Stock & Land

JAD Agriculture has taken livestock breeding to a whole new level

JAD Agriculture has taken livestock breeding to a whole new level
JAD Agriculture has taken livestock breeding to a whole new level

This is advertiser content for JAD Speckle Park.

When you invest in livestock, it’s important to work with a breeder whose cattle knowledge transcends just the basics. It’s also paramount to work with a team you can trust. Priding themselves on their integrity, JAD Agriculture is one such livestock business, a values-based breeder who are known in the Australian industry for their commitment, compassion and satisfaction guarantee.

From their property at Yeoval in Central West New South Wales, Justin and Amy Dickens, together with their sons, Jack, 5, and Mitchell, 3, of JAD Agriculture, are passionate about nurturing their slice of this great land, and turned their focus to the production of commercial Speckle Park cattle.

Their focus more recently resulted in the launch of their seedstock enterprise JAD Speckle Park, which started in late-2016 with the transfer of 140 frozen Canadian embryos.

Having grown up on farms themselves, both Justin and Amy were already well-versed on the fundamentals of breeding when Justin’s Dad, Tony Dickens, introduced them to the strengths of Speckle Park.

“We bought our first Speckle Park bull in 2012 and joined him to Angus heifers. We then slowly built up to have F1 and F2 Speckle Parks, and were able to observe their strengths in a commercial setting—early maturity, hardiness in dry times, high fertility, and good mothering ability.

"We then ate the meat, and that is really where the Speckle Park breed shines. The meat is so tender, flavoursome, and has a real softness about it, and that fantastic eating experience is exactly what we as beef producers need to be consistently providing consumers,” Amy said.

JAD Agriculture has taken livestock breeding to a whole new level
JAD Agriculture has taken livestock breeding to a whole new level

Developed in Canada in the 1950s, the Speckle Park breed was first introduced to Australia in 2007, and it didn’t take long for the industry to catch on to its potential.

In recent years the breed has experienced rapid growth due to its stellar performances in feedlot trials as well as hoof/hook competitions. And while the cattle have a distinct, eye-catching coat pattern, it’s what’s underneath that attracted JAD Agriculture to the breed.

“Speckle Park are highly efficient at converting grass or grain into more kilograms of high quality beef, ensuring cost-effective beef production in feedlots and on the farm. High dressing percentages of 60 percent-plus are also common in a first cross.

"Combine this with high lean meat yield, along with high marbling at a young age off grass, and it’s no wonder this breed is performing so well in feedlot trials,” Justin said.

Described as a moderate framed, resilient animal, with depth, softness, and doing ability in good seasons and poor, the Speckle Park’s hardy nature makes it a great choice for those breeding for meat in the Australian climate.

The latter is something that the Dickens family can attest to, not only as breeders of the livestock, but as active members of the Speckle Park community at large.

Justin is a board member of the breed society, Speckle Park International (SPI), and Amy established a Facebook group as a platform for Speckle Park enthusiasts to share their experiences and learn from one another.

Suffice to say, JAD Agriculture are passionate about what they do, which is exactly why they’re one of the best breeders to work with if you’re wanting to invest in the supreme quality of Speckle Park cattle.

JAD Agriculture has taken livestock breeding to a whole new level
JAD Agriculture has taken livestock breeding to a whole new level

Driven by their enthusiasm to promote the strength and resilience of their breed, the JAD Speckle Park team are currently gearing up for their very first sale, to be held at Dubbo on March 29. For those who are interested in investing in the breed, this is an opportunity not to be missed.

“At the upcoming sale, we will be offering 30 bulls, 11 pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) purebred heifers, and 50 PTIC F1 and F2 commercial Speckle Park females, in pens of five and 10.

'We also offer an unprecedented data package of GROUP BREEDPLAN estimated breeding values (EBVs), with 10-11 traits observed, as well as DNA testing beyond the new breed standard, and structural assessments carried out by Dick Whale of Independent Breeding and Marketing Services (IBMS),” Amy said.

Boasting an eating quality that is comparable to Wagyu-cross while maintaining an early maturity pattern, fantastic yields, and all delivered efficiently, Speckle Park truly is the industry’s rising star.

For more information on the upcoming Inaugural JAD Speckle Park Bull + Female Sale, contact Justin Dickens on (0427) 012 284, Amy Dickens on (0427) 464 333, or visit JAD Speckle Park

This is advertiser content for JAD Speckle Park.