GUIDE BULL BUYING
CARCASE FOCUS SALE On Property Auction TUESDAY 20TH FEBRUARY 2024
LOT 7 - Exceptional Carcase
LOT 47 - Stud sire potential
96 POLLED BULLS 250 COMMERCIAL PTIC HEIFERS Featuring: • 58 Specialist Heifer Bulls • 100% Sire Veri ed • 73 Homozygous Poll Bulls On Property “Kiloran” Book Book via WAGGA WAGGA, NSW
FOR CATALOGUE P 0411 043 039
E marc@injemira.com.au W www.injemira.com.au
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Chasing the best of the best at Bowmans stud
Signs are good for sales lift
FIONA SHEEAN
Five years ago Glenn initi- ated a more science-based ap- proach to breeding and management by genomic test- ing the entire herd, which he described as “a game-chang- er”. The intel genomics testing has provided, combined with selecting genetics based on Breedplan, Meat Standards Australia performance and commercial feedback, has meant demand for Bowman bulls has more than doubled in the past five years. “We started with 50 bulls a year and now we are selling in
excess of 120,” Glenn said. “It has grown at a substantial rate.” Genomics testing involves taking an ear notch sample, which provides full parent verification details on every animal, enabling farmers to de- termine the potential breeding of an animal from a very early age. Glenn said genomics testing helped the integrity of seed- stock businesses – clients knew exactly what they were buying. “It was a significant invest- ment to set it up but it enhanc- es every aspect of an animal’s
breeding from calving traits to growth and carcass quality,” he said. “We can have half a dozen embryo transfer brothers and we can send the data off on them and genomics will split them apart. “You wouldn’t think there was that much variation but there is, and this all follows through to the end product. We are not doing it for fun – it is exacting the science.” More clients were recognis- ing the value of the tool. “Genomics helps improve the accuracy of information we can provide clients, which in turn gives them a consistent outcome at their end and fol- lows right down the supply chain,” Glenn said. “That’s what I’m trying to do in this business ... follow every aspect of that supply chain and make sure my prod- uct is working to its full poten- tial.” The Angus herd is based on Millah Murrah foundation genetics and Glenn heavily re- searches any new bloodlines, selecting based on strict cri- teria. “The foundation females I’ve sourced have given me a great platform to build from. We’ve put in hundreds of hours researching pedigrees, travelling overseas, studying bulls and their progeny and making sure that they work,” Glenn said. “I try to bring in new blood- lines every year to stay at the forefront of the industry. “If you are breeding the same thing year after year, the clients will look elsewhere to get something new so by bring- ing in a third of new content – that keeps people in my system who have been there for years.” Bowman Genetics include Millah Murrah, Banquet, Murdeduke, Baldridge and Landfall Angus bloodlines and more recently Sitz Angus, in Montana, US.
G ippsland stud breeder Glenn Bowman’s goal is to have the most profit- able clients in the cattle supply chain. The seventh generation cattleman has been breeding purebred and commercial cat- tle for 30 years as part of his family operation at The Ridge, Rosedale, but has recently ex- panded the bull unit of his Bowman Performance Gen- etics stud operation on his Crystal Brook property at Neerim South.
FIONA MYERS
has been good,” he said. “And across all breeds, there are certain bulls that will be well contested.” There has also been a resurgence recently in European bull breeds, particularly Limousin, Mr Godbolt said. Smaller operations, not big enough to hold their own on-property sale, had been recording solid results and some were close to selling out, he said. Angus remains the dominant single breed across south-eastern Australia and Angus Australia chief executive Scott Wright said there was “solid underlying confidence” for stud breeders. “The recent lift in the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator has given a huge lift in confidence,” Mr Wright said. “It was very hard during 2023 for cattle producers, especially our commercial breeders but recent rain especially in northern NSW and Queensland has really helped the market.” Mr Wright said he expected the recent lift in commercial prices would underpin a solid autumn sale season. “I would really expect clearances to be quite high,” he said. “In the south with good seasonal conditions I wouldn’t be surprised if
It’s crunch time for the beef industry as south-eastern Australia begins its autumn bull selling season. And the results of the annual sell-off of sires will act as a barometer on producer confidence as they prepare to outlay income on bulls. Nutrien southeast stud stock manager Peter Godbolt said this year “clearance will be king”. He said the recent uptick in commercial cattle prices, as well as a good season across many areas of eastern Australia, would help bull sale results, but ultimately it came down to confidence. Mr Godbolt said bull buyers would be looking for a mix of characteristics in their new bulls, but carcass and growth rates would feature highly. “Carcass quality is high on the commercial producers’ minds and I feel the carcass traits of bulls will be very important when selecting sires,” Mr Godbolt said. “But producers will also be looking at growth rates and weights.” There has been a strong trend to favour heifer bulls in recent years and Mr Godbolt said this could still continue as there were still herds in rebuild phases or those which had retained more heifers. “From the feedback I am getting, and from touring around bull operations, I’ve had feedback that interest
there isn’t a lift in the market following the EYCI.”
The EYCI was tracking at about 676c/kg carcass weight on Monday.
