Senepol

Circle C Senepol
SENEPOL History

The Bos-Taurus SENEPOL breed was first developed around 1900 in St Croix, in the American Virgin Islands.  There was no doubt there was a need for animals that could adapt to tropical weather conditions. To achieve this goal, the Senegalese N’dama and British Red Poll breeds were cross-bred. N’Dama cattle, appropriate for tropical weather, have characteristics such as heat tolerance, resistance to insects, parasites, diseases and capacity to grow in regions where there is low quality pasture. The Red Poll breed genetics were added to improve fertility, docility, milk production, meat softness, red hair uniformity, body size and the hornless characteristic. This Bos-Taurus genetic mix gave rise to the SENEPOL breed. Systematic, high quality control ensured the SENEPOL breed’s development. The St Croix breeders always insisted on the strict selection of animals that would be capable of yielding and reproducing well in rustic regions.  SENEPOL cattle are well adapted to climates characterized by high temperatures and moisture i.e. the tropics. This adaptability allows the animals to stay on the pasture during the hottest periods of the day, guaranteeing their capacity to maintain good physical conditions.

SENEPOL Description

SENEPOL is the world’s only BOS TAURUS heat tolerant cattle breed. A combination of heat tolerance with desirable beef traits, such as high carcass quality and maternal traits. Selected for red colour, good confirmation and early maturity, no horns, gentle disposition and definite heat tolerance.

Genetic Composition

The SENEPOL’s genetic composition is unique, making it your best choice for cross breeding, stud breeding and commercial use

Full BOS TAURUS
The only BREED of Bos Taurus species that is heat tolerant
Performers
High Performance Cattle
SENEPOL cattle are fertile, grow quickly and are vigorous and robust animals. Calves are born active and hardy.
High weaning weights are typical of the SENEPOL. High performance by EPD’s (Expected progeny difference) equal superior production animals.
Characteristics of the SENEPOL
SENEPOL - Natural Polled (Absence of horns)
Maternal skills
Calves without assistance under tropical conditions
Birth weight average between 29 to 36 kg
Produce 11.3 kg of milk per day
268 days of lactation
Calves wean 50 % or better of their mothers body weight while maintaining an efficient calving interval
Heat tolerance
–Grazes during hottest time of the day
–Does not get tired after a day of work
–Able to survive several days without water
–Grazing studies preformed concluded an average of 10.7 hours per day compared to other beef breeds. Thus SENEPOL’s have a grazing advantage of 1.4 hours per day.
–Advantage in foraging ability

Very High Fertility
They reproduce at 2 to 3 years at 12 month intervals They have 13 to 15 calves during their lifetime
Cows can calve reliably and productively without complications for close to twenty years

Hybrid Vigor
The short, sleek hair coat of SENEPOL and SENEPOL CROSSBRED cattle is responsible for the heat tolerance
When crossbred SENEPOL heifers appear in a herd they almost always stay there as first choice for replacement heifers.
Crossbred SENEPOL heifers are very feminine looking with good muscling, beautiful udders and short slick hair
Senepol crossbreeds produce uniform offspring, both regarding phenotype and color, eliminating, for most part, color spots.
The outcome is a herd uniformity that is rarely seen among other crossbreeds.
This breed is also called “ Crossbreed Specialist”.
Immediate returns and profitability.

Disposition
Gentle by nature, intelligent and easy to handle. Polled trait plus mellow temperament makes SENEPOL a docile “easy goer”.
Herding, inspecting, weaning, and other ranch chores are easy, EVEN FOR A CHILD
Feedlot Performance
Senepol and Senepol cross have excelled in feedlots
Excellent rate of gain
Excellent marbling ability and curability
No heavy seams of fat is found in the carcasses
Very tender beef
Disease and Insect resistance
USDA research indicates that SENEPOL have greater resistance and immunity when compared to other beef breeds. This is due greatly to the
N’dama influence and aided by generations of natural selections

Production

Early maturing
This breed produces the highest weaned weight percentage to dam weight.
Studies carried out by several American Universities and by the USDA show SENEPOL  meat has generated some of the sector’s highest cut
efficiency values due to primarily to the tenderness of the SENEPOL beef.
Longevity
15 to 20 years production Often overlooked, perhaps no characteristic is as “multiple-trait” oriented , or as meaningful to overall profitability of a cow-calf operator as longevity – no other characteristic is as important for a cow-calf operation’s overall profitability as longevity.
Calving ease / Calf vigor
SENEPOL are similar to Angus in calving ease and light birth weights. The huge advantage they offer is tremendous calf vigor. Breeders everywhere are proud of the increased survival of Senepol-sired calves because they jump up and nurse quickly.

Tender, Lean Beef
Popularity of SENEPOL beef continues to rise as health consciousness does; more people are demanding grass-fed, hormone free beef that is
naturally rich in flavor and nutrients.
Milk production

Precociousness
Females and males mature at early ages. The cows first delivery occurs when animals are 24 – 36 months old, with an average of 12 month
interval between deliveries. Bull libido is generally high, thus this breed has a very good cow pregnancy rate.
General

SENEPOL bulls were used to improve heat tolerance in full blood, registered and classified Holsteins herds when heat and hurricanes made breeding performance drop to zero. After this trail, SENEPOL were used regularly with excellent results and became part of the management.
SENEPOL is the only breed of Bos Taurus species that is heat tolerant. This makes it a particularly good choice in the “ SUNBELT” where heat and
drought are uncontrollable factors affecting beef production. SENEPOL will graze throughout the hottest part of the day. They will often rest in the sun rather than walk any distance to find shade. This enables them to waste less energy than other animals that rather search for cooler areas during hot days.
Ranchers using vast acreage to take advantage of low input foraging also find them particularly well-suited to that management practice. This is
due to the fact that the SENEPOL originated and developed in very poor sub-tropical grazing conditions where they thrived on whatever vegetation was available
SENEPOL are responsive to handling and learn very quickly what is expected of them. It is not likely that corrals and fences will be abused by
the SENEPOLS. Many small-herd cattle owners find the SENEPOL to be quite suitable for operations with only one worker. Because of their
alertness, as well as their docile, even temperament, the SENEPOL makes an excellent choice.
Pinkeye is virtually non-existent in SENEPOL herds. In large herds where SENEPOL came in daily contact with non-Senepol cattle that contracted
Pinkeye, no cases were reported among the SENEPOLS even though no Pinkeye vaccine or fly tags were used. Similarly, cancer eye has not
been reported in the SENEPOL herd.
Preliminary findings from research looking into the immune system of four beef cattle breeds indicate that the SENEPOL appear to have a higher
natural immune function and indications are that the SENEPOL may be able to fight diseases more effectively than other breeds.