The depth of cow families at the Merridale Angus stud has produced a strong representation of bulls bred from local sires at the top end of the stud’s 2019 sale catalogue.
Merridale stud principal, Peter Collins, said Merridale was established in 1993 on Merrigrange bloodlines and was fortunate to have the connection and access to the Merrigrange herd established by his parents.
“Merrigrange was such a powerhouse of the Angus breed back then and I had access to the best donor cows and got embryos from those cows to start our herd off,” he said.
Mr Collins said that the top end of the 2019 catalogue comprised a number of bulls by Merridale Gem G80 and Merridale Gus G110.
“This is the first time we have had so many bulls by our own sires. In the past I always chased that top North American genetics to get better,” he said.
“But I’ve found in the past few years that my own bred bulls have been right up there more consistently than the overseas bulls.
“I’ve gone down the track of using more Australian bred bulls, including my own bulls.”
Mr Collins said the Australian bred bulls and his own bulls were producing more consistent bulls and better sized bulls.
“But the number one thing for me is the structural correctness of the local bulls which was a long way better,” he said.
The local bulls were better all-rounders, producing good females as well, he said.
He said it gave him confidence that the bulls gave good females and bulls as well.
Without the females “our studs are no good at all” because the females were the key attribute to the stud.
Mr Collins said his father said “if you breed good females the bulls just happen”.
He said it needed generations of good cow families to breed good cattle.
The sale bulls were also right up the top end for carcase data for eye muscle area and intra muscular fat while still keeping birth weight down, but good growth.
While it was difficult to do, the top bulls had figures around 4 for BW, 120 for 600-day while keeping EMA at around 7-8 and 2 for IMF.
He said they had introduced certain cow families over the years.
“I just purchased a cow family at the Anvil dispersal recently. Anvil purchased cows from Merrigrange to start their herd off and I was able to buy back some family lines I didn’t have,” he said.
“I did the same at the Vermont dispersal.”
He said he only aimed at buying elite donor females to bring back into the herd.
“There’s no point chasing every-day females, just the very best to include in embryo transfer programs,” he said.
The opportunity to bring in those genetics from herds that had been bred differently to provide entirely different genetics and to maintain a standard, he said.
“I’m a big one on spending the money to buy the right cow, the best animal I can find and improve the herd that way.
“Buy the very best and get better.”
Merridale cattle have been successful at Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, gaining Interbreed Champions at all these Royal Shows.
Mr Collins said Group BreedPlan and the Validation assessment programs were an essential tool in his selection criteria and had proved successful.
The top 50 heifers were retained and the balance sold as unjoined heifers at the stud’s sale in March.
As well as around 40 bulls the auction in March saw heifers and cows and cow-and-calf outfits also offered.
The top-priced cow in 2018 sold for $16,000 bought by the previous year’s equal top-priced bull buyer, SBC Farms manager Kyle Landy, Mickleham.
The top priced bull at the sale was Mitchell M133 sold for $18,000 to Kellie Smith K5X stud, Allora, Queensland.
Another good sign was the performance of the progeny clients. At the annual Corryong store sale steers by Merridale sires were the best presented pen and sold for $1570 for spring drop calves weighing 493kg.