Hybrid

Vigor

Introducing a Speckle Park bull into your herd will contribute to profitability in your herd by adding hybrid vigour and producing more beef. In 2015 Speckle Park showed how profitable they can be in the Beef Spectacular Feedback Trial finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd for profitability. Commercial cattlemen are taking note of how using a Speckle Park bull as a terminal sire can improve herd performance.

With British genetics behind Speckle Park, it stands to reason that there would be significant heterosis in cross breeding programs. Speckle Park have demonstrated that they retain their carcass advantages when crossed with other breeds.

In 2015 Minnamurra Pastoral company entered 4 pens of Speckle Park cross Angus steers into the 2015 Beef Spectacular Feedback trial. In total 95 pens had been entered totalling 500 head of cattle.

Speckle Park steer results are listed:

3rd, 8th and 10th overall in the trial
3rd and 4th in feedlot performance
1st, 2nd, 3rd and 8th in the carcass competition.

Speckle Park Feedlot performance for weight gain across the 20 steers was 2.53kg per day, with a Speckle park steer achieving the highest weight gain of 3.41kg per day the highest for the 500 head in the trial. Saleable meat ranged from 69% to 71%.

Minnamurra's top 3 pens in this trial also came 1st, 2nd and 3rd in profitabilty.

Almarlea 68G Lacerta F156

Brahkle bull

Brahkle bull pair

Brahkle bulls trio

The Brahkle

The Brahkle is the combination of using a Speckle Park bull as a terminal sire over Brahman females. The resulting cross carries a high degree of hybrid vigour. A combination of the meat qualities of the Speckle park and the hardiness of the Brahman is sure to deliver producer benefits.

Speckle Park crossed with Lowline (Specklelines)

Over the last 17 years we have researched and developed cross breeding with the hope that Lowline cattle would eventually become a commercial reality.

Our thinking has focused on WHAT MAKES DOLLARS AND SENSE in the beef world.

Efficiency - Performance - Fertility - Functionality - Soundness

A few years ago we recognised the significance and potential of Canadian Speckle Park cattle.

Speckle Park steers excelled as carcase champions at the Calgary Stampede in Canada year after year.

We recognised the complimentary characteristics that a Lowline and Speckle Park mating would produce

and decided to transition from a Lowline to a 50% Lowline x 50% Speckle Park herd.

Before starting the Speckleline breeding program we sought expert advice and were assured that mature

Lowline cows had a comparatively huge pelvic area and 30kg to 35kg calves should not be a problem.

This advice has proven correct and our Lowline cows are now producing their 3rd Speckleline calves

resulting in a new innovative composite evolving breed which we have named Speckleline cattle.

Over the last 3 years we have embarked on an AI program using almost 200 semen straws from eight

of the best Canadian bred Speckle Park bulls into Lowline cows to build an elite 80 Speckleline herd.

The Clan Stud’s first drop of F1 Speckle Park x Lowline calves (18 speckled and 18 black) are quite spectacular with another 70 calves due this year. The aim is an F1 Speckle Park x Lowline herd (500kg cows) with the option of joining them to a bigger terminal bull - a slightly bigger F2 (75% Speckle Park x 25% Lowline) or 100% Speckle Park bull with the philosophy being “The key to profitability is building a moderate size cow and crossing her with a bigger bull” to produce a bigger than normal calf for THE SAME COST OF PRODUCTION.

This cross made its first outing at the Lardner Grass Fed Steer Competition with great success read story click here

Ian Milne

The Clan Stud