Glenn Bowman of Bowman Performance Genetics tagging a newly born calf. Genetics in the herd include Millah Murrah, Banquet, Murdeduke, Baldridge and Landfall Angus bloodlines.
2024 Annual Bull Sale 14th February, 2024 – 1:30 pm (ACDT) On property at the “Eight Mile” sale complex, Keith S.A
35 20-month old Limousin Bulls Sire Lines include: Summit Drover P54, Birubi Jupita J15, Mandayen Xtra Loyal P149, Myers Western Star N19
85 18-month old Angus Bulls Sire Lines include: Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15, Glenoch Makahu M602, Mandayen Capitalist Q461, Mandayen Klooney Q536, Landfall Mainland Q494, Rennylea L519, Mandayen Command P401 M: 0418 824 799 | E: mandayenlimousin@bigpond.com
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Stud breeder Glenn Bowman, of Bowman Performance Genetics, with the purebred herd at Rosedale.
two months and then return to Neerim South to be sold in lead pens in the annual autumn sale at 18 months. “This way I’m getting the latest bloodlines back through my herd at an early age,” Glenn said. Consistency of the breeding herd was key to the entire pro- gram and the Bowmans’ Rose- dale operation was a beneficial large scale commercial testing ground using their own gen- etics to get direct and immedi- ate feedback.
“The ratio of bull calves kept to what is culled is im- portant,” Glenn said. “If you are keeping 80-plus per cent of bull calves then you are on the right track I believe. If you are cutting 50 per cent then you are doing something wrong. We are well over 80 per cent of our male progeny out there working.” Glenn said there was much more involved in the breeding of quality cattle than ever be- fore and it was for the better to help iron out defects.
“When I first started it was all a raw data thing – other than visual, there was a weight sheet for the bulls and that was the only information you had, which could all be doctored through feeding,” Glenn said. “What genomics does, it ex- poses the raw genes of the ani- mal. “If you are not buying something that is genomic tested, how do you know what you are buying? It’s like a pig in a poke if you don’t have the DNA extraction from them.”
“I look at calving ease and then I work down the page – docility, foot scoring and struc- ture, eye muscle, intramuscu- lar fat, and above average growth rates,” Glenn said. “Physically I make sure they have the nice smooth shoulder and thickness, good butt shape and strong head on them. “I also like to get out there and see progeny of those ani- mals to make sure it is breed- ing that way.” The Bowman family runs
1000 stud and commercial breeders on 1700ha at Rose- dale. Heifers are AI’d at the end of October, natural joining with bulls starts early Novem- ber and the ET program is con- ducted at the end of November. There are two groups of 80 recipient cows and about 100 embryos are implanted every year. “We are trying to increase the rate of gain by using the best of the best genetics,”
Glenn said. “We are finding when we put the bull sale cata- logues together, most of those calves end up in the front end of it so they are proving they are the elite of the genetics.” Calving is at the end of July and weaning conducted at five to six months. The entire male drop is moved to Neerim South in March for 12 months before the sale group selection starts. The top yearling bulls are taken back to Rosedale for the natural joining program for
Strong demand for Australian red meat China, the United States and Japan were the top three markets for Australian red meat in 2023. And they are expected to
regarding the awareness of premium red meat, as demand for non-local cuisine food service experiences and acceptance of packaged meat products purchased from modern retail are playing a more significant role in emerging markets.” “For example, in South- East Asia, growing red meat consumption is being driven by increasing interest in
12 months ending in November 2023.
continue expansion, along with growing appreciation for quality red meat products. The US also continued to be a major market for Australian grass-fed beef. According to the market snapshots, opportunities for Australian exporters in the US revolve around increasing value through premium products such as chilled grass-fed beef, rather than
just growing consumption volume. Meanwhile, Japan was the third largest beef importer globally and the second largest export customer of Australian beef. The market is especially unique for having a highly sophisticated but also very fragmented retail food market, where Australian beef and lamb are commonly sold in retail, as both fresh
meat and ready-to-eat options.
continue to be major customers in 2024.
China remains the No.1 destination for Australian red meat exports by volume, importing 206,193 tonnes of beef and 165,245 tonnes of lamb and mutton. The market snapshots reveal that long-term import demand drivers are strong, with China’s affluent consumer base forecast to
MLA manager of global market insights and adoption Miho Kondo said the young, expanding and increasingly affluent consumers in emerging regions such as the Middle East and South-East Asia provide another significant opportunity for red meat exporters. “The dial has been shifting
According to Meat and Livestock Australia’s annual global market snapshots for 2024 – which were released last week, Australia exported a total volume of 1.84 million shipped weight tonnes of red meat to more than 100 countries – which was worth a record $17.08bn – for the
dining out at not only Western-style cuisine restaurants, but also Japanese and Korean.”
