PETER and Jeanette Honey of Barnhill Angus are using estimated breeding values and advanced breeding technology to develop a beef cattle herd that is lower maintenance, easier calving, can store body fat reserves in times of low fodder availability and is profitable.
The couple have built up their 330-hectare commercial and stud Angus beef property at Jarrahmond, near Orbost, over the past 26 years.
They run 180 cows and calves, 50 joined heifers, five herd bulls and 15 sale bulls.
Depending on pasture, they choose to grow out or finish their drop of steers each year.
They buy in about 100 rolls of hay and five tonnes of pellets each year to feed out strategically, particularly for the heifers before and after their first joining.
They continue to use Angus Group Breedplan to guide and map the development of the herd.
"We chose Angus cattle because it is easy to care for," Mr Honey said.
"We focus on temperament, calving ease, mature cow size coupled with efficient feed utilisation, fertility, rib and rump fat, carcase weight and the 400-day weight.
"We pasture-feed all the stock and aim to keep our mature cow weights and birth weights down.
"Research shows fertility is 10 times more economically important than growth and growth is twice as important as muscle and marbling.
"We focus on using EBVs for these characteristics.
"Our data shows our calving ease is 2.5 per cent better than average.
"The advantage of Breedplan is we can see how we're going and how we're tracking against the breed average."
They recently joined some of their herd to Black Simmental bulls, to compare those calves against progeny from the Angus bulls, which produce their self-replacing breeding stock.
Mr Honey, who worked as a veterinarian specialising in reproduction, retains an interest in scientific research, with a focus on animal health, parasite resistance and pasture development.
In a study through Charles Sturt University and funded by Meat & Livestock Australia, Mr Honey was able to show there is a genetic component to internal parasite resistance in beef cattle.
"With this approach we know it's possible to breed animals with enhanced natural resistance and that these cattle cause lower pasture contamination with worm eggs," Mr Honey said.
"Pastures are safer for the cattle and there is decreased reliance on chemical control of internal parasites.
"There are also positive spin-offs for animal welfare and environmental stewardship."
The couple recently received a Landcare award for this work – the DEPI Innovation in Sustainable Farm Practices Award East Gippsland – also honouring Mrs Honey's long term role as secretary of the local group and because of their involvement in revegetation.
- Full story in this week's 10 of our Best feature in Stock & Land November 28 edition
