Calves Breeding
From a genetic point of view, the cattle of Monte do Pasto is classified as meat cross breed. Bulls of the Limousine, Aberdeen-Angus and Saller breeds are used for breeding. The reproduction process is natural and carried out under strict sanitary controlled conditions, in order to give to the calves the best and healthier conditions.
Calves resulting from cross breeding show better performance, such as increased productivity, resistance and precocity due to the effect of heterosis, also called hybrid vigour or blood shock. The use of pure breeds reproducers provide calves with a genetic potential for very high quality meat.
Breeds
The breeding of pure breed cattle is a process with very specific needs, less adapted to the existing environmental conditions, which is why we choose to generate crossbred animals.
The natural insemination processes are carried out with pure bulls and this genetic combination results in smaller animals of excellent composition, with very high quality and with a very competitive cost of breeding process due to the heterosis effect. The consequence of this phenomenon results in cubs that present better performances than their parents, such as greater productivity, resistance and precocity.
The reproductive process is completely natural. The cows cohabitate and mate with purebred breeding bulls, later reproductive stages take place in a very quiet environment, although under the strict control of sanitary conditions, in order to achieve the highest quality. The bulls breeds used for mating are Limousine, Aberdeen-Angus, Saller and Charolais.
Farmsteads and Natural Ecosystem
At Monte do Pasto calf rearing benefits from Alentejo’s fantastic natural conditions, being based on a grazing system, in several farms, on a holm oaks and cork oaks plantations: Herdade da Fonte (182 ha), Herdade do Chouriço (385 ha), Herdade Monforte (354 ha) and Herdade do Monte Ruivo (697 ha), Herdade da Courela da Ruiva (153 ha), Parreiras (429ha) , Secos (875 ha), the Monte Matos (280 ha) and the Trolho (348.83 ha).
A plantation of holm oaks predominates the lowlands, although there is a high percentage of native flora and fauna, for whose preservation Monte do Pasto develops the activities carried out in the company’s territory.
Find out more about the plantation of holms oaks and cork trees in the following institutions:
Healthy and rich diet
The natural pasture is the basis of Monte do Pasto cattle feeding, providing a very balanced diet and assuring more health and well-being to the animals. In some parts of the year in which pastures suffer from water stress due to high temperatures, the cattle receives a grain-based food compensation – Corn Silage and Ryegrass – produced by Monte do Pasto itself.
The corn used in Monte do Pasto as corn silage is produced in the company’s irrigation fields, integrated in the irrigation perimeter of EDIA (Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Infraestrutura do Alqueva S.A.), which guarantees important savings and a very significant sustainability padron.
Sanity, health and wellness
Animal health is the focus of ongoing attention and careful interventions, following protocols and recommendations of national and international best practices. Monte do Pasto group of veterinary specialists strictly comply with all veterinary interventions recommended and necessary, depending on the age and biological characteristics of the animals.
Animals sanitation is carried out with annual regularity. The mandatory vaccines are administered and gestation is guaranteed by diagnosis . All these procedures are performed by a veterinarian doctor, with the appropriate tecnhical conditions. Annualy, an extern veterinary team performs andrological tests in bulls.
