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Red Poll Cattle used in
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Red Poll bulls have been widely used in Australian beef herds to improve milk production in crossbred females and to introduce the normally dominant poll gene. They are still being used for this purpose today.
In many areas three-way crosses are made by mating herds of Red Poll/Hereford and Red Poll/Shorthorn females with Angus or Limousin bulls to produce top quality vealer calves for the domestic market.
Red Poll females can also form the basis of a simple 2-way cross when mated to Limousin, Simmental or Charolais bulls to produce heavy vealers or supermarket steers.
In northern NSW and southern Queensland Red Poll bulls can help breeders target specific market segments when mated to a European-British breed cross. For example mating a Red Poll bull to Simmental/Hereford cross cows to help keep the maturity of the calves in the early-medium range, and in the heavy vealer category.
Use of Salers cattle as the European component of a Red Poll/Euro cross has seen the solid red colour of both breeds retained, and added some flexibility with respect to heavier finished weights, such as those suitable for supermarket or restaurant trade.
In Queensland Red Polls are used in upgrading programs of Bos indicus breeds to introduce the poll gene, add "softness", improve fertility and milking ability and to "tidy up" loose sheaths and briskets.
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| Red Poll X Santa Gertrudis(X Brahman) calves Red Polls add softness to Bos Indicus type cattle and carry the dominant poll gene that eliminates horn damage to carcass and hide. |
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Last revised: 2nd December, 2002 Email:red.poll@abri.une.edu.au © 2000 ABRI, University of New England Armidale, NSW, 2351. All rights reserved. |