The Rural Voice, 1981-04, Page 19Beefalo: a curiosity
or a commercial success?
Lloyd Lostell. R. R. 3. Kipper has about 40 heelitlo in Itis cow-ca!f operation
BY ALICE GIBB
Beefalo - some cattlemen sneer at the
hybrid. others claim the cattle will never
be a commercial success and many
regard the breed as little more than a
curiosity. But Lloyd Lostell of R.R. 3.
Kippen. who first read about beefalo in
1976. is still convinced they're the "cattle
with the golden future." As Lostell says.
it took awhile for the exotics like
Charolais cattle to be generally accepted.
so why can't the same happen with
beefalo?
A purebred beefalo, according to Bud
Basolo. the California rancher who first
bred them successfully. is an animal
that's three-eighths buffalo.threc-eighths
Charolais and one quarter Hereford.
Currently. there are likely less than 100
pureblood beefalo in existence.
Lloyd Lostcll's goal is to be the owner
of a purebred beefalo bull by the 1982
International Plowing Match, which will
be held in Lucan. The breeder started
with Hereford cows and beefalo semen.
and his first calves are half beefalo and
half domestic. Then the heifers were bred
back beefalo when they cycled and the
process repeated. He now has three-
quarters heifers and when they're bred.
they'll have seven -eights heifers which
are considered purebreds. Purebred bulls
are a fifteen -sixteenths mix.
Lostell and his wife Carol Anne arc
fervent converts to the beefalo message -
and spend much of their spare time
publicizing the hybrid at plowing matches
and fairs.
Lostell, who works fulltime at the
Hensall Bendix plant. now has about 40
animals in his cow -calf operation. This
year. he's selling more of his calves for
breeding stock - to neighbours. and to
breeders like a Woodstock suntan he
met at one of the plowing matches. Also,
he's finding more people showing an
interest in beefalo meat. which is noted
for its finer grain. and low fat during
cooking.
When Bud Basolo developed the
beefalo, he said he was looking for the
hardiness, rapid growth. easy calving and
fertility of the buffalo, plus the docility.
intelligence and taste of beef cattle. The
rancher now claims he has this perfect
mix - and says his beefalo will gain 1.000
pounds on grass alone.
Since the beefalo is part buffalo. and
buffalo arc foragers. the hybrid can feed
on anything from cactus and sage to
grasses. leaves and twigs. which Basolo
believes makes it the ideal breed for
Third World countries where good agri-
cultural land is scarce.
Skeptics of beefalo, however. were
convinced a product of such a diet would
yield tough meal. But. on the contrary.
beefalo gain weight more quickly and can
go to market sooner. which should mean
tender meat.
Lostell said it's the beefalo's ability to
forage which likely interested the Austra-
lian farmer who tclegrammed lately to
inquire about importing beefalo to that
country.
In the summer. Lostcll's cattle are on
pasture. and in the winter arc fed hay
and some silage. The beefalo, Lostell
finds. don't eat as much as domestic
cattle. While he's sticking with Basolo's
traditional formula of breeding buffalo to
Hereford-Charolais crosses. he said some
farmers have crossbred with Simmcntals
and some with dairy cattle.
Beefalo semen, once difficult to obtain,
can now be purchased in Ontario. Also
another new development is the trans-
plant, which involves taking a fertilized
egg from a superior pureblood beefalo
cow and transplanting it in a neutral host
female. It's the same technique being
introduced •into the dairy industry and
beefalo breeders believe it still allow
them to leap generations ahead in their
breeding program.
Pureblood beefalo (sixteen -sixteenths)
are now available. at least in the United
States, but Lostell said the pricetag is
often a hefty $100.000 per animal. He's
content to keep crossbreeding until he's
produced his own purebreds at last.
In the meantime. while Lostell and his
wife continue their crossbreeding pro-
gram, they're going to spend their extra
hours spreading the beefalo "gospel."
THE RURAL VOICE/APRIL 1981 PG. 17