HEREFORD cattle might have a long-standing history at the Elphick family's southern NSW property but the breed is continuing to pay its dues.
Dennis and Kay Elphick, Jackalass, Jackalass via Gundagai, are third generation Hereford producers and run a herd of 150 breeding females.
Despite the constant changes in agriculture and marketing fluctuations Mr Elphick said the Hereford cattle continued to make good returns.
He has used bloodlines from Glenellerslie, Dunoon, and Onslow and was impressed with the finishing ability of his cattle on mainly native pastures.
In October last year his 500-kilogram and heavier Hereford steers (milk tooth) returned just less than $1000 a head and around $2/kg when they were sold through the saleyards at Gundagai.
Mr Elphick said Herefords were easy to finish, quiet and had excellent fertility and these were the reasons the breed still held pride of place at Jackalass.
"This is my wife's family property and they have been running Herefords forever," he said.
To keep abreast of the market trends and the needs of feedlots and meat buyers Mr Elphick dehorns all of the steers at marking time.
The herd calves down in autumn, usually starting in the second week of March, and despite the trend in southern NSW to switch to spring calving to make use of the feed curve Mr Elphick planned to stick to his guns.
"I have been to all of the field days and heard the arguments for spring calving," he said.
However, he said the current calving time of March suited his property and the marketing of the cattle well.
*Extract from report to appear in Stock & Land, February 5, in a special Whiteface feature.