HICKS BEEF AUTUMN BULL SALE
70 BULLS Black & Red Composites & Red Angus THURSDAY 7TH MARCH 2024
“Annandayle South” HOLBROOK NSW Tom Hicks 0448 796 124 Andrew Hicks 0427 147 258
www.hicksbeef.com.au tom@hicksbeef.com.au
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Reducing carbon emissions a job
Producers can take practical steps to help hit the CN30 target, writes NICOLA BELL
T he Australian red meat industry has set a target to be carbon neutral by 2030. This means that by then, Australian beef, lamb and goat production, including lot feed- ing and meat processing, aim to make no net release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. It’s an ambitious goal and one that is now just six years away. According to Meat and Livestock Australia the CN30 target sends a clear signal to government, global markets and consumers that the live- stock industry is proactively addressing emissions and tak- ing action to improve long- term productivity. “By taking action, the red meat industry pre-empts cur- rent and future market expec- tations regarding environmental credentials which will allow red meat pro- ducers to stamp their mark in a competitive global protein market,” MLA said. To date, the Australian red meat industry has decreased annual emissions by 57 per cent towards its target.
An additional 54.61 million tonnes per annum must be di- verted to achieve CN30. EDUCATION PHASE Agriculture Victoria climate specialist Graeme Anderson said there was a “big education phase” underway, with many farmers trying to educate themselves. Mr Anderson said many people ask what all the fuss around greenhouse gases is about. He said while gases such as CO2 aren’t necessarily toxic, the problem is the gases trap heat. “The story goes way back to the 1800s when scientists first discovered the abilities of these heat-trapping gases,” he said. “Basically, adding more greenhouse gases is like slowly winding up the windows and trapping more heat. “That’s why scientists ex- pect our warming trends to continue in the coming dec- ades. “It’s basic physics. “This is all about changing the ratio of heat in versus heat out. That’s why we expect to see much more attention paid
To understand how carbon neutral targets translate on-farm the best place for farmers to start is to understand their farm’s emissions, says Agriculture Victoria climate specialist Graeme Anderson.
to how we manage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which is good because in agri- culture we don’t want things getting much hotter, especially because a warmer world will affect our seasons, weather patterns, and variability.” According to Agriculture Victoria resources, under-
standing carbon and emissions can help agriculture to: capital- ise on growing market demand for primary produce that can demonstrate improved and improving emissions perform- ance, and increase productivity through greater efficiencies and new technologies. WHAT’S THE SCORE? So how does being carbon neu- tral translate on-farm? And what can producers do to pre- pare? Mr Anderson said the best place to start for farmers was to understand their farm’s emis- sions. “There are calculators out there that can help work out what your farm emissions in- tensity figure is, which helps educate on if the score is good or poor, then once you under- stand your own farm emis- sions, you can work from there,” he said. “In the longer term we want producers to reduce the emis- sions per kilogram of product
produced.” Agriculture Victor- ia is currently running an on- farm emissions action plan pilot, which will work with up to 250 farm businesses across the state to estimate their on- farm emissions profile and identify potential actions to manage and reduce emissions while maintaining productivity and profitability. Meanwhile, a number of farmers are already proving there are ways to increase on- farm productivity while also reducing greenhouse gas emis- sions on-farm. Mr Anderson said farmers have a bit of an advantage as they have land and they can offset some of their emissions which will buy them time. “While it is a good idea from a business point of view to know your emissions, it will become more likely for pro- ducers to be asked more often for input and output data from end users. “For example those who ex- port canola to the EU have to
meet market criteria and pro- vide extra detail, so farmers will do that if it is worthwhile.” DON’T GO IT ALONE Mr Anderson said it was im- portant producers did not try to solve the problem alone. He said there were a num- ber of helpful resources and pilot programs, as everyone was trying to learn together. “We are all trying to make sense of it all, because we have to,” he said. “All sectors, not just agricul- ture, are trying to work out how to lower emissions and everyone benefits from food and fibre production, so it isn’t just up to farmers alone to fix it. “There is a huge role for all along the supply chain.” While Mr Anderson said aiming for carbon neutral was good long-term, it was difficult, so the best way for farmers to approach it was to know their intensity number and work on improving it over time.
Australia’s red meat industry has decreased annual emissions by 57 per cent towards its CN30 target.
2024 Annual Bull Sale Thursday 14th March, 1pm
80 HBR ANGUS BULLS - By Cattlemen For Cattlemen -
2024 BEEF WEEK SUN JAN 28 Neerim South
FOCUS - Leading MSA + Breedplan Performance BREEDING - Millah Murrah foundation genetics SCIENCE - Entire herd genomic tested
Glenn Bowman 0437 172 748
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for all in supply chain Agriculture Victoria is running an on-farm emissions action plan pilot with up to 250 farm businesses.
