Lowline bulls have the advantage over many other beef breeds in that they are naturally easy calving when bred over any other breed. The resulting calves are always polled thanks to pedigree lowlines being homozygous polled.
Dairy farmers have successfully been using Lowlines to produce medium-birthweight calves.
Lowlines are ideal for heifer mating and provide a safe alternative to Jersey bulls and by producing a useful crossbred dairy-beef calf that can be reared for commercial beef production.
Not just for the bobby truck – when the right Lowline bulls are combined with Friesian cows, some farmers are able to send offspring to processors from around 18 months of age. The Friesians contribute frame size, while the Lowlines bring beef and early finishing. Lowline x Jersey dairy-beef calves when grown out produce the most sensational flavoured and tender early-finishing freezer beef in planet-friendly portion sizes.
Bulls versus Steers
Opinion piece by Matt Wilkinson
A good breeding objective will always consider the quality of bulls produced from a breeding program. A good breeding program will set out to produce bulls that will either improve someone else’s breeding herd , or go on to promote the breed by producing offspring who produce sought after Lowline beef .
What do you do with bull calves that will do neither ? Well, the obvious answer is – steer them.
There is growing interest in both Australia and New Zealand for the premium beef that lowlines produce , either by butchers or home consumers. Lowline steers , when bucket trained , become a valuable grass mowing asset which can then go on to feed the family once they are prime. Bucket trained steers are easy to manage with minimal animal skills. You may even find a retail butcher who wants them for their shop.
The value in Lowline beef doesn’t end there. Some breeders will cull heifers from their breeding program that are also ideal for Lowline beef. If you ask around, you may find old cows eat well also.
Bulls are not ideal for the home freezer, will become disruptive at certain times of the year and are destructive to the Lowline breed if they are a poor animal being disposed of because you are out of options and need them gone.
Conclusion – if you don’t have a reason to breed bulls , then do look in to steering your bull calves and add value because it is very hard to look past Lowline beef
New Zealand Lowlines 