"IT'S hard to go past the price premium paid for black cattle and the wide range of markets that are available to the Angus breed".
So says George Verco, who with his partner Jannah, parents Phil and Kathy, brother Will and his partner Pru, run Marcollat, Padthaway, and Sarnia, Willalooka, South Australia.
Marcollat has been with the family for 85 years while Sarnia is a veritable newcomer after its acquisition six years ago.
Both blocks provide a good mix of strong flats and warm breeding country and nature has been kinder than elsewhere with annual rainfall of 352mm in 2019 and more than 470mm fell in 2020.
Mr Verco is an unabashed fan of Angus cattle. He said the family-run operation had used Angus bulls for more than 15 years and found numerous advantages with the breed. Early in the piece they joined low birthweight Angus bulls to Shorthorn heifers and progressed to joining all cows to Angus bulls.
Angus are beautiful mothers.
- George Verco, Marcollat, Padthaway
"We now have a significant number of cows that are three-quarter Angus," he said. "The half-Angus or three-quarter Angus are beautiful mothers, fertile and produce lots of milk. We aim for 450kg liveweight calves at 12 months of age."
The Vercos run their joining season from the start of May with an eight-week joining for cows and a slightly shorter six-week period for heifers.
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"Each cow has to raise a live calf. There are no second chances. Heifers are classed on type, structure and feet, and our fertility rates are in the low to mid-90s for breeding cows and over the past two years it's been 88pc for heifers," he said.
The Vercos target the EU feedlot market because it suits their program and offers a wide weight range if they choose to sell early. However, the family mostly seek to sell cattle at 12 months of age when they tip the scales at 450kg.
When it comes to bull selection, the Vercos look for type and structure with an emphasis on 200- to 400-day growth rates and positive rib and rump fats.
A key element in their ongoing success has been a four-year link with Trent Walker's Keringa Angus, Culburra, SA.
"They are true to type and constitution," Mr Verco said of the Keringa articles. "They're temperament is excellent but most importantly they do the job and we are starting to see the genetics coming through in our cattle now."
Alan Welburn
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
