WITHOUT HORNS AND WITHOUT REPROACH!

30 October 2024

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At Bozouls in Aveyron, Benjamin Pons breeds 95 Blonde d’Aquitaine dams. It was his father, still active on the farm, who chose the Blonde 30 years ago when he started the herd. Benjamin loves the breed and its qualities, and has been using AURIVA hornless genetics since MASTER was put on the catalog.

In search of maternal qualities, conformation and docility for the animals on his farm, he inseminates 80% of his herd, a third of which is now hornless.

“I don’t like to dehorn calves, and for me, a hornless Blonde is just as beautiful as a Blonde with horns. My aim is to have 0 horns in the herd within a few years, not to dehorn of course, for safety, because I’m convinced that buyers will be increasingly looking for his animals and why not sell some breeding stock in the future.”

In total confidence with his inseminator Jean-Luc Boudou, Benjamin chooses the bulls that will “simplify his life”. As an EARL for a few months now, calving safety is of paramount importance to Benjamin. “Last year I used PYHA and ONDENC a lot to secure births, which often take place in September during sowing time. I also use a wide range of bulls from the catalog, depending on the cows to be bred.

I sell fat females locally, my grazers and a few other females. The performance of my animals is therefore a very important criterion, with or without horns. Hornlessness alone is not a valid criterion; the calves have to be good. You don’t go hornless to “get boards”. With NIBIRU, I’m totally satisfied with the production.

This year I’ve kept 11 females, and they’re doing very well. I still have 3 MASTERs and a few RELAX PPs, which I’m also delighted with. A few SIGMA PPs should also arrive in the autumn – not many because I’m more in the
looking for mixed animals – and also several SELF P, I can’t wait!”