Cattle industry well on track
The nation’s peak body for grass-fed cattle producers has said beef could be a solution to climate change rather than a contributor. Cattle Australia, which represents the producer sector of the grass-fed beef industry, is urging the government to take a “balanced approach” and presented strong reasons in its recent submission to the proposed Agriculture and Land Sectoral Plan, “CA highlighted the crucial role beef producers already play in this space, and welcomed the opportunity to provide strategic comment on the plan that will guide Australia’s 2050 net zero ambition,” CA chief executive Chris Parker said. “As custodians of almost 80 per cent of Australia’s agricultural land ... grass-fed beef producers are an integral part of the solution. “The Australian beef industry has made a leading contribution to combat further global warming and with the right support in coming years, will achieve the state of climate neutral. “To ensure a profitable and resilient future for the beef industry, CA supports an industry-driven pathway, with support from government to enable producers to access the advice, technology, innovations and incentives they need.” Given the role of cattle producers in land
management in Australia, Dr Parker said this needed to be acknowledged. He said beef production did produce methane, but the cyclical nature of biogenic methane (where methane is not only produced but consumed in beef production) needed to be taken into account. Part of the submission included work released by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences which showed an international comparison on sustainability and agri- environmental indicators. “A key finding was that even with CO2e accounting methodology, Australia’s emissions intensities are below average,” Dr Parker said. “Additionally, Australia has reduced agricultural emissions more than most other developed countries in the past 30 years. “More than any other sector, the beef industry has taken the lead and made significant investment in research, development and adoption. “There is still so much potential and a real opportunity for government, in partnership with industry, while considering the importance of food security, nutritional security and the societal role of meat.” A summary of the issues raised will be released at a later date.
“The main thing for produc- ers is to adopt things that make sense as they are ready and work on innovations.” TAKING ACTION The “Making cent$ of carbon and emissions” on-farm book- let by Agriculture Victoria (a free online resource) provides examples of actions that farm businesses can take to improve their emissions performance on-farm under the key action areas. The key action areas in- clude: ENERGY: Increasing ef- ficiency, renewable energy and emissions reduction; NITROGEN use efficiency and fertilisers: Improving ef-
ficiency and saving money; HEALTHY soils: to grow food and store carbon; LIVESTOCK: Improving per- formance and reducing energy loss; TREES: For farm health; SUPPLY chain: Prepared for what others are doing. The booklet provides prac- tical tips on how producers can continue to manage carbon and emissions on-farm. Mr Anderson said there would be things producers were already doing that they may be surprised to discover were contributing to lowering emissions. Some of the management options listed in the booklet in- clude:
UNDERSTAND your energy use: Get an energy assessment or audit to the national stan- dard (AS/NZS 3598.2:2014) to measure your current energy use and highlight areas for im- provement; ESTIMATE the methane and nitrous oxide emissions on your farm using a greenhouse gas accounting tool (agricul- ture.vic.gov.au/carbonemis- sions for links to appropriate tools); MONITOR soil nutrient levels: Monitor soil organic matter/ soil organic carbon over time via testing; I MPROVE the quality of the feed that livestock eat to re- duce methane emissions: Im- prove the quality of pasture or
forage by optimum grazing management, growing high quality forage crops; CONSIDER ram and bull selec- tion and breeding to achieve increased reproductive rates and shorter finishing times: Utilise Australian Sheep Breeding Values, Estimated Breeding Values for cattle and Australian Breeding Values for dairy cattle; KEEP accurate records on the inputs and outputs of the pro- duction system. Meat and Livestock Austra- lia have a number of useful re- sources available for red meat producers, including a fact sheet aimed at beef producers on 10 ways to be on the front foot towards carbon neutrality.
CSIRO emissions studies at Lansdown research station.
Murdeduke Angus Delivers Type and Performance 105 BULLS THURSDAY 7 TH MARCH, 2024
Sale Enquires Contact
Simon Falkiner 0407 319 967 Lachie Wilson 0409 256 417 www.murdeduke.com.au
Ross Milne 0408 057 558
Andrew Stanczak 0407 380 945
Dougal McIntyre 0439 575 612
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BULL SALES CALENDAR
19 Allendale Poll Hereford, Bordertown, SA 19 Days Whiteface Poll Hereford, Bordertown, SA 19 Sugarloaf Creek Hereford, Corryong 20 Morganvale Poll Hereford, Keith, SA 20 Injemira Hereford, Book Book, NSW 21 Path nder Angus, Penshurst 22 Barwidgee Angus, Mortlake 23 Glendan Park Hereford, Barfold 23 Adameluca Angus, Barfold 26 Melville Park Hereford & Poll Hereford, Balmoral 26 Wilkah Hereford, Balmoral 27 Weeran Angus, Byaduk 27 Lindsay Murray Grey, Casterton 28 Langi Kal Kal Angus, Ballarat Saleyards 29 Banquet Angus, Mortlake 29 Wirruna Poll Hereford, Holbrook, NSW
