FIRST-time Beef Spectacular Feedback Trial entrant, James Douglas, “Waverley Run”, Big Springs, was rather pleased to find his team of five Angus/Hereford steers were placed tenth overall out of the 60 teams entered.
“I was quite surprised our results,” he said.
“I thought they looked good when they entered the feedlot, but you never know how they will turn out compared to the other cattle.
Mr Douglas, who operates the 2830-hectare aggregation centered on “Waverley Run”, Big Springs, with his wife Jacinda, said he entered his team of black baldy steers on the suggestion of his father, Les, who has the neighbouring property, “Cheviot Hills”.
“Dad entered his Hereford steers, and I put my black baldies in,” he said.
Mr Douglas said he thought it was a good chance to get some analysis of the performance of his stock in a grain-finishing system.
“I entered to get an idea of where I was heading, to assess the value of our carcases compared with other breeders,” he reflected.
“And to see what I need to improve.”
He started with Herefords and has stayed with them because of their temperament, and ability to always finish through various seasons.
“I’ve seen my Hereford cow herd lift enormously in the past four years through the use of YavenVale bulls,” he said.
However, he also introduced Angus bulls from Irelands Angus, “because that is where the money is”.
Reflecting on the feedback, Mr Douglas said he would cull a bit heavier in the future to lift the overall standard of his cow herd.
Though, the results confirm Mr Douglas’s ambition to produce elite beef stems from a quality base.
In his pursuit of progress, he was interested to follow the various bloodlines and see if there were any outstanding genetic sources, or was his success simply the result of his particular cross.
“We got really good information we can now use to select bulls with indexes to help us increase our productivity,” Mr Douglas said.
“After this trial, we should be rewarded with a premium for the production of elite and efficiently produced carcases.”
