July 24, 2008
Malaysia sees Brakmas bulls as answer to beef shortage
A cross-breed between a Texas bull and a domestic cow may be the answer to Malaysia's beef shortage, local daily the New Straits Times reported.
The species, was a cross between Brahman bulls from Texas and local Kedah-Kelantan cows. Offsprings appear to mature faster and produces calves that will provide more meat on maturity, the paper said.
The Brakmas, introduced in 1999, would be the mainstay of the RM2.9 million Mardi research centre, to be completed by 2010.
The centre would have the capacity to raise more than 100 breeding bulls annually, and will also supply bulls to multiplier farms where cattle could be reproduced for distribution to small breeders.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Zulkifli Idris said the bulls would breed with local cows and create calves of better quality.
The present research centre can only produce about 40 Brakmas bulls annually, he said after the ground-breaking for the new research centre by Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang.
Dr Zulkifli said a Brakmas bull could mate with 25 cows at any one time, compared with the KK bull which could do so with just 10 cows.
Dr Zulkifli said a Brakmas bull could mate with 25 cows at any one time, compared with the KK bull which could do so with just 10 cows.
He predicted that Malaysia would have more crossbreed cattle in two or three years and increase its self sufficiency level in meat production to 28 per cent from the 23 percent at present.
Less than 20 percent of the 750,000 cattle in the country are Brakmas.