15 Lawsons Angus, Yea 15 Rangan Charolais, Charleroi 15 Quarterway Angus, Scottsdale, TAS 18 Mawarra Hereford & Angus, Longford 18 Landfall Angus, Launceston, TAS 19 Cluden Newry Angus, Longford, TAS 19 Tamaroo Angus, Powranna, TAS 19 Martindale Angus, Powranna, TAS 19 Chale/En eld Angus and Red Angus, Bishopsbourne, TAS
FEBRUARY 8 Maryvale Angus and Limousin, Kapunda, SA 9 Pelican Rise Invitational Limousin, Irrewarra 9 Goolagong Angus, Avenue, SA 9 Mount William Charolais, Willaura 10 Newlyn Park Angus, Meadows, SA 12 Sterita Park Angus, Lucindale, SA 12 Glentrevor Hereford, Finley, NSW 12 Yarram Park Hereford, Willaura 13 Glenellerslie Hereford, Adelong, NSW 14 Ennerdale Hereford, Woorndoo 14 Glatz’s Angus, Avenue Range, SA 15 Path nder Angus, Naracoorte, SA 16 Brewer Beef, Tallangatta Valley 16 Boonaroo Angus, Casterton 16 Goolagong Santa Gertrudis and Angus, Warnertown, SA
MARCH 2 Keiross Speckle Park, Hay, NSW 4 Dunoon Angus, Holbrook, NSW 6 Te Mania Angus, Mortlake 6 Glenholme Kirraweena Hereford, Cootamundra, NSW 6 Tarcombe Hereford, Ru y 7 Murdeduke Angus, Winchelsea 7 Chateau Limousin, Wangaratta 7 Te-Mooi Speckle Park, Wangaratta 7 Hicks Beef, Holbrook, NSW 8 Merridale Angus, Tennyson, NSW 8 Kenmere Charolais, Holbrook, NSW 12 Rennylea Angus, Culcairn, NSW 12 Dunlop Park Angus, Thirlstane 13 Alpine Angus, Myrtleford 13 Bayview Shorthorn, Naracoorte, NSW 13 Londavra Angus, St Marys, TAS 13 Newcomen Hereford, Ensay 13 Nunniong Hereford, Ensay 13 Malton Shorthorn, Finley, NSW 14 Wattlewood Angus, Lang Lang 14 Bowman Angus, Neerim South 14 Riddellvue Angus, Alexandra 14 Stellar Angus, Myrtleford 14 Naracoorte Shorthorn, Naracoorte, SA* 15 Merlewood Angus, Mirboo North 15 Jarobee Angus, Beechworth
APRIL 4 Quamby Plains Poll Hereford, Hagley, TAS 4 Absolute Angus, Echuca 5 Guilford Poll Hereford, Ouse, TAS 5 Mundarlo Angus, Tarcutta, NSW 8 Leawood Angus, Flynn, TAS 12 Flemington Limousin & Angus, Adelong, NSW 17 Reiland Angus, Tumut, NSW 18-19 Limousin National Show and Sale, Holbrook, NSW* 19 Schipps Red Angus, Alfredtown, NSW 19 Doodle Cooma Poll 20 Murray Grey National Show and Sale, Albury, NSW* 20 Black Diamond Speckle Park, Echuca 24 Spry’s Shorthorns & Angus, Wagga Wagga, NSW Hereford, Alfredtown, NSW
19 Tolivar Angus, Powranna, TAS 19 Karoonda Park Hereford, Gelantipy 20 Pinora Angus, Hey eld 21 Kelly Angus, Yea 22 Wanrua Poll Hereford, Newry 25 Yuroke Red Angus, Yuroke 25 Woodbourn Murray Grey, Cressy, TAS 26 Jade Park Angus, Hansonville 27 Absolute Angus, Trafalgar
MAY 2 Hazeldean Angus, Cooma, NSW 15-16 Hereford National Show and Sale, Wodonga* 20 Bongongo Angus, Gundagai, NSW 31 Tennysonvale Simmental Fleckvieh, Illabo, NSW
*Multi-vendor sales ** Please con rm dates with stud
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Fertility testing risk is no bull
cision), so it is important that as many as possible of the com- ponents of fertility are met in the evaluation. “A pass on Bullcheck™ is not an express guarantee, but rather an indication of the po- tential breeding value of the bull in a normal mating situ- ation,” ACV said. If an illness or stressor has rendered the bull temporarily infertile it can take more than six weeks for the sperm to be functional again. The only way to be sure of sperm fertility is with a mor- phology and motility test, un- dertaken as part of a bull breeding soundness evaluation by a vet. RaynerAg principal Alastair Rayner, a beef industry con- sultant, said a bull breeding soundness evaluation was im- portant to ensure breeding outcomes weren’t disappoint- ing. He said the main, or only, negative with a bull breeding soundness evaluation is that it is based on that point in time. “It doesn’t necessarily guar- antee if a BBSE is passed, the
bull will still be fertile at breed- ing time,” Mr Rayner said. Mr Rayner said if a bull was injured, got into a fight or had an illness, it could have a detri- mental impact on sperm, and it can take six to eight weeks for the sperm to be functional again. “There is always risk in a biological system, but without a BBSE you won’t know the situation, so that is a bigger risk,” he said. “By not knowing a bull’s fer- tility you compromise on other things, such as putting out more bulls than you need to. “Research shows people put out 6 per cent of bulls because they don’t test, but when they do test they put 2 per cent out, plus one. So testing a bull be- fore joining can cut the mating load back and cuts the risk of a bull not performing.” “Putting a bull out that is sub-fertile but more dominant could result in a lower preg- nancy percentage.” He said by definition from ACV if a bull passes a BBSE the bull has ability, by natural ser-
NICOLA BELL
W hen purchasing a bull the expectation is for a producer to get it home, put it in with the cows and nature does the rest. While it is rare, because the bulls have usually been tested prior to sale, there are times when a bull isn’t fertile, which can have major impacts on the herd. Most bulls sold will have had a breeding soundness examination that states they meet the minimum standards for fertility and reproductive health. The standardised Bull- check™ Veterinary Bull Breeding Soundness Evalu- ation developed by the Austra- lian Cattle Veterinarians uses prescribed assessments and if a bull meets all the minimum standards it has a high prob- ability of being fertile. According to the Australian Cattle Veterinarians in com- mon law, a bull sold as a breed- ing bull should be able to breed (Supreme Court of NSW, De-
It is extremely rare for a bull not to have a BBSE done before sale, and inset, Alastair Rayner, of Rayner Ag.
