FOR 50 years, Ian Patzel has bred and run Poll Herefords on his Strathdownie property in the Western District and believes the breed will continue to thrive on his farm in the next 50 years, with his son Stephen at the operation's helm.
"Over our many years farming, Poll Hereford cattle have remained a constant for us; through changes in our enterprise mix and seasonal conditions," he said.
"They are such good doers and very easy to manage, which is why we have stuck with them.
"Poll Herefords perform well under all conditions. In good conditions, all breeds can achieve good conception and calving rates, but in tough times, the Poll Herefords still perform consistently well and that is part of their value to us."
Mr Patzel said the breed's high fertility, large growth, good feed conversion and docility, make them easy care animals perfect for a mixed farming enterprise such as their Western District operation.
The father and son team run 400 Poll Herefords, sourcing herd sires from Warrensville and Morgan Vale and previously Heatherdale and Silverton, on their 1708-hectare Bamboa Station.
The property was once part of an original 5670ha holding owned at one time by former Adelaide journalist, businessman and Lord Mayor Sir Lavington Bonython.
Ian's parents, Clarrie and Alice, purchased the 1708ha homestead portion in 1957.
The Patzel's also run Angus cattle and 5000 crossbred ewes in their woolgrowing and prime lamb flocks.
Annual drafts of Bamboa weaner cattle are sold through the Mount Gambier livestock selling complex in South Australia and Poll Herefords are crossed with Angus and Simmental to achieve hybrid vigour.
"The whiteface influence in the herd gives the calves the extra weight, while the Angus deliver a superb quality carcase and are highly sought after by some buyers," Mr Patzel said.
The Patzel's use both visual assessment and estimated breeding value measurements (EBVs) in their decision-making process for sire selection.
"We look for good length and frame, as well as eye muscle area and have come to learn which bulls are going to work best on our herd," Mr Patzel said.
"The sire selection process has come a long way over the last five decades. EBVs give us a good guide to work with and we can also look at milk and birthweight statistics. Poll Herefords are good milk producers and we look for moderate birthweights."
Bamboa's cows are calved down in the autumn and a simple approach to management is adopted.
"We had up to 800 cattle and 6000 sheep at one point, but we were finding it harder to manage and have cut our numbers back in the last few years to a more sustainable level," he said.
Super Phosphate is applied annually to sections of the farm at a rate of 140 kilograms/ha.
This year, the Patzels will super two thirds of the property and say the fertiliser regime has paid dividends for the operation's maximum stocking capacity regime.
Calves are turned off at 9-10 months and sold at Mt Gambier store markets in December and January, with the best heifers kept as replacements.
"In an average year we still have a green pick right through to mid-January and people are keen to buy at the end of the year or at the beginning of a New Year. We have sold our stock this way for a long time and are very pleased with the results," Mr Patzel said.
"Prices were down a little this year from last year, but they still held up reasonably well and it's not such a bad thing because buyers were able to come away with good cattle and good value for money. Last year's prices weren't sustainable and now people can start making a bit of money again in the cattle job."
The Patzels sold their annual draft of 440 steers and heifers at the January 20 sale, including 280, 10-11 month-old, European Union-accredited, yard weaned Angus and black baldy steers and heifers and 160 Hereford and Hereford-Simmental steers and heifers.
Bamboa's 291-335kg Angus and black baldy steers made from $630-$715 or 212-213 cents/kg liveweight.
Hereford and Hereford-Simmental steers, weighing 320-377kg, made from $700-$785 a head or 218-208c/kg. Heifers made from $590-$685.
The majority of Mr Patzel's EU cattle sold at the sale stayed in the system and he said he was happy he made the decision to become accredited.
"I believe it has delivered a premium more often than not," he said.
Mr Patzel says he believes the future for "the reliable Hereford" is strong.
"Black cattle have certainly been well advertised and marketed, but I do think the tide is beginning to turn a little and Herefords are starting to make a comeback," he said.
"They are ever the reliable beast on a farm and such good doers; this year our Hereford weaners were 50kg heavier than the Angus calves of the same age."
