The genetics of the modern Angus has delivered previously unheard of weight gains for Western District cattle producers, Jim and Wendel Shaw and son Jarrod.
The property, Winninburn at Tarrenlea south of Coleraine, on the Wannon River, has been running Angus cattle for more than 20 years.
The Shaws have been selling at the Hamilton weaner sale for nearly that long.
The current herd was built on bloodlines from the Vermont stud at Penshurst.
Mr Shaw said they had a lot to be thankful to the Vermont stud, dispersed in 2010, for their advice and setting the herd on the right path.
For more than 10 years the Winninburn herd has been using Banquet genetics, purchasing bulls from the annual Banquet sale.
“Every calf on the place today is by a Banquet sire bought at their on-property sales,” Mr Shaw said.
The herd comprises around 160 cows and joined heifers run on hill country with the heavy soils.
“Black cattle seem to do okay here. We find the temperament of the Banquet cattle to be good and they are good doers on this type of country,” he said.
The quality of the genetics of Angus cattle had increased dramatically to allow calves to achieve the weights seen today “on this type of country”.
Mr Shaw said the proof of the quality of the weaners was in the positive feedback from repeat buyers.
The herd became European Union accredited in 2017 with the 2018 weaners being the first sold as EU.
The Shaws have been selling at the Hamilton weaner sales for nearly 20 years.
Mr Shaw said the move to EU status was prompted by his agent.
He said they had probably missed out some competition on their heavier cattle in the past that were not EU accredited.
Virtually the complete drop of steer calves make the sale with around 55 steers and 35 heifers sold.
Mr Shaw said the numbers might be a little higher with a slight increase in cow numbers this year.
The cows are joined in mobs of 30 with one bull to each mob starting in the first week of June to calves from the second week of March.
The calves were weaned 2-3 weeks prior to the sale date in the yards staying in the yards for a couple of nights before going to a holding paddock where they were fed on silage and hay.
In the past two years the steer portion of weaners sold in Hamilton have averaged 380 kilograms in 2018 and 385kg in 2017 with the tops weighing the same at 416kg.
The heifer portion weighed in at a top of 352kg in 2018 and averaged 343kg while in 2017 the heifers averaged 332kg.
Mr Shaw said all the calves were 7 in 1 and B12 treated as well as being treated with Piliguard to provide protection from Pink Eye.
The cows were fed hay during the winter as a bit of protection to get cows back in calf and protect against grass tetany issues.