vice, to get 60 per cent of cows (at a ratio of 1:50) pregnant within three weeks, and 90 per cent in nine weeks. “A BBSE isn’t just assessing fertility, it is fitness and their ability to make it through the joining period.” The BBSE includes a semen exam to evaluate sperm mo- tility and morphology as well as a physical exam. The bull is evaluated for overall structural soundness, reproductive devel- opment, testicular size and health, and the physical char-
acteristics of the bull including mobility and athleticism in the pasture. Mr Rayner said it was ex- tremely rare for a bull not to have a BBSE done before sale and usually for seedstock pro- ducers it was the first level of culling for their sale draft. And while he said in those instances when a bull’s assess- ment showed they were mar- ginal or just on the line for fertility, they could be re-tested in six weeks. Mr Rayner’s advice was to
check bulls each year prior to joining and when buying in new bulls, it was im- portant to look at bulls well be- fore the sale day and ask for sale preparation information. “Some bulls can be over- prepared, this can be more of a risk at multi-vendor sales due to some vendors overfeeding bulls, and you want to make sure a bull can maintain its nu- trition and condition between testing and post-sale.”
15th Annual Sale Friday 15th March 2024
42 Polled Charolais Bulls & 20 Specially Selected Females + Genetic Lots
• Full Breedplan • Genomics • DNA Poll & Sire Verified • Freight Subsidy
ANGUS FOR EVERY SYSTEM
Graeme Cook M: 0419 429 696 E: ranganpark@gmail.com Charleroi, VIC
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Improved market raises hopes at
sales in early January, includ- ing drafts with Mandayen gen- etics. “It’s good to see our gen- etics are doing a great job for our clients and those clients are getting rewarded for the hard work they are putting in,” Damian said. “A lot of repeat clients (at the calf sales) are coming back and buying their cattle each year so they must be perform- ing.” Established 29 years ago, Mandayen had one of the big- gest Limousin breeding herds in Australia and continues to be one of the most successful with bull prices consistently topping sales around the coun- try. Ten years ago, the Gom- mers diversified their opera- tion and began breeding Angus cattle to help meet cli- ent and industry demand and Angus now make up a bigger portion of the enterprise. There are 140 Limousin breeding cows and 450 pure- bred Angus cows. The Angus herd is predomi- nantly based on Millah Mur- rah bloodlines and a portion of Coolana Angus. “We focused on a stud we wanted to build on and Millah Murrah has been a leader at
the forefront of the industry so it gave us a great female foun- dation,” Damian said. The majority of Mandayen clients are local to South Aus- tralia but bulls are sold to Vic- toria, NSW and Queensland. “We try to breed a good, functional well-structured Angus with plenty of muscle but still having that softness and maternal side too with good milk and fertility,” Dami- an said. “Our clients supply dom- estic markets, backgrounders as well as feedlots and that is the good thing about Angus, they are versatile and can be used in such a wide variety of markets. “The Limousins are a little different and are more suited to the vealer market or super- market trade – that is where a lot of clients market their cat- tle and most are straight off their mum as a milk calf.” The Mandayen Limousin genetics were originally found- ed on Wulfs Limousins in the United States and with the purchase of the Ramornie Limousin herd at Holbrook, NSW, to help increase num- bers. “They have been good, hon- est cattle and the right type. We try to outsource genetics
FIONA SHEEAN
T he depressed state of the cattle market late last year had the Gommers family from Mandayen Lim- ousin and Angus stud at Keith, South Australia, concerned about the upcoming bull sell- ing season but their hopes have lifted in the past few weeks. “We didn’t know what to expect two to three months ago but heading into this year with the way the market changed so rapidly, it is great to see the rise in prices,” stud principal Damian Gommers said. “There is a lot more confi- dence in the last six to eight weeks and we hope to see more positivity going into the bull sales.” At Mandayen’s annual sale last year, 30 Limousin bulls reached a top of $31,000 twice and averaged $12,800, and 75 Angus bulls topped at $28,000 and averaged $13,700. Damian, who farms with wife Mandy and their three children, isn’t expecting to see such highs this autumn but re- mains hopeful, buoyed by the strong prices paid for Europe- an and European-cross cattle at the Western District calf
each year but it is getting more difficult to find them due to a decrease in breeding herds,” Damian said. When selecting cattle, Damian said structure and temperament came first, fol- lowed by phenotype, muscle and softness. The Gommers
were also mindful of birth weight while keeping an above average growth rate, and fo- cused on scrotal and carcass Estimated Breeding Values, particularly eye muscle area. The breeding herds are both AI’d, followed by mop up bulls, and are run in separate mobs
with Limousins calving in May-June and Angus in spring. An ET program is also run with 150 recipient cows. Depending on seasonal conditions, weaning is conduc- ted in December-January for the Limousin calves, and Angus in March. The Gom-
MORE WEIGHT, MORE MUSCLE
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2024 Bull Sales SA- February 15th VIC- February 21st QLD- September 20th 400 BULLS
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Mandayen
Herefords benefiting from super sires
FIONA MYERS
Days Landlord T064 fits the super sire program, designed to drive improve - ments in the rate of genetic progress in the breed across a balanced set of traits.
