Young Angus breeder enjoys trip of a lifetime to NZ

Undertaking his 26-day tour of NZ in January 2023, Mr Thomson has his sights set on a career in beef genetics and breeding quality Angus cattle.

At just 26, he is working in his dream job as the beef program manager for Genetics Australia, as well as assisting his parents, Peter and Liz, in the family's 810-hectare stud and commercial Angus operation at Yass in southern NSW.

Growing up in Canberra, Mr Thomson and his family moved to their cattle property outside of Yass in 1997, where they have established a successful beef enterprise.

The family property, Shacorradalu Station, also gives its name to their Angus stud, established in 2009, where they currently run 350 commercial cows and 150 stud females.

"The name is a bit of a tricky one as it's made up of me and my four siblings names ... Shane, Corey, Rachel, Damien and Lucas," Mr Thomson said.

Both he and his family are incredibly driven by genetic improvement and progress, and believe in breeding the best possible genetics for commercial beef producers in Australia.

Currently based in Newcastle with his partner, Caitlin Sillar, he is working remotely in his current role, but is still very much involved with the family's Angus operation, spending two out of three weekends at home helping with sire selections, etc.

"We do a lot of AI and ET, and I'm very involved in the mating and selection decisions for which AI sires we use in the joinings," Mr Thomson said.

"I'm home for the peak periods such as calving in July and our spring breeding program in September, as well as the lead up to our annual on-property bull sale each August. We had a very successful sale in 2023."

Having completed his Bachelor of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences at the University of New England, Mr Thomson has been involved in the Angus Australia youth program since 2019, winning the travel bursary in 2021.

"It was an amazing trip. Touring for 26 days around NZ in a van visiting farms was definitely one of the best experiences of my life, without a doubt," he said.

"I visited predominantly Angus breeders and got to know some wonderful people, staying with many, which was really nice.

"It was great to see and learn about their programs and breeding objectives, as well as understand their different environments and markets and how it differs to Australia."

Mr Thomson said NZ was predominantly a grass-fed beef production system, which influenced their breeding direction, with only one feedlot, which he also visited.

"It was a vertically integrated feedlot owned by a Japanese company," he said.

"Feedlotting is not a big part of their system at all due to their wet, cold environment and other regulations which restricts it.

"My single biggest take away from my trip was my feeling on the plane home.

"I had an overwhelming feeling of what I wanted to do with the rest of my career and that was to get involved in Angus genetics.

"Beef genetics has been on the side for a lot of my career, working previously with ABAREs and AuctionsPlus, and that trip was a real pivotal point in my career in saying that I want to make it my main focus.

"The understanding of different breeding objectives and perspectives based on different environments and markets was another gain for me."

Mr Thomson described Angus as an "all-round" breed.

"The best part about managing Angus on-farm is their maternal ability and functionality," he said.

"They are great mothers and breeders but also my passion is for the consumer end of the market.

"I love a good steak myself and am very passionate about the eating experience, and the carcase quality of the Angus is really important.

"I think they do everything well but particularly at both ends of the supply chain."

Mr Thomson believes his passion for genetic improvement is an obsession.

"I really latched onto it at a young age, when the concept of EBVs was first explained to me, and have just run with it ever since."

He also believes his involvement with the Angus Youth program has been an "incredible learning curve and development journey" for him.

"I attribute a lot of my career progress to that program," he said.

"Currently in the Angus Youth consultative committee, I'm transitioning from being a major beneficiary of the program to trying to contribute back, and add to it for the next generation which is very fulfilling."