The versatility of the Poll Hereford breed has given Tasmanian dairy and beef producer Geoff Heazlewood increased marketing options, with his quality grass-fed steers in strong demand from local butchers.
Mr Heazlewood and his wife Anne had been running the Mersey Bank stud Jersey herd for more than 50 years before they introduced Hereford cattle to their enterprise mix in the late 1980s.
"At that stage I thought that I might look towards retirement and like a lot of dairy farmers transition into beef for ease of management," he said.
"My family had been involved with breeding stud Hereford cattle, so I decided to start with a line of stud Hereford cows."
Pleased with the consistent performance of the Herefords, the Heazlewoods put their retirement plans on hold and gradually built up numbers in their beef operation.
They now run 250 Jersey cows and 140 Poll Hereford cows across 250 hectares of owned and leased country at Latrobe, south-east of Devonport.
"Herefords give you options, they are saleable from day-old calves to old cows and everything in between, there is always a market for whiteface cattle," Mr Heazlewood said.
"We're also impressed with their temperament, doability and hardiness, one of our properties is fairly elevated and can get very cold and they handle the harsh conditions well."
Mr Heazlewood aims to breed sound, quiet and functional cows which will produce steers reaching a target dressed weight of 300 kilograms by 18 months to two years of age. The cattle are all sold directly to butcher shops across Tasmania.
Mersey Bank are long-time clients of the Luckock family's Ennerdale stud, Dundonnell, and Mr Heazlewood uses a combination of visual appraisal and estimated breeding values (EBVs) for his bull selection. He normally purchases one to two bulls each year at the stud's sale in February.
"I want good, sound, easy-doing bulls, and my selection is focused on moderate growth without being extreme, as I've found those types of cattle tend to be very hard to finish," he said.
"I'm looking at bulls with a birth weight of +5 and a 400-day weight of +60 as a minimum.
"We are a self-replacing herd so I want bulls that are +15 or more for milk.
"Structural soundness, with an emphasis on feet and legs, is also important.
"Selling direct to the butchers has influenced my selection for carcase traits, it has made me appreciate butt shape more and eye muscle area and intramuscular fat due to its contribution to flavour.
"I don't want extreme IMF but definitely a plus figure and I do think that's one area the breed needs to look at more."
Mr Heazlewood also sells three to four bulls privately each year and has made a switch from horned cattle to poll genetics due to demand.
The breeding program is split with half the cows calving in autumn and the remainder calving in September. This ensures a continual supply of cattle for the butcher and helps with ease of management.
Mr Heazlewood admits the beef herd doesn't receive any special management and minimal supplementary feeding is carried out due to the labour demands of the dairy enterprise.
"Traditionally we get an autumn break in early March which suits the autumn calvers and during the spring there is plenty of pasture growth," he said.
"But we do make our own hay and silage and if required we'll supplement the beef cows during the winter when it's wet and cold."
The cows are pregnancy tested with current conception rates averaging 93 per cent which Mr Heazlewood is pleased with. Any empty older cows will be sold, while quality young cows and heifers will be given a second chance in the next joining.
All the calves are yard-weaned on silage for about five days and handled extensively through the yards to quieten them down. They are then split into their sexes and moved onto quality ryegrass and clover-based pastures to be grown out.
Utilising his knowledge of pasture production for dairy cows, Mr Heazlewood also runs his beef herd in an intensive rotational grazing system.
About 15 years ago Mr Heazlewood started supplying his local butcher with grass-fed Hereford beef and has now expanded his paddock to plate business to service six butcher shops in Hobart, Launceston and locally.
"Initially I was attracted to selling directly due to no fees and conditions, at that stage it provided a premium by saving on those costs," Mr Heazlewood said.
"It would be easier to sell through the yards but there is not the satisfaction in it, I have built up very good relationships with each butcher and it is a long-term market.
"Each butcher is quite specific in their request, in terms of carcase specifications, size, shape, and fat depth so I've had to hone my skills to ensure they each get what they want."
With an order for eight animals each week, the majority of the Heazlewood's steers, and heifers which aren't retained in the herd, are sold directly.
As demand has grown, Mr Heazlewood also purchases an additional 200 calves to grow out and sell each year, preferably Hereford and Hereford-cross cattle.
They also employ a strict policy of nil grain and antibiotics and the steers are marketed in the butcher shops under that banner.