They are regarded as the elite of the whiteface breed, and the 44 bulls that have made it to the list are changing things up. That’s the view of Herefords Australia chief executive Michael Crowley, who says the organisation’s super sire program has driven the rate of genetic progress within the breed. The latest four bulls to meet the criteria are from a group of 90 from 13 stud herds and all are polled. They are: ● Days Landlord T064; ● Elite Q194 T058; ● Wirruna Smokin Joe S010; and ● Yavenvale Taylor Made T874. The super sire program is an initiative designed to drive improve- ments in the rate of genetic progress in the breed across a balanced set of traits for the benefit of both the seedstock and commercial beef producer. Mr Crowley said that for seedstock producers, the program set aspirational targets to deliver the greatest level of genetic progress within the breed. This ultimately lead to higher demand for genetically superior sires. “There has been a trend in recent times where super sires within on-farm property sales have topped those sales,” Mr Crowley said. “Super sires are in demand from other seedstock producers as well as commercial cattlemen.” And it’s not only stud breeders who
should be interested in the super sire list. “The program is targeted at driving the rate of genetic gain for the benefit of the commercial beef producer,” Mr Crowley said. “The outcomes that are being targeted include improving MSA index outcomes, improving carcass marbling, reducing cost of production, driving productivity and improving fertility within the herd. “Commercial producers are using this information to establish a clear breeding objective that leads them to target sires that have the genetic potential to deliver against that objective.” The 44 Herefords Australia super sires now on the list cover 17 studs. To be eligible to become a super sire, breeders must list their bulls
against a set of strict objective criteria by Herefords Australia. The eligible sires are then provided to the breeder in order for them to nominate which sire they wish to put forward. “It is up to the breeder to determine the sires suitability to be listed as a super sire once the objective criteria are met,” Mr Crowley said. “The owner needs to be able to stand behind the sire in terms of structure and type in addition to the genetic merit of the sire.” The studs involved can only nominate one sire for each round of the program. “For the most recent round, out of 90 eligible sires, four were nominated by the owners which demonstrates the selection pressure placed on the eligible animals,” he said.
Mandayen Limousin and Angus stud principal Damian Gommers.
mers also grow cereal crops on their 2400ha property, produc- ing all their own hay and silage as well as 80 per cent of the grain required for their small on-farm feedlot. The feedlot, based on the family’s Murray Bridge prop- erty, is used for commercial
cattle, supplying 2200 head a year to Woolworths weighing 550-600kg liveweight. “Our progeny that don’t make the grade and cull heifers go back through the feedlot and we sometimes get clients cattle back here too,” Damian said.
LANGI KAL KAL BULL SALE WEDNESDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 2024 @ 10:00 AM UP TO 45 APR REGISTERED 2022 SPRING DROP T BULLS SALE LOCATED AT CVLX REGIONAL EXCHANGE BALLARAT FREE DELIVERY OF BULLS WITHIN 150 KM
CHOICE OVER CHANCE
By way of innovation, leadership, passion, experience and continual improvement, Landfall Angus seeks to add value in every step of the beef supply chain. From quality genetic production through to the beef consumer experience, every decision is made with the consideration of a profitable, sustainable and rewarding industry for all stakeholders. It’s not by chance that we breed good bulls!
2024 AUTUMN BULL SALE
O ering 250 bulls
18th March 2024
On property, Launceston, Tasmania.
LOT 4 2024 BULL SALE
please contact us for more information:
Frank 0417 506 163 / Ed 0417 337 144 / frank@landfall.com.au
Inspection welcome by appointment. Kahn Jantzen on 0418 847 637
Selling Agent Nutrien Ballarat (03) 5334 1030 Xavier Shanahan 0418 971 940
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Limousins become a passionate
JENNY KELLY
A s a stock agent with a ca- reer spanning more than 40 years Tony Hooppell has seen a lot of different cattle sold. He doesn’t breed bash, rath- er acknowledges the best of every breed has its merits. “It is a joy to look at well- bred cattle and I’m a true be- liever in every breed has its share of excellent animals,” Tony said. It was a version of the match your farming enterprise to your area, market and pas- sion that led the Hooppell fam- ily to Limousins and Simmentals. Based at Rochester, Tony and sons Xavier and Ethan op- erate the Carlsruhe Limousin stud which today numbers about 50 registered Limousin females alongside a smaller niche herd of Simmentals. As part of the FP Nevins and Co stock agency group, Tony regularly sold cattle at the Bendigo saleyards (now closed) and Echuca where price rewards for highly mus- cled and yielding European vealers were consistently achieved. These calves often came out of mixed breed herds in the re-
gion, including F1 dairy-cross cows, where the muscle power of European bulls added car-
cass shape and made the heif- ers as valuable as the steers for domestic meat buyers.
