From running a chain of Melbourne petrol stations and convenience stores to operating a full-time sheep and beef operation at Redesdale, Mike Abramowski has shown a flair for working on the land.
Last year, Mr Abramowski took out the best presented pen at Kyneton, for his 14 Pert Angus and Webb Black-blood, March/April-drop weaners, which sold for $1240 a head, or 307 cents a kilogram.
He and wife Robyn purchased the 260-hectare Glendene property in 2006, initially running the property on a part-time basis.
“I was Melbourne-born and bred, but my uncle had a property at Savernake, near Yarrawonga; I used to go up at Easter to do a bit of roustabouting in the shearing sheds,” Mr Abramowski said.
“I always had the yearning to be on the land, for some reason.”
He started with sheep and cattle, running 300 cross-bred ewes. .
With assistance from Kyneton agent Kieran McGrath, McGrath-Rodwells, he said he has since largely transitioned from sheep to cattle.
“The numbers seemed to come out better for selling a calf, when you wean it,” he said.
He now runs 130 breeding cows, including a mob of 30 spring calvers, over which he uses four bulls.
One is a property-bred sire, but the others are Webb Simmentals and an Adameluca bull.
He said he used Pert Angus bloodlines until the stud was wound up.
“I experimented with Webb Simmentals, and they were very good, but now I am back with Adameluca and they have produced some outstanding calves,” he said.
He said he ran a simple operation at Glendene.
“I just want to breed good calves, with weight in them, at weaning and after weaning,” he said.
“I just want to make sure I have good breeders that are able to produce a good calf.”
He chose the stud bulls on their frame, rear end muscle and their ability to produce a good result at the sales.
Older cows, bad feet or stock with medical complications were culled.
“The younger empties I put into the spring mob, I give them a second chance,” he said.
“It’s probably not the way most people do it; it’s more of a hobby.”
Seasonal conditions had impacted production.
“I weaned a mob early and offloaded some of the empty, and older cows, as well as a mob of sheep, just to lighten the load a bit,” he said.
“I’m not going to be able to cut hay this year.
“This time last year, I cut 270 bales of silage and 250 bales of hay; I now have 100 of silage and 50 bales of hay.”
