General information about our breed

We concentrate on breeding beefy red-and white cattle. Our base breed is the MRI (MRI stands for Meuse Rhine Issel). The majority of our cows are purebred or three-quarter bred MRI or are Simmental.

This means that each year we have a variety of stock for sale - ranging from purebred MRI bulls through to Simmental x MRI heifers.

We have found the Simmental x MRI to be a brilliant cross, resulting in large beefy animals with a calm temperament.

About MRI:

This truly dual-purpose breed of red and white cattle originates from the south-east of Holland, between the Meuse, Rhine an Issel rivers, and also from the German regions of Westfalia, Rhineland and Schleswig Holstein (where it is known as the Rotbunt).
The MRI is an excellent breed for use in the dairy herd - and what many people do not realise is that the MRI breed accounts for about a third of Dutch dairy cows and commands a premium for its beefing qualities.

The main features of the breed are:
* Ease of calving
* Shorter gestation period
* Docile temperament
* High growth rates
* Good lean/fat ratios and killing out percentage
* High level of muscling
* Dairy cows bred to perform on high roughage diets
* Milk production high in protein.

The breed that is claimed to outyield Friesians in Holland and also produce a fast growing, quality beef animal, is undergoing a major revival in the UK.

Many farmers don't realise the extra income they could get by using the MRI on their cows and heifers, through the breeds tendency towards a shorter gestation period than other breeds.

Some MRI cross calves are born up to a week earlier than Friesian calves. This is even more striking when compared with a continental cross such as Charolais or Limosin (which can be two weeks longer than Friesian).

The value of the extra milk produced during this time in often not taken into consideration when weighing up the pros and cons of each breed.

If for example the MRI cross calf is born following a gestation period of 275 days compared with the Friesian 282 days, there is seven days' extra milk. Add to this figure the increased value of the bull calf - and you have to be making more money.

Of course if you compare the MRI to a breed such as the Limousin with a gestation period of 292 days, the MRI cross can be expected to give you an extra 17 days' milk!

Another area where the MRI has enormous potential is with its use on heifers. Many farmers use the smaller beef breeds such as the Angus and Hereford in an attempt to ensure an easier calving. In both instances there is a waste of genetic potential as any resulting heifer calves cannot be used as dairy replacements.