FIFTH generation beef producer Warwick Knight, his wife, Julie, and son, Andrew, own and operate the 1800-hectare property “Hollymount”, Coonabarabran.
Yearly about 700 Shorthorn and Shorthorn cross Charolais breeders are bred through multi-sire joinings to calve in spring.
Bulls are bought from the Dubbo Shorthorn National Shorthorn Show and Sale and at on-property bull sales. Their genetics are based on Yamburgan, Futurity, Moombi, Nero and Polldale bloodlines.
Estimated breeding values (EBVs) are considered in their bull selection process with emphasis being put on birthweight, average 200-, 400- and 600-day and moderate mature cow weights and high eye muscle area figures.
Shorthorns are selected from their temperament, milking ability and ease of calving, Mr Knight said.
“In the 80s my brother and I used Limousin but we went away from them. We tried Herefords and Santa Gertrudis but we kept coming back to Shorthorns. They have a big genetic base,” he said.
Although colour is not critical for the Knight family, they tend to look for darker coated animals as they believe the lighter roans lack a bit of “do-ability” for reasons Mr Knight said were unknown.
Mr Knight believes crossing the Shorthorn and Charolais breeds works well.
“I love the crossbred cows and getting a good dose of hybrid vigour with the Euro breed. They are deep bodied, beautiful natured, easy doing cows that hold condition when the going gets tough.” he said.
For the last few years the Knight family has targeted the feedlot market selling to JBS’s Caroona Feedlot. Recently they have started selling earlier online through AuctionsPlus.
“Selling online reduces the stress placed on cattle, selling costs associated and truck transport there, taking out the middle man,” he said.
“AuctionsPlus exposes you to a far wider buyer group. In the past we have had animals go to Victoria, South Australia and to southern Queensland. We have repeat clients looking for them, particularly the Shorthorn-Charolais cross cattle.”
The Knights retain 60pc of their heifer drop for replacement females that are selected on eye appeal. Since attending a Bred Well Fed Well workshop, Mr Knight said they may tend to retain more of the heifer calves from first calvers into the future.
“Going out and picking by eye means we usually are selecting the calves from older, more mature cows or those that are earlier born and better grown,” he said.
“We should be trying to retain more heifers first calves for quicker genetic turnover.”
Heifers are joined to new bulls bought in each year.
