Nairn Park Angus stud was first founded in 1962 by Bill and Margaret Costello at Grafton on the NSW north coast.
But following a gradual expansion, the stud has been located at Walcha since 2000.
The stud, which runs 300 stud cows, has used extensive artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer (ET) programs to breed top quality Angus bulls.
Prominent sires purchased by the stud include Booroomooka Warwick, Te Mania Ada and Coonamble Elevator E11.
Stud principal Rob Costello said emphasis had always been placed on fertile, structurally sound cattle that carry the carcase traits and constitution to provide market flexibility.
“This is important in the evolving modern climatic and market environments,” he said.
“Some limited showing has occurred over recent years principally for the kids’ development, but our emphasis has always been in the commercial sector.”
Nairn Park also runs 500 commercial breeders, which in the past few years have become recipient cows for other studs.
Mr Costello said Angus, Charolais, Limousin, Poll Hereford and Speckle Park stud calves had been born to the recipient cows.
He said this situation allowed a rare opportunity to compare how the different breeds developed and performed, especially since they were bred in the exact same conditions.
“It really is quite fascinating. It is really interesting to see how they compare,” he said.
He said they also had calves from their own Angus stud embryos, so they could compare their own stud offspring to the other breeds.
“It gives us a fairly good gauge of where our genetics sit,” he said.
“It gives us a good guide.”
On show on day two of Northern Beef Week will be the stud’s sale draft for their July 10 sale, including two-year-old and yearling bulls.
There will also be donors and the stud’s latest ET progeny by B and B Identity, EF Complement, Matauri Reality and Te Mania Emperor.
