Commercial producers are pleased with the bulls they’ve purchased at the Southern Charolais Breeders Group Sale.
Peter and Helen Bowman, Wulgulmerang, bought Waterford Ka Boom (AI) (P) for the equal top-price of $10,000 at last year’s Southern Charolais Breeders Group sale.
Ka Boom’s weight of 908 kilograms and eye muscle area (EMA) scan of 138 square centimetres were both the biggest figures of last year’s catalogue and it had won grand champion Charolais at the Royal Melbourne Show.
But what really appealed to the Bowmans was the bull’s quiet temperament.
“I want good quality, quiet cattle,” Mr Bowman said.
They’ve tried different breeds of bulls, including Hereford, Poll Hereford, Angus and Limousin bulls.
Next month, they will sell 100 mixed sex weaners at the feature Hinnomunjie sale. Mr Bowman said he was “quite happy” with the mostly Charolais cross calves he saw in the paddock.
Rob McCartney, Tatura, has bought three bulls at the multivendor sale in the past six years. He’s chosen bulls from Ken Manton’s Clarinda Charolais because they’ve got good phenotypes and figures but they’re not overfed.
“They’ve worked out really well for us,” he said.
Since the family got out of dairying six years ago, they have built a beef herd of about 50 Angus cows, which are run alongside stud and commercial sheep.
“At the start, we tried three different breeds of bull and found the Charolais-cross calves made $50 to $70 a head more than the others – and when you times that by 50 calves...well the other breeds went.”
...we tried three different breeds of bull and found the Charolais-cross calves made $50 to $70 a head more than the others...
- Rob McCartney, Tatura
After weaning the calves, the McCartney family puts them through their own feedlot and then sells at 12 months old at about 450-500kg at Shepparton prime market. M.C. Herd Meat Wholesalers, Corio, and Hardwick's Meat Works, Kyneton, have purchased many of their calves to go into the local trade.
Mr McCartney said the Charolais-cross calves had superior early growth. He choses “framey” bulls so the calves have frame on which they can put weight. Mr McCartney also looks at the estimated breeding value for 400-day growth. He’s just weaned the calves and cows are will calve again soon.
