cow is the ideal suckler dam, having been selected over the centuries for the maternal traits of high milk yield from rough forage, early maturity (first calf at two years old) and short calving interval. She is capable of calving the progeny from the more muscled terminal sires without assistance.
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- Fertility
- Longevity (many have a production life of 12 to 15 years)
- Ease of calving (profitability begins with a live calf)
- Fast growth of calves
- Milk yeild @ 4.2% butterfat and 3.5% protein
- Docile temperament
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Excellent mothers with more than enough milk |
The dominant natural poll and uniform red colour, combined with excellent beef qualities makes the Red Poll bull the ideal animal for any cross breeding progamme. The Red bull transmit most of the highly sought after maternal qualities to their progeny, which makes Red Poll - cross cows exellent base cows for stud and comercial breeding programmes.
Red Poll cattle, being of meduim frame, produce small calves with rapid growth which make the Red Poll bull ideal for open heifers. The Red Poll bull is also noted for their excellent work rate, even under the harshest climatic and natural conditions.
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- Red Poll bulls will produce 95 % to 100 % polls
- 80 % to 95 % reds when crossed with other breeds and will produce a uniform herd of cattle from any mixed lot of cows.
- The first cross females will produce more milk than their mothers
- Pigmentation virtually eliminates eye cancer when crossed with the white faced breeds.
- Quality steers with tender well trimed and muscled carcasses (ideal for the modern consumer).
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Red Poll X Brahman
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Through careful genetic improvement Red Polls have become recognised as producers of excellent beef both as pure breds and cross-breds. Red Polls and Red Poll cross animals can be apritably marketed straight from their mothers. The carcass is trim and well muscled without excessive fat. Because they do not lay down excessive fat, Red Polls often dress heavier than they appear.
In slaughter and carcass competitions the Red Poll has done extremely well, winning many competitions, among other the Quality Tender Beef Competition at the Bloemfontien Show.( in 2000).
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- Exceptional tenderness.
- Good marbling
- Fine grain
- Succulent texture
- Full flavor
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 | Winning Carcass |
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| 412 | 231.8 | 56.3 | 19.38 | 19.05 | 4.77 | 87.86 | 16.26 |
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Most of the local herds are entered into the National Performance Testing Schemes, both for beef cattle and milk recording. In both categories the Red Poll is doing very well, as indicated in the in the tables below.
From these tables is can be seen that the Red Poll can hold its own in both milk and beef production. Since the breed has a long history in Africa, exellent genetic material is always available for export.
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| Red Poll |
4101 |
3.43 |
3.26 |
2609 |
3.37 |
3.02 |
| All dairy breeds |
6654 |
3.74 |
3.23 |
5800 |
3.63 |
3.18 |
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RP |
Other |
RP |
Other |
RP |
Other |
RP |
Other |
RP |
Other |
RP |
Other |
| Intercalving period (days) |
387 |
421 |
409 |
423 |
387 |
421 |
387 |
421 |
387 |
421 |
387 |
421 |
| Age of first calving (months) |
24 |
33 |
27 |
36 |
24 |
33 |
24 |
33 |
24 |
33 |
24 |
33 |
| 205 day mass (kg) |
233 |
216 |
210 |
217 |
233 |
216 |
233 |
216 |
233 |
216 |
233 |
216 |
| 365 day mass (kg) |
314 |
255 |
266 |
256 |
314 |
255 |
314 |
255 |
314 |
255 |
314 |
255 |
| 540 day mass (kg) |
411 |
327 |
347 |
331 |
411 |
327 |
411 |
327 |
411 |
327 |
411 |
327 |
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