A EUROPEAN cross British breed is the perfect combination for Daryl and Greg Cameron, "Lochiel Park", Cann River, Victoria.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
The brothers own and lease about 400 hectares in east Gippsland, Vic, and run 420 breeders producing milk vealers to sell directly to Coles.
For 20 years, Daryl and Greg have been purchasing bulls from Terry and Maylene Griffins, "Temana", Baradine.
The Cameron Brothers join their Temana bulls to predominately Simm- ental/Angus cows with 15 per cent of their breeders being Simmental/ Hereford.
Daryl and Greg have been selling directly to Coles for three years, turning off their calves at about eight to ten months of age.
Daryl said few of their calves stay on farm for longer than ten months, which makes early maturity important in order to meet Coles' carcase weight requirements of 200 to 275 kilograms.
"The 200- to 400-day weight is much more important to me than the 600-day weight," he said.
Daryl said he has found joining a European bull with a cow that also had some European genetics was the key to producing fast growing calves.
"We're getting a real kick from the hybrid vigour from the three way cross," he said.
"The result is a vealer that is three quarter Euro and that gives us the right sort of weight, muscle and fat to meet the grid that Coles requests."
Daryl said he hasn't found it possible to get straight-bred calves to Coles' desired weight range in a short period of time which is why he has continued to use Temana Charolais bulls in his production.
"Temana bulls are middle of the road bull with the length and muscle that enables us to finish calves at ten months," he said.
"The four things I like about Terry Griffin's bulls are the good temperament, their length, moderate frame and their good eye muscle area."
Temperament was important to the Camerons, who said having calves that handle well and travel long distances to the abattoir without stress was essential to production.
Because the operation doesn't breed its own heifers, the Cameron brothers have little control over the temperament of their females.
"Charolais are generally a very docile sort of bull and it's critical for us to have our cattle quiet," Daryl said.
A third of the Cameron's bulls were joined on August 21 for seven weeks and the other two thirds were joined on the November 5 for seven weeks.
The two joinings ensure the bulls were utilised and increased the amount of calves produced from the same bull.
Joining the cattle at these times also allows the Camerons to sell their calves during periods suited to the supermarket's demand.
The earlier calves are sold at Easter and the later joined calves are sold in early June.
Calves that don't reach Coles' weight grid before nine and a half months are usually kept on for another two months.
Mr Cameron said he was able to continue feeding them until they grow, although, it did depend on the way the season was going.
"It's very much subject to what sort of season we're having."
