What makes a superior seedstock producer?

摘要

To be tagged a 'superior' seedstock producer is a big call -- especially considering the number of producers selling bulls in Australia. But what sets these producers of bulls apart from the rest? What do they do differently that makes them so desirable for a commercial producer to deal with? For the judges the ultimate test was, 'Would I want to buy a bull from this producer'? That is, did the producer have a breeding program in place that would enable them to purchase a bull that was value for money - one which would make their commercial business more profitable through superior genetics and more calves? The first thing the judges looked for was a clear documented outline of their breeding objective. This involved a vision of what the herd would achieve in performance, and the selection process that was being used to achieve the vision for each of the production traits. Associated with this was the need for a structurally sound herd capable of delivering what the breeding objective stated, aswell as fitting the designated market. Central to this is an acknowledgment of the needs of the targeted client group, and the markets that they aim to supply. As one judge put it, "a commitment to their clients and their profitability". In some cases this meant altering breeding programs to suit client needs by breeding composite bulls. It also meant looking at what the future of the industry might be and ensuring that their bulls would enable their clients to be profitable in it.