HOOKED ON BAZADAISE

I was breeding Herefords at Nyora, in south west Giuppsland, in a good rainfall area.  I realized that I was not achieving the full potential to turn off good vealers that was available to me in this renowned lush vealer area.  I was able to borrow a Belgian Blue bull to see what some Euro influence could do.  The first year I had 2 great calves out of 2 old cows, no problems.  The next year, I used the bull again over the whole herd, but had many calving problems, so this was not the right cross for me even though the calves were really good.

In 1991, I met up with Bernie O'Kane, an old school friend.  He was living in north east Victoria and suggested that I come and see the new breed he had just brought into Australia.

Later that year, I visited Cobram and met Bill Gleeson, who was instrumental in helping Bernie improt the Bazadaise cattle.  I also met the cattle, Fuseau, Express and Flic, along with Frivolle, Fauvette, Esse, Fortune and Fete.  I considered these cattle looked very good after being in Australia and a totally new environment for only a few months.  They had the appearance of being able to give me what I was looking for.

Bernie offered to join some cows for me that first year, so in August 1992, I had 24 calves born at Nyora without any problems and they were up and running straight away.  I had 4 more Angus heifers calve to a Bazadaise bull a couple of months later, again no troubles.  The calves all developed great muscles within a few weeks and looked fantastic.  I was convinced that this was the breed for me.

For the next couple of years, I was able to "borrow" a Bazadaise bull from Bernie, often Flic, as no full bloods were yet for sale.  In 1994, I purchased my first full blood heifer and some embryos.  In 1996, we were able to import semen and a few embryos from France to further extend the genetics.

In 1994, I was one of the founding members of Bazadaise Breeders pof Australia Inc. when a small group met in Melbourne and formulated a Constitution and a set of Regulations.

For a while, to promote the breed, I took to showing cattle, then started entering cross bred weaners in carcass competitions, straight off mum and grass with great success.

Since moving to my new property at Grantville in 2002 my herd has grown to about 70 bull blood weaned females and 35 bulls along with a small commercial herd of Angus, Murray Grey, South Devon and Shorthorn, just to show people what a Bazadaise bull can do when put over British breeds.

Bazadaise are an easy-care, no fuss productive breed and I would not change my decision made in 1991 for anything.