A shipment of at least six Limousin heifers recently exported from Australia to Malaysia in October are thought to be the first pure registered Limousin females introduced to the Asian country.
Limousin genetics have been previously used in Malaysia, but only bulls and semen, however, Malaysian Limousin stud, ACV, which is a subsidiary of the livestock import and export company ACV Livestock Trade and Services, aims to breed the first fullblood Limousin females in the country.
Karl from ACV turned to Australian breeders to make his dream of creating a boutique stud come true (it is customary for Malays to not have a surname).
He said he was "searching for a breeder who can click with me" and someone who can "see the future and dares to be the first".
A friend of Karl's connected him with Casey and James Morris, Morrisvale Limousins, Narrikup, WA, and "thus, the first import happened".
In October, the Morris family air freighted six stud Limousin heifers to Malaysia. Along with the Limousin females, ACV also imported a Morrisvale Lumberjack son and a Garren Park Nightrider son "because they are high profile genetics as they are AI sires in Australia", Karl said.
The flight itself was only six hours according to Mr Morris.
There are lots of cows in Malaysia and they need new quality genetics
- ACV Limousins representative Karl, Malaysia
As the restrictions around transporting livestock to Malaysia are relatively relaxed, the processes required to export the cattle were relatively simple for the Morris family.
The cattle were put into on-farm quarantine, where vet checks and blood tests were performed. The cattle were also given a tick fever vaccination prior to export.
For the ACV team, the importation of these genetics was not quite as easy.
They faced many obstacles, criticisms, and doubt from other breeders that said the imported animals wouldn't be able to adjust to the climate or give birth in the country.
The operation in Malaysia originally used a lot of Irish Limousin genetics but has since turned to the Australian style Limousin due to the breed's significant improvements for milk, fertility, and docility.
The bulls that have been sent to Malaysia went straight into semen collection programs with the semen being shared to nearby farms for genetic improvement in the wider community.
Karl said the Malaysian Government also had plans to inseminate the majority of the country's breeding herd of about one million cows as part of a genetic upgrade program.
This first shipment is a trial and is something "we are still observing, but once the project really kick-starts, it will be the only breeding farm focusing on purebred Limousin in Malaysia", Karl said.
"Morrisvale is part of us, they are our sister, and our mentor."
For the ACV team, its 10-year goal is to be able to produce its own local, purebred Limousins through artificial breeding techniques, including embryo transfer.
"As a pioneer in this (in Malaysia) we hold huge responsibility to help local breeders with the improvement of the gene pool," Karl said.
"Our target is also to bring in latest breeding technology into Malaysia."
He said the aim was to flush the Limousin heifers in Malaysia and down the track also train students at their vocational college in the process.
"Our philosophy in ACV, with whatever we get, there will be a piece that is meant for others, and it is our responsibility to give back to the industry and society and this is our way of giving back," he said.
Mr Morris is hoping to have a minimum of two more Limousin cows and calves sent to Malaysia in December and is hopeful of another six to eight more females in a January shipment.
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