9 Belgian Blue embryos set sail for Australia

2007 started well for promoting British Belgian Blues abroad. A consignment of 9 embryos from Norbreck Genetics left Britain for Australia in January. The embryo’s are out of the renowned Tamhorn Ursa brood cow and sired by the popular bull Dafydd D’ Ochain.

The Australian Belgian Blue Society may only have 50 members, but interest in the breed is growing quickly. Anthony Smeaton runs his Tonell Blue stud at Indigo Creek in Victoria and has recognised this, “the last couple of years has seen an increasing demand for Belgian Blue’s and we didn’t have any to sell” he explained, “so we decided to reinstate our Belgian Blue herd and have bought embryo’s to ensure we are in a stronger position to sell stock in the future. Our aim is to build our pure bred herd up to 20-30 and eventually place a couple of bulls with Australian AI centres”.

Throughout 2006 Norbreck Genetics has sold semen, embryos and livestock around the world to countries as varied as Australia and Poland. “With the lifting of export restrictions we are expecting a huge increase in overseas sales for Belgian Blue’s in 2007” said Phil Halhead, “ the end of 2006 attracted some very promising enquiries  and this trend seems to be continuing in 2007”.

                Tamhorn Ursa x Dafydd D'Ochain - embryos to be implanted in Australia