Page 27 - NZ Herefords Magazine 2019 Edition

The Hereford Year

Herefords in Hungary

WORDS NZHA GENERAL MANAGER POSY MOODY ABOVE: Nagyrozvagy stud property with a 450-strong herd
PHOTOGRAPHS JUDY REDEKOP, CANADA with six sires in the mix.

SIGHTSEEING ALONG THE DANUBE RIVER in Budapest was calf and then visited their herd of cows and calves in one mob
a great way to start the 15th European Hereford Conference in with four sires running with them. SNP DNA testing was used to
September 2018. That night, we were told how Hungary has confirm parentage. Most of the calves were sired by AI sires, but
been shaped by significant political events that still have a major unfortunately we were unable to see a list of the sires used.
impact on the country, namely their late decision to join the allies That evening we arrived at Lake Balaton, the largest lake
in the Second World War and then the communist rule up to in Central Europe, stretching 77km long and with a maximum
1989. During the tour we learnt so much about their rich history, depth of 12.2m. The average lake temperature of 25C during
which has strongly affected their farming. It was clear progression the summer months made the area a popular tourist destination.
was stalled during periods of time over the past 50 years. We took a short ferry trip to a deer farm that hosts about 10,000
The following morning was spent sightseeing – the excellent visitors a year and sells produce in their café. They farm 150
roads and upkeep of Budapest’s historic buildings showed the donkeys, 150 Hungarian draft horses, water buffalo, Hungarian
benefits of being part of the European Union with European grey cattle, fallow deer and hunted wild boar and ducks. A 10kg
funding. The tour then drove out of Budapest to view our trophy stag was worth EUR5000, with every additional kilo after
first Herefords. They were part of a professional programme that another EUR5000, so a 13kg trophy was worth EUR20,000
(government training farm) which had 2630ha of cultivated land, (approx. NZ$35,600). There was much discussion with the
(which mainly grew canola, beans for seed, corn and sugar other countries about eating the ‘donkey’ salami!
beet), 900 dairy cows producing 11,000 litres of milk per year, Conference day ran smoothly, with the majority of countries
and 6000ha of forestry providing good hunting, namely wild boar, delivering a country report. As NZHA general manager, I delivered
hare, deer and pheasant. The first Herefords on the farm arrived a short update on the progress of the association since the last
in 1974 from Canada. They reported having a smaller herd of 120 conference and then gave a presentation on the Boehringer
registered animals and a larger herd of 800 animals, although we Ingelheim World Hereford Conference in 2020. This was well
believe they may have been crossed with Charolais and Limousin received by all and created a lot of interest and further discussion
x. We saw a couple of sires in the pens as well as a cow and for the remainder of the European Conference. That afternoon

Finding out more about how the country’s history has affected
Hereford cattle on a family stud at Visnyeharserdo.
agriculture.
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