AFTER unexpectedly selling their Benalla farm last month, Welcome Swallow stud principals Jim and Suzy Martin are now preparing for the first of their herd dispersals.
The initial sale – set for 10am on Friday, July 17 – will see 287 pregnancy tested in-calf (PTIC) Angus females go under the hammer.
The cows will calve down mid-August. Of the 270 joined by AI, 97 are first calvers and the rest are mature cows. About 17 are recipients.
The auction will include embryo and semen packages too.
For the Martins, it will be a sad day. Jim's parents established the property, Illalangi, in 1948, and the Welcome Swallow stud was founded in 1994.
However, the couple are excited for the next chapter in their lives – and are also keen to see their cows go to good homes.
Since news broke that a Chinese family purchased their 850 hectare farm in June, Ms Martin said interest in their stud animals had been remarkable. "We've had lots of emails and phone calls, and we feel very honoured to have that amount of interest in our herd," she said.
"It's been a fantastic adventure building Welcome Swallow and we look forward to seeing our cows go to good homes and the genetics carried on."
Ms Martin said they were proud to have built a reputation on using cutting edge genetics.
"What we have tried to do is move forward incrementally, or multi-trait select using indexes so the whole herd moves forward in a steady fashion."
Included in the 287-head catalogue is one of the Martins' top cows, Welcome Swallow Foresight D121.
The seven-year-old cow has had an impressive impact on their herd, and the sale will also include six recipient PTIC females with her embryos, as well as three embryo packages with her genetics.
"She has consistently has high performance progeny," Ms Martin said.
The cow has had 16 bull calves and only one has been culled, while nine of her daughters will be available in the sale.
Welcome Swallow will also offer six daughters and several grand-daughters from one of the most valued and recognised Angus donor cows in the United States, Mohnen Jilt 910.
"We've used her embryos as part of a benchmarking program. She's had progeny go through the sale ring to the value of $1.5 million," Ms Martin said.
"The whole Jilt cow family has actually made an enormous contribution to the AI sire program in the US…and our sale is really an exciting opportunity for people interested in outcross genetics."
Ms Martin said potential buyers could easily see the depth of breeding behind their female herd, but an effort had also been made to emphasise the potential of the calves about to land.
The females up for grabs are in-calf to some leading sires, including Tour of Duty.
"He is the hottest bull in the Angus world in the US, and he has a strong following here," she said.
"We've got 20 females PTIC in-calf to him, plus we have seven semen packages comprising 71 straws."
Sydgen Black Pearl 2006 is also a stand-out Angus sire and features strongly in the Welcome Swallow catalogue.
"He is garnering a lot of support," she said. "And we've got 40 females in-calf to him."
On Friday, the Martins will be carrying out another pregnancy test and a PTIC certificate will be available on sale day. Potential buyers will be also able to view the cattle the day before the sale on Thursday, July 16.
And while the first dispersal edges closer, the Martins are taking some much-needed time to consider their future.
"We want to take some times to clear our heads," she said.
"But I can't imagine we won't have ongoing interest in the Angus industry."
The dispersals be managed by Michael Glasser, GTSM.
The Charolais herd, which comprises 22 registered females plus 17 recipients will be dispersed with calves at-foot at the bull sale to be held on Wednesday, September 9.
