Kudu breeder bull in Texas 67x64

[BWH]

Yeah.... with the genetics & protein in place, the sky is the limit. Look at what they have done to the whitetail deer down here. These breeding operations have 200", 2 year olds. It has kinda gotten almost unbelievable & ridiculous.

 

[Hank2211]

Sorry I do not know his age.

I have "heard" that there are a few Texas ranches producing 60" kudu bulls at 5-6 yrs old. I assume they are feeding high protein content supplemental feed similar to the deer industry. With all the available research and technology I assume they will shortly produce a feed just for these animals that will produce ludicrous horn growth. There are labs that test the spoor and the ruminant stomach samples and determine how minerals/protein is being digested and what is coming out, they will play the the formula until they figure out what the highest absorption rate etc. Not what the purist want to hear, I know, but it's the facts.
As for the prices, yes they are silly- but supply and demand and apparently there is no shortage of demand at these prices yet so.....

Whatever we do, let's not compare this breeding of kudu to the breeding of lions, or "color variants". They are worlds apart. Some will be the end of hunting and the others, well, if there's a demand, it should be satisfied. Right?! Now, if only someone can tell me which is which . . .

 

[Big5]

Yeah.... with the genetics & protein in place, the sky is the limit. Look at what they have done to the whitetail deer down here. These breeding operations have 200", 2 year olds. It has kinda gotten almost unbelievable & ridiculous.

It seems many have developed a desire beyond that of free range and fair chase sport hunting to the 'sport shooting' of animals.

I will forever remain a 'sport hunter' who desires a hard earned free range/fair chase hunted animal over a genetically engineered and planted fenced animal any day.

 

[wesheltonj]

I received an e-mail today giving me the chance to invest in this guy's breading operations, with returns that have the if it sounds too good to be true, it is. The same folks who are/were pushing Oil Boom USA. Thanks SCI for the junk e-mails.

 

[BWH]

I know a guy that goes every year to this deer cage..... And every year comes home with something "bigger". First 200", then 225", then 250"....... I am guessing he shops the catalog & picks the one out he wants first, maybe they have it well feed & waiting on him when he gets there. That's pretty limp to me.....

 

[siml]

Not trying to step on any toes, but if you look at kudu for example in Thabazimbi, they huge compared to say the E.Cape, it all has to do with the nutrients and minerals in the soil, not genetics.

 

[jeff]

Genetics and nutrition both play a part, that's why huge breeder bulls cost so much no matter what species.

 

[siml]

@jeff , I will totally disagree with you about kudu. Buy a 60 inch kudu bull, move it to the E.CAPE, you will not get a 55 inch offspring. Nutrition and minerals count for the horn growth. Yes, I will agree normally genetics, but not in this case.

 

[jeff]

I will have to disagree TMS if you start with poor genetics you'll never get monster bulls no matter what you feed them, for super animals you need both. How do you explain the occasional 50- 53 in cape kudu when all the rest on the same property top out at 46- 49 ?

 

[edward]

AGREED-

If Dries Visser can sell a 64" breeder (Herceles) in South Africa for $600,000, then it might be more profitable to put this bull on the 1st flight to Joberg !! LOL Kinda ironic when i think about it.

i hope first class.

 

[siml]

@jeff , quite easy to explain the occasional 53 inch bull, introduced. I never mentioned anything about poor genetics, runt will always be a runt. I shot a bull 52 inches in 1987 in Bedford, EC, half the farmers in the area came to look as they couldn't believe it.

 

[jeff]

Simon was that bull imported?

 

[siml]

No, but was so rare for the size for the area. But not the norm, Jeff I truly understand your point of genetics, I have 3 stud breeding farms in South Africa, but it's a total different ball game with the kudu. We can breed for body mass, fat meat ratio, cow udder size, milk production in cattle and pigs for example. As I said in my first post, not trying to stand on any toes, facts are facts.

 

[jeff]

In the Limpopo the places I've hunted were always getting large breeder bulls to improve their herd even if they have good nutrition.

 

[siml]

That's called keeping the blood line from going bad. Caused by high fences.

 

[jeff]

Yes they don't want inbreeding but they also don't want average bulls for replacement.

 

[siml]

Okay, back to the Texas bull.............he sure is beaut of a bull....

 

[Lee M]

I think you are both correct. You can't get big without good nutrition. And good nutrition will allow for all animals to get bigger. But even with good nutrition you will hit a limit in size without good genetics.

I'm sure the TX bull has both as with all things TX - go big or go home.

 

[jeff]

I think you are both correct. You can't get big without good nutrition. And good nutrition will allow for all animals to get bigger. But even with good nutrition you will hit a limit in size without good genetics.

I'm sure the TX bull has both as with all things TX - go big or go home.

My point exactly!

 

[Lee M]

A friend of mine once said when you are dating and you meet someone you think might be your future wife, make sure you get to see/meet her mom

Because in the end that's what she will look like in 30 years... LOL. The apple (genetics) doesn't fall far from the tree.