A focus on fertility

Mr Currans runs an 800-head self-replacing Hereford herd along with 10,000 sheep at the four networked properties totalling 12,000 hectares west of Nyngan that he operates with his parents Don and Isobel.

A major focus of the operation is keeping a fertile and functional herd.

He said Hereford genetics had proven themselves unbeatable in both traits.

Calving ease in the herd improved markedly when the Currans began using bulls from the Payne family's Elite Poll Hereford stud at Gundy.

"I used to pull a lot of calves when I was a kid but we've been using Kay Payne's bulls for 20 odd years and I've not had to pull a calf," Mr Currans said.

The herd is highly fertile, with pregnancy rates at up to 95 per cent.

Joining is split for separate autumn and spring calvings in order to get the most value out of his bulls.

Heifers are joined for six weeks while cows are joined for eight weeks.

Mr Currans said in order to maintain his high fertility rate, he was tough on his breeders.

"Anything that doesn't get in calf the first time is gone - I don't give anything second chances," he said.

"Dry cows don't cut much wool so they've got to go."

Mr Currans said he would join about 100 heifers.

He chooses which to retain after calving.

"I calve out a lot more heifers than I used to, I don't class them as hard. I let them calve, then I get rid of the ones that aren't going as well or have less milk," he said.

The advantage to this was to get a good idea of the breeder's future performance.

"If you do it beforehand, you're just going on what they look like but afterwards you can see what they're actually doing - if they've got a good calf, plenty of milk, whether they're good doers," Mr Currans said.

When choosing which to retain, he looks for "good, functional, long and strong heifers with plenty of milk and plenty of growth".

Mr Currans said when it came to buying bulls, he was happy to spend above the average if it meant getting good genetics.

"I buy expensive bulls," he said.

"I reckon bulls and rams are the cheapest things you can buy - if you've got good genetics in your cows the benefits of those genetics are going to flow through your herd."

He said he selected bulls with good muscling, high growth rates, and good scores for milk and calving ease.

Markets targeted depended on seasonal conditions.

In a lean season, cattle were offloaded to feedlots at 400 kilograms.

Mr Currans said while Herefords did receive a lower rate at feedlots than Angus cattle, that could be counteracted with European Union (EU) accreditation.

"With EU accreditation, you get the same rate as the blacks but you're getting extra weight as what you would with Angus cattle, so you're further ahead," he said.

If the season was good, cattle were kept on to finished weights of up to 600 kilograms.

Mr Currans said the Herefords were well equipped to deal with tough circumstances.

"They fatten really well after a dry time and they get back in calf quickly," he said.

"They never miss calving, whereas other breeds, when it gets dry, they don't cycle."

The herd is run on improved pastures with lucerne and oats crops dominant.

Buffel grass was also key to nutrition and had boosted carrying capacity markedly.

"I've been growing buffel grass for the past 15 years and it's nearly doubled the carrying capacity for the cattle," Mr Currans said.

Cattle are also given mineral supplements to keep them in good condition.