David's aiming for positive fat

Principals Charles and Dianne Weatherly, along with manager Tim Fincham, now run a 550-head commercial herd, mainly Angus, as well as 40 registered Angus females.

"They simply outperformed – we get the cattle off earlier, at a better time of year, heavier and for more dollars per kilogram," Mr Weatherly said.

And while the stud was largely established to produce bulls for the expanding commercial herd, Mr Weatherly still aims for the best, using the top five per cent rated AI bulls in the breed.

"We have a commercial test group, which we test mate the AI bulls with before using them over the stud cows – I like to have seen the calves before I use the bulls in the stud," he said.

"While we try to use proven sires that are being used at the premier studs, we also trial young bulls coming up, because the breed is advancing so quickly at the moment that you have to keep up with new genetics."

Originally a Barwidgee-based herd, Banquet Dream and Kite – families have since been introduced into the genetics, with a Millah Murrah Abigail purchased recently, and sons of O36, Future Direction, Ultrabox, Te Mania Yorkshire, and lately Lawsons Novak, making up the paternal side.

Mr Weatherly said the bloodlines were chosen to ensure the right building block were used to take the commercial herd forward.

"We try to market cattle in July and August, so we need more fat cover and need cattle in reasonable condition in July," he said.

"We are looking to be positive fat, while a lot of international cattle are negative fat – Australian cattle have better fat and that is why Australian bulls are becoming more popular.

"With negative fat cattle, we've had wastage in the commercial herd in not being able to look after themselves as well as look after their calves."

Selling in Ballarat at the monthly store sales, a majority of the Weatherly's cattle were sold in the winter months, with some sent to the February sale.

"We are there regularly because we have enough cattle to front up with a load most months, which makes a difference, because people see the cattle often and we have had lots of different buyers and they keep coming back and looking for them," Mr Weatherly said.

"We are trying to get the maximum dollars per kilo, because one can only harvest a certain amount of kilograms of beef from a certain amount of grass.

"We are also aiming for good quality beef – we should be producing the best quality we can because consumers don't buy more if they have one bad steak."