STUD representatives from NSW, Queensland and Victoria make up the newly established Northern Development Consultative Committee, which will guide Angus Australia on ways to increase the use of Angus genetics in tropical regions.
The committee – Jonathan Schmidt, Burenda Angus, Dalby, Qld; Ben Mayne, Texas Angus, Warialda, NSW; Brett Guest, Clunie Range Angus, Coolatai, NSW; Simon Falkiner, Murdeduke Angus, Winchelsea, Victoria, and Ben Noller Palgrove Ultrablacks, Dalveen, Qld – was announced late last year.
Angus Australia strategic projects manager Christian Duff said the society had been exploring ways to grow the breed in northern Australia for the past 12 months.
“We’re in a position to do more in the north, and the consultative committee will help us put together policies for those regions,” Mr Duff said.
“We have a lot of members based in northern Australia, and some studs have done a lot of work on breeding objectives for northern Australia. There’s really good knowledge among membership in that space, and they can guide us on what we can implement to influence more Angus genetics in northern Australia, but also help us identify some of the challenges.”
The Angus breed’s ability to meet a large range of markets could pay off for northern producers.
The big focus for the project will be research and development, with the committee helping Angus Australia to better identify genetics suited to the heat, ticks and other parasites in northern areas.
“We’ll also look at Senegus cattle and Ultrablacks, who carry semi-adapted genetics,” Mr Duff said.
“There’s a lot of potential to boost carcase quality with Angus genetics, but there’s a good reason why cattle are adapted to the north.
“Angus is not a tropically adapted breed so we’ll think about that space as well, with the use of multi-breed genotypes with Angus in them.
“It’s about getting benefits to the industry through our genetics, whether through crossbreeding, artificial breeding programs or using multi-breed genetics.”
Jonathan Schmidt, Burenda
Mr Schmidt manages Dalby stud Burenda Angus, which services Queensland clients through sales at Roma, Clermont and Blackall.
“The infusion of Angus in to a typical Bos Indicus-bred herd has many benefits in the form of improved fertility, calving, carcase traits and hence marketability. The survivability, fertility and life expectancy of Angus bulls in the north certainly has been an issue for some time and we just need to think outside the square.”
Ben Noller, Palgrove
Ben Noller is the manager of business development and genetics at Palgrove stud, which breeds Angus-infused Ultrablack cattle that are predominantly sold to northern areas.
“The Angus breed and genetics can make further inroads into northern Australian beef herds, which will ultimately expand new markets for Angus breeders and positively impact the Australian beef industry by increasing productivity and profitability through traits relating to meat quality and fertility,” Mr Noller said.
Brett Guest, Clunie Range
CLUNIE Range Angus stud’s location near the Queensland border means about 70 to 80 per cent of the stud’s bulls go to northern areas.
“When the Angus job really took off in Queensland 15 years ago I felt that a lot of the wrong type of cattle went there.
“They were large-framed, late-maturing cattle that didn't work well over Bos Indicus or cross-bred cows that have plenty of scale and length,” Mr Guest said.
“They need more middle-of-the-road type, heavily muscled, deep-bodied bulls that complement the frame of the female line.
“We need to get the the right genetics up there to suit those breeding programs.”
Ben Mayne, Texas
WARIALDA stud Texas Angus has been selling bulls to Queensland cattlemen for more than 50 years, with more than 70 per cent of bulls going north.
“As meat quality is gaining momentum in the north, Bos Indicus breeders are sourcing Bos Taurus breeds to improve their carcase quality traits of their herds,” Mr Mayne said.
“Angus Australia is at the forefront of the beef industry for performance recording, the leader in genomics and the breed is recognised worldwide for its meat quality and excellent maternal traits.”
Simon Falkiner, Murdeduke
BULLS from Murdeduke Angus have been sold into western and central Queensland for more than 15 years, and more recently have gone to the Barkly Tableland.
“Northern producers are happy to reap the fertility, temperament and performance benefits … they can’t believe how many calves hit the ground so quickly, how much those calves weigh at weaning and easily they wean,” Mr Falkiner said.
“Processors acknowledge Angus-infused beasts regularly have higher carcase weights and grade better than many pure Bos Indicus cattle allowing them to enter premium markets, such as Meat Standards Australia, adding options to their traditional manufacturing beef outlets.”