Keren
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The subheading for the breeds board says "Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of your favourite breed". This may or may not have been done here before, but I am going to challenge you all to do exactly that.
It is easy discussing the advantages of your chosen breed, and that is done here often enough. But I want you to be brave and also discuss the DISADVANTAGES of your chosen breed.
So here goes:
Murray Greys
Advantages - easy fleshing ability (do good on grass), milky mothers, quiet and steady temperament, cattle that perform in the show ring, paddock and feedlot
Disadvantages - some in the breed are chasing big frame in the last few years, resulting in big, hard keeping cows with poor topline and hind leg structure (we have steered clear of these, fingers crossed), even though I put temperament in the advantages, I also sometimes find it a disadvantage, as they can be very 'sooky' cattle and that sometimes makes them hard to work. I also find when I show them they are 'piggy' animals with heavy heads and they tend to push all over you. Dont sell as well as blacks at the sale yard.
Angora goats
Advantages - more efficient fibre producers than cashmere goats and most sheep, so much easier on fences than other goats, easy going temperament, intelligent, act like cattle rather than like sheep, so pretty to look at, ready market for fleece with high demand low supply, ability to survive and thrive in the challenging Australian conditions, ability to thrive on weeds while also clearing an overgrown paddock
Disadvantages - heavy cutters requiring crutching and wigging twice a year = four shearings, heavy cutters being prone to grass seeds in eyes and flystrike around pizzles, pink skin leading to sunburn, cancer eye, lack of industry incentive to encourage young people and new farmers to take advantage of the supply-demand dynamics, sensitivity to cold/wet after shearing, kids prone to cold (intensive kidding required), showring not in focus with the needs of the commercial producer
Boer goats
Advantages - so much more meaty than feral and crossbred goats, act like cattle and usually intelligent, kids more thrifty and hardy than angoras, good temperament, ready market which gives much better returns than the angoras, high demand low supply industry
Disadvantages - much harder on my fences than the angoras, more teat and feet problems than the angoras, lack of industry support for young people, showring not in focus with the needs of the commercial producer
It is easy discussing the advantages of your chosen breed, and that is done here often enough. But I want you to be brave and also discuss the DISADVANTAGES of your chosen breed.
So here goes:
Murray Greys
Advantages - easy fleshing ability (do good on grass), milky mothers, quiet and steady temperament, cattle that perform in the show ring, paddock and feedlot
Disadvantages - some in the breed are chasing big frame in the last few years, resulting in big, hard keeping cows with poor topline and hind leg structure (we have steered clear of these, fingers crossed), even though I put temperament in the advantages, I also sometimes find it a disadvantage, as they can be very 'sooky' cattle and that sometimes makes them hard to work. I also find when I show them they are 'piggy' animals with heavy heads and they tend to push all over you. Dont sell as well as blacks at the sale yard.
Angora goats
Advantages - more efficient fibre producers than cashmere goats and most sheep, so much easier on fences than other goats, easy going temperament, intelligent, act like cattle rather than like sheep, so pretty to look at, ready market for fleece with high demand low supply, ability to survive and thrive in the challenging Australian conditions, ability to thrive on weeds while also clearing an overgrown paddock
Disadvantages - heavy cutters requiring crutching and wigging twice a year = four shearings, heavy cutters being prone to grass seeds in eyes and flystrike around pizzles, pink skin leading to sunburn, cancer eye, lack of industry incentive to encourage young people and new farmers to take advantage of the supply-demand dynamics, sensitivity to cold/wet after shearing, kids prone to cold (intensive kidding required), showring not in focus with the needs of the commercial producer
Boer goats
Advantages - so much more meaty than feral and crossbred goats, act like cattle and usually intelligent, kids more thrifty and hardy than angoras, good temperament, ready market which gives much better returns than the angoras, high demand low supply industry
Disadvantages - much harder on my fences than the angoras, more teat and feet problems than the angoras, lack of industry support for young people, showring not in focus with the needs of the commercial producer