“It was years in the job and seeing those really strong trade buying orders from the likes of
Hardwicks at Kyneton, the Cobram abattoir, Swan Hill abattoir and Kardinia for
calves with the right shape,” Tony said. “And what really stood out
FRIDAY 15 TH MARCH AT 1 PM 2024 LAWSONS ANGUS VIC AUTUMN SALE
Thursday 29th February - 2:00 pm Offering 100 Bulls and 100 PTIC Commercial Heifers Bull Walk Day - Thursday 22nd - 1:00pm to 4:00pm
ON FARM AND ONLINE 233 COONANS RD, YEA, VIC
Lot 11 - Banquet Tom Cruise T220
Stephen Branson: 0419 884 839 Hamish Branson: 0427 164 031 Noeleen Branson: 0437 029 992 184 Steeles Lane, Mortlake, Vic banquetangus@westvic.com.au ANGUS | WHITE SUFFOLKS | SUFFOLKS | SOUTHDOWN COMPOSITES PIC: 3MYNL043
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family affair at Hooppell’s stud Tony Hooppell with some of his Limousin
cows and bull calves on his Rochester property. He runs about 50 stud Limousin females
alongside a smaller herd of Simmental cattle.
making it difficult to have cat- tle walking in and out to yards for AI programs. The sires selected were a pure apricot French Limousin bull from the Talana stud in Queensland, and an Austra- lian pure sire from the Chateau stud near Wangaratta. “These bulls have really worked for us and we have some exceptional cattle with muscle and softness coming through,” Tony said. The Hooppells sell bulls pri- vately in the paddock, and like to grow them out to 18 months to two years. “We like to get a good 20 months on them and we have an autumn and spring calving so we always have bulls com- ing in,” he said.
has become a family affair. They built the herd using arti- ficial insemination and em- bryo transfer technology and it was highly influenced by 100 per cent pure French Limousin genetics. Tony said it was butt shape and muscle power that buyers still had on the top of their list when inspecting Limousin bulls, and the French genetics gave their cattle that appeal. “People are still drawn to that big butt and really defined muscle pattern in the bulls and the traditional French genetics really gives you those heavily muscled calves, although sometimes they don’t carry as much fat cover,” he said. The challenge for the Hooppells has been to retain the muscle while adding soft- ness and fleshing ability, as well as focusing on tempera- ment, calving ease and using homozygous genetics to nat- urally produce polled cattle. Tony said the European
cattle market had changed and while once it was centred on milk vealers sold straight off dairy-cross cows at a young age, more Euro sired calves were now being weaned and grown out and fed for the heavy domestic market. “You now have more Euro- pean calves being grown out on grass or grain so you can’t have animals that get all leggy and don’t fatten,” he said. He said the Limousin breed as a whole had made big im- provements in the past decade in terms of adding finishing ability and producing a quieter animal that was easier to calve down and handle. “There has been a lot of good work done by all Limous- in studs in getting their stock right and suitable for a range of markets,” he said, adding it was a reason why Limousin, Sim- mental and Charolais sired calves were strongly supported at this year’s big weaner sales. The Hooppells have now
started to blend some Austra- lian Limousin genetics into their herd, and in the past two
years have purchased two stud sires, due in part to all the flooding in the Rochester area
was the price you could get for European heifers compared to the traditional British breeds (which can get discounted on shape and fat issues).” When contemplating a stud enterprise the Hooppells also looked at the regional supply of European bulls, and what their own passion was. “The Limousin was always a favourite and there wasn’t many studs near us, and at the end of the day I’ve always said have the breed of cattle you want to go and look at every day,” Tony said. The stud was founded in the names of Xavier and Ethan, partly as a way to future proof the 404ha farm by adding a high value breeding element to the mix of cropping, lambs and finishing steers. Today the property’s beef enterprise revolves totally around the stud cattle, and Tony admits he has become quite passionate about gen- etics, and Carlshrue Limousins
Le Martres Poll Limousin Stud
40 Apricot, Black & Blue Bulls with traditional Limousin body shape, marbling and 'BIG Butt's"! NEG carcase assessed. Photos and videos available. In addition, selected heifers & steers will be for sale.
Annual Bull Sale
Friday 1st March, 2024 @ 1pm
Inspections from 11am On property auction supported by AuctionsPlus and phone bidding
Le Martres Governor (G70)
Leon Martin: 0428 577 138
James Brown: 0419 333 295
'Rosemont Farm', 136 Rosemont Road, Tabletop via Albury, NSW W: lemartreslimousins.com | E: leonmartin@lemartreslimousins.com
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