When I received the invitation to judge the SA National Brangus Show for the 3rd time, I was delighted but also humbled. Consignors to this annual event include cattlemen and cattlewomen who were breeding Brangus before I was born. The champions at the National show always go toe to toe with any other breed’s National Champions in SA in terms of quality. The successful National sale the day after each National show is appropriate at rewarding the good cattle with outstanding purchase prices. And, often, the breeders willing to invest the most, are looking for something slightly different to what won the show the day before. I think that this is healthy and shows how versatile and deep the genetics are within the SA Brangus national herd. 

I have witnessed a marked improvement in the quality of the cattle over the last 3 National Shows. I am referring primarily to body type and maturity pattern. The cattle are industry relevant, easy fleshing and early maturing. These are money makers in a commercial beef cattle operation. 

As I said at the start of each day, I was looking to reward cattle that can eat, walk, and reproduce. The overwhelming majority of the entries were good-footed, good-jawed and sound in terms of testicles, sheaths, udders, and vulvas. South African cattlemen understand hormonal balance as well as anyone. 

I also stressed focusing on the four most important economic traits in a cattle operation. (Adaptability, Functional-Efficiency, Fertility and Longevity. These are PROFIT traits). Too often breeders ignore the fundamental traits to focus on the shiny and marketable traits such as muscle, milk, growth, and marbling. These secondary or TURNOVER traits are very important, but they’re irrelevant if we don’t first lay the foundation with the aforementioned traits. 

Quality cattle come in all different shapes, sizes, and colours. It’s very easy to make big ones and little ones. It’s easy to make polled ones and horned ones or black ones and red ones. The art of breeding lies in making good cattle. My job for the two judging days was to select what I deemed to be good cattle. The job of the exhibitors, breeders, sellers and buyers was to decide whether my “good” ones fitted their objectives, their resources and their environment. 

Almost all the buyers and their commercial customers are invested in the cow/calf business rather than in feedlotting, processing or retailing. This means that high inherent body condition (easy fleshing ability), correct hormonal balance and an early maturity pattern are essential traits to ensure profitability for the buyers on the National Sale. 

I believe that the four National Champions reflect these ideals and possess these traits. 

The Grand Champion Red Brangus Female is an exceptionally well structured and well-balanced female. She’s feminine and maternal with enough mass and muscle in a moderate frame. Structural integrity in her skeleton and feet and legs set her apart from her contemporaries. She transitions exceptionally well from her slender neck and smooth shoulder back into her bold ribcage. The base width and chest floor she possesses makes her truly 3 dimensional. 

The Grand Champion Black Brangus Female and Supreme Champion Female is so similar in type and kind to the red female. She’s just a little easier fleshing and a little more massive in her centrebody. I love her depth of heart and softness of flank. She’s athletic and flexible on the move and ideally balanced in terms of physiology, endocrinology, and hormones. 

The Grand Champion Red Brangus Bull is an exceptional example of masculinity, mass, muscle, and function. Some extra bone and depth of body make him ideal for weaned calf production. His tropically adapted skin and frame size would enable him to flourish in any South African climate. I love the quality in his head and neck and how well muscled he is over his top, hip and rump. A bull with good cushioning to his pasterns and tremendous athleticism on the move. 

The Grand Champion Black Brangus Bull and Supreme Champion Brangus is a beef bull extraordinaire. Extremely smooth for how wide and well-muscled he is, this bull has balance. Maybe not the most typical Brangus head, but he’s masculine with tremendous testicle size, shape, and suspension. His effortless locomotion is made possible by impeccable foot quality, clean joints, appropriate bone and outstanding angles to his shoulder and hind leg. A bull that is so similar to the Red Champion Bull in every way. He just had a little more width, volume, and dimension. 

I had an amazing time with the Brangus family in Parys. I like the Afridome as a venue. It fits the quality of the event. I am excited to follow all of SA Brangus’ future successes and I look forward to working with you all again in the future.