Where the Welsh Black is King

By Gemma Gadd
Updated January 5 2016 - 6:12pm, first published November 29 2007 - 12:00am

WELSH Blacks might be regarded as a minority breed but a King Valley couple are making sure they turn a majority profit.Malcolm Douglass established his Welsh Black herd in 1984 with a foundation of 16 females and one bull, imported from New Zealand, at Blackwater Park, Pakenham South. He met his partner, Winnie Jones, originally from the Brecon Beacons in Wales, (she moved out eight years ago) when she bought some females from him in 2001. “It was the easiest sale I have ever made,” Mr Douglass said. They agree that “Welsh cattle and Welsh women are both very adaptable”. The couple runs about 250 head on Mt Bellevue, 485-hectares of grassy volcanic mountains high above the King Valley floor, near Myrrhee. The operation also supports a bed and breakfast operation and vineyards, half belonging to Mt Bellevue and the other half to Redbank wines.The Welsh Black cattle are low birth weight (38-40 kilograms) and breeding animals are selected on confirmation. They process about 80 grass fattened animals yearly, pushing three to four animals per month through their own Mt Bellevue brand, preferring to dedicate their efforts to a quality product. “We just keep the cattle that we can grow the feed beyond,” Ms Jones said. A cross section of bulls is on offer year round (they sell about six per year) and there’s a waiting list for females. “It’s very pleasing to sell terminal bulls to commercial breeders for an F1 cross. We know these produce a happy buyer and a happy butcher,” Mr Douglass said. Cattle for the Mt Bellevue brand are slaughtered at 18-24 months at Gathercole’s abattoir in Wangaratta, typically have a big rib depth and yield up to 75 per cent. Carcase weights range from 280-320kg and the meat is hung for three weeks. Wangaratta butcher Mick Oxenham processes the carcasses and makes the 10 different types of meaty gourmet sausages including Drunken Fig and Walnut (with a good dose of brandy) Jack Horner (plum and spring onion), Black Bull Boar (with pork and black pepper) to name a few. The secondary cuts to into heat’n’serve frozen dishes such as goulash, curry and chili con carne, prepared by chef, Adam Pizzini of Rinaldo’s Restaurant in the King Valley. These sell for $12 and $15 per pack. Local ingredients are sourced where possible. “Finding a way to sell seconds has taken the business to a new level,” they said. For full story see Stock & Land, November 29, 2007

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