Receiving top prices when he sells his vealer portion each January, John Peters has been infusing Limousin into his Angus herd for the past 15 years.
He and wife Judy operate a commercial Limousin/Angus-cross herd on their Eskdale property, Berrybank, in the Mitta Mitta Valley in north-east Victoria.
Selling at the Barnarwatha saleyards, Mr Peters said they aimed for the January sale each year, however this year were underwater for three weeks, and now had 80 head of last year's calves earmarked for sale in early May.
He said they normally aimed to produce vealers, selling them at around the 350-kilogram mark, and they were "always up there with the best of them" come sale day.
"We most recently sold half a dozen Limousin/Angus-cross heifers in October last year which realised $100 a head more than the rest of the draft," he said.
"Someone obviously wanted them to breed from."
Running 120 females on their 81-hectare property, Mr Peters said they were predominantly Limousin/Angus-cross, as well as mixed breeds infused with Limousin genetics.
He diverted from dairy farming and into beef cattle many years ago, then into Limousins just over 15 years ago.
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He lists the body shape and great temperament as two traits which attracted him to the Limousin breed.
"They have a good rump on them and they present well; they look good," he said.
"We've had no trouble with temperament; they maintain their quietness, and are easy to handle.
"Breeding Limousin out of Angus, we do keep some of the heifers and find that they are quite milked up.
"Anything that isn't of course doesn't stay around for long."
Traditionally buying their Limousin bulls direct from Garren Park Limousin stud, Culcairn, NSW, for the past eight years, the Peters family has also been attending the Limousin National Show and Sale for five years and has taken home sires each time.
"We usually pick out a couple depending on what we need," Mr Peters said.
"We are pretty right for bulls at the moment, however we will go and have a look this year, and if I fancy one I might grab him while I'm there."
Receiving three inches (75 millimetres) of rain in as many weeks, Mr Peters said their country was looking great.
"The grass is kicking along, until the cold weather comes along of course," he said.
"We grow a mixture of ryegrass and clover and the cattle seem to fatten pretty well on it. It is all Mitta Mitta River flats, and highly productive.
"People have realised they are not making any more dirt, so this country is in high demand and very tightly held."
Linda Mantova
Ag Features and Special Publications
Ag Features and Special Publications
