Not many beef studs in Australia could claim to have an association as long lasting as Leawood Angus has with similar cattle studs based in New Zealand.
The quest across the Tasman Sea from the Gippsland property at Flynn, east of Traralgon, dates back to the 1940s when Roy and Joan Stuckey sought to diversify their not defunct sheep stud with a beef operation.
Eighty years later, the stud has passed through the hands of Graeme and Joy Stuckey (Graeme was Roy and Joan Stuckey's youngest son) and now the baton has been passed to the third-generation principal, Luke Stuckey.
"My grandfather was very particular on the type of animal he would bring into a herd," Luke Stuckey said.
"He learned that it takes a very long time to get rid of a mistake in a herd so you have to be very careful what you bring in.
"I guess it taught me that you never regret buying quality."
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It is based at the original property of Mr Stuckey's grandparents on the Princes Highway at Flynn, and includes an original Cobb & Co stable once used as a halfway point between Rosedale and Traralgon.
The operation includes about 750 breeding cows, including 400 stud cows and the balance run as commercial cows, split across an autumn and spring-calving herd.
Leawood Angus sells between 150-200 bulls each year, including about half of those as 18-month-old bulls at its on-property sales, while many are sold to loyal, return clients via private treaties out of the paddock.
The list of carcase attributes the stud offers is extensive, ranging from a high-yielding carcase to moderate birth weights, ease of calving to structural longevity in their bulls.
Early growth traits from cattle grazed on grass is also a high-ranking trait, a trait driven by the stud's clientele.
"In our commercial operation, we're finishing steers at 15 or 16 months and they're out the gate and at the abattoir which allows you time to spend time on your next line of steers," Mr Stuckey said.
"Ease of calving is a trait of the NZ genetics we use and once the calves hit the ground, they just start putting on weight straight away."
Like many farmers across Victoria, the Stuckeys have faced their challenges during an unusually-wet 2023.
About 200 hectares of their river country on the Latrobe River flats has been unusable for more than six months, and as a result has placed more pressure on their higher country due to increased stocking rates.
The wet year coincides with the stud's return to Stock & Land Beef Week for the first time in more than a decade.
"We've been talking about rejoining Beef Week for a few years now and we want to get our profile out there a bit more," Mr Stuckey said.
"We're pushing the stud a bit harder now and we think it's a good opportunity to market the genetics we have on offer."
He said the stud offered an alternative to other studs who used American bloodlines in their Angus studs, and instead offered bulls bred from multiple NZ sires.
"The Angus industry is odd because people have focused elsewhere, for instance the US, but I think there is a big swing back to the NZ-style bulls," he said.
"They're trouble free, easy doing off grass and structurally very sound.
"American genetics are remarkably quite different, whereas NZ cattle are more moderately framed and have a higher-yielding carcase."
Traditionally, the stud has targeted grass-finishing operations in South and West Gippsland, but Mr Stuckey said he was keen to expand the coverage of the stud throughout other parts of Victoria.
Sixty per cent of the buyers were return clients, while both bulls were sold to return South Gippsland clients.
Kevin Opray and Maree Avery, Hedley, were one of the two top-priced bull buyers and purchased Lot 5, Leawood Bos S132, for $16,000.
The second equal top-priced bull, Lot 4, Leawood Steaks S50, was bought by Alan and Julie Coulter, Mardan, for the same price through Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock.
Both Mr Opray and Ms Avery, along with the Coulters, sell their cattle through the Victorian Livestock Exchange at Leongatha.
At the second-last December VLE store sale, the Coulters, Nalajule Nominees, sold their annual drop of 88 Leawood Angus-blood steers, 12-15 months, including 22 steers, 486kg, for $2560 a head or 526 cents a kilogram, 27 steers, 454kg, for $2580 or 568c/kg, and 26 steers, 429kg, for $2480 or 578c/kg.
"Angus is in a strong position in Australia thanks to the marketing side of things," Mr Stuckey said.
"However, I think the breed is overpopulated, especially on bulls, because every Tom, Dick and Harry is trying to sell Angus bulls and a lot of studs are starting up left, right and centre.
"We have experience and knowledge in the breed, and when you buy a bull you get a lot of after-care service and help from Leawood.
"We don't leave you out on your own."
Mr Stuckey said the bulls were ideal to use in a straightbred or crossbred operation over European breeds, such as a Charolais, which gave prospective buyers a range of sought-after beef traits.
During Stock & Land Beef Week, the stud will showcase its 2023 progeny set to be offered at the April 3 sale, including 10 sons of North Island, NZ, sire Brookwood Titan.
Another NZ sire, Merchiston Steakhouse, will have six sons on offer.