Danish genetics at home in Hazelwood

DURING the 2012 Limousin World Congress held in Denmark, one particular bull stopped Mark and Debbie Reynolds in their tracks.

The impressive apricot sire Engkjaer Get It not only topped the show the Reynolds saw but also won champion Limousin bull at Denmark's national show last July, when the three-year-old sire tipped the scales at 1344 kilograms.

Mr Reynolds instantly wanted to get some Get It genetics in his own Billy Creek Limousin stud at Hazelwood.

"We regularly use top sires to AI (artificially inseminate) our females, but it was the first time I had seen a bull and chased it," he said.

He succeeded in importing 20 straws from Get It, of which he shared 10 with Gavan Budge, of Yallourn North.

By November 25, there were three Get It calves on the ground marking the first drop of the Danish champion bull's calves in Australia.

The two bull calves and one heifer calf impressed Mr Reynolds, in spite of being only days old.

There was one more calf to be born.

The Reynolds focus on breeding docile cattle that calve easily, and aim to produce apricot, polled animals that retain the characteristic Limousin muscling.

Although Mr Reynolds is confident Get It's genetics will bring much to Billy Creek's breeding program, he is a horned animal, which demonstrates a willingness to consider horned genetics if an animal can improve other traits.

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Danish genetics at home in Hazelwood