Let’s Make Protein Taking a different approach on the use of Nelore cattle is Sete Voltas Ranch or Seven Turns Ranch. The philosophy is simple, as owner Paulo Almedia told us, “Let’s make protein.” While it took more than seven turns and going over more than seven bumps to get to the ranch, what I saw upon arrival made it worth it. This 18,000-acre ranch runs along the Seven Turns River and supports 7,500 animals, 3,000 of which are cows. The base cow herd is Nelore due to their heat and tick resistance, but in order to produce protein Angus, Brangus and Wagyu genetics have been incorporated. When Paulo took over management of the operation in 1997 there was a lot to be learned. The biggest change began in 1999. With the assistance of veterinarian Marcos Santos, his old friend and current CRI Genetica Brazil field representative, they introduced synchronization and A.I. It was a step in the right direction but came with struggles such as identifying the correct bulls for the environment. They had started using Simmental, Braunvieh and Angus sires with high growth EPDs. Paulo recalls, “Those calves were tall and heavy with high growth, but we were not able to finish them with a desirable fat cover. That type of crossbred needed to be fed differently. They needed more than just pasture.”
Realizing the problem, they began using American Angus sires with excellent fleshing ability rather than high growth traits. Moderate-framed bulls with high fat EPDs were more appropriate for the pasture system. In 2013 alone, Paulo used 1,500 units of Chisum. Mated to purebred Nelore, the Angus produce an F1 crossbred that combines some heat and tick resistance with added carcass yield and quality. In Brazil there are three rules for crossbreeding cattle. Produce something that is black, shiny and has short hair. Many Brazilian producers create this F1 cross and deem it a terminal animal. Sete Voltas Ranch does not, because they’re in the business of producing protein. Paulo realizes the benefits of the F1 and breeds them via A.I. to Brangus and Wagyu sires to produce terminal F2 crosses. The F2 cross lacks heat and tick resistance but the carcass is highly desired by slaughter plants such as JBS or Marfrig, Brazil’s No. 1 and No. 3 food processing companies, which Sete Voltas works with. “To be a good businessman you have to have good working relationships outside the farm in order to compete and grow,” informed Paulo. “It’s these relationships with the slaughter plants, our veterinarian and CRI Genetica Brazil that have advanced us to where we are in the cattle industry today.”
The South, Where Angus Are Raised Who knew you had to travel south for it to get colder but this is the case in Brazil. The southern portion of Brazil is similar to the U.S. with both a summer and winter. Therefore there are less Nelore cattle and more Angus and Red Angus cattle. In the southern tip of Brazil is Porto Alegre. There, I learned about the Brazilian Angus industry. I toured S2, a purebred Angus and Red Angus operation comprised of 150 cows, 90 percent of which are Angus and 10 percent Red Angus. S2 utilizes A.I. and embryo transfer, specifically U.S. genetics. The herd began 25 years ago with an embryo from the U.S., and they continue to use U.S. sires such as Traveler, Density, Net Worth, Final Answer, Chisum, Big Sky and Sakic. U.S. genetics, specifically Angus, have highly impacted the cattle industry in Brazil. Since the first Angus bull was
imported from Uruguay in 1906, many influential Angus bulls have been introduced. Of the top 15 most relevant Angus bulls, five are from the U.S. and two are Genex sires: Make My Day and Net Worth. In 2013, the Brazilian Angus Association’s top two sires for registrations were Genex sires: Pendleton and Net Worth. According to the Brazilian Angus Association, in 2012 over 1.6 million units of Angus semen were imported from the U.S. This number continues to rise and so does the overall number of cattle in Brazil. Brazil is more than just a rainforest; it’s a diversified agricultural country with sights set on the future - agriculture and the cattle herd are expanding. So whether a producer is utilizing Nelore, F1 crosses, F2 crosses, Angus or Red Angus they’re crucial to the continued growth of the Brazilian beef industry.
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BEEF HORIZONS
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