Last Tuesday the Year 9/10 Agriculture class visited 3 local studs that were open for Beef Week. Our first visit was to Rennylea Angus at Culcairn. Lucinda Corrigan welcomed us and gave us her time to share some of their vast knowledge of beef cattle breeding in Australia. They had some of their younger donor cows that they use in their ET (embryo transfer) program on display. We also looked at several groups of the sale bulls that will be sold by video auction in the near future.
After a short morning tea break at Holbrook, we visited the Wirruna Poll Hereford Stud, owned by Ian and Diane Locke. They sell bulls by the Helmsman system. Interestingly, they have bulls classed and penned in specific groups of growth, muscle and heifer bulls. Ian emphasized two important points. Firstly, running stud cattle under heavy stocking rates to maximize $ / hectare. Secondly, that all breeds of cattle have animals that are highly productive. It is important how they are managed and to have enough genetic diversity to capture the benefits of genetic evaluation systems, like Breedplan.
Our final visit was to Le Martres Limousin Stud at Gerogery, owned by the Martin family. They sell yearling bulls by private treaty. All animals were in excellent condition, with a mixture of both black and apricot coloured Limousins. Lionel Martin explained his emphasis on female families as an important part of his selection, along with his own index that he calculates for his sale bulls.
It was a fairly hot day, but students were exposed to the ideas of some exciting and innovative seedstock producers. All students have completed a report on the day’s activities.
After a short morning tea break at Holbrook, we visited the Wirruna Poll Hereford Stud, owned by Ian and Diane Locke. They sell bulls by the Helmsman system. Interestingly, they have bulls classed and penned in specific groups of growth, muscle and heifer bulls. Ian emphasized two important points. Firstly, running stud cattle under heavy stocking rates to maximize $ / hectare. Secondly, that all breeds of cattle have animals that are highly productive. It is important how they are managed and to have enough genetic diversity to capture the benefits of genetic evaluation systems, like Breedplan.
Our final visit was to Le Martres Limousin Stud at Gerogery, owned by the Martin family. They sell yearling bulls by private treaty. All animals were in excellent condition, with a mixture of both black and apricot coloured Limousins. Lionel Martin explained his emphasis on female families as an important part of his selection, along with his own index that he calculates for his sale bulls.
It was a fairly hot day, but students were exposed to the ideas of some exciting and innovative seedstock producers. All students have completed a report on the day’s activities.
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