With a holistic approach to farming to ensure the best foundation is left for future generations to continue to work with, Western Sydney University (WSU) farm manager Joe Kovacek has re-vamped production of the approximately 700 hectare university farming property at Richmond.
The farm runs 250 breeders including a commercial crossbred herd and small Angus and Limousin stud.
Genetics have been sourced from mainly Canadian bloodlines, with a strong focus on building a strong, maternal cow herd.
“We are focused on getting the cow herd right so we have the right base to work with – a maternal female that is going to raise and wean the type of calves we want. Productive females are the key,” Mr Kovacek said.
Recently both artificial insemination and natural service have been used to lift the genetic profile and production of the breeding herd.
“We are building on the Angus and Poll Hereford base that the university had, which we have used Simmental and Limousin bulls over, to increase the hybrid vigour and performance,” he said.
“Currently about 90 of the herd are AI’d but we aim to increase to about 100 or so in the next year.”
Along with breeding maternal females, the operation seeks to wean steers that will target mainly the local butcher trade.
“Steers are either sold direct or through the sale yards,” he said. “They are usually processed locally at Wilberforce or the Wollondilly Abattoir (Picton), with most of our meat selling into local butchers in the Hawkesbury and Sydney basins.”
“Locally there are enough butchers, that have consumers that want to buy from local producers or want to know the life of the animal, so demand is consistent.
“Support from the local community is strong. More butchers or people are coming in and seeing steers and what we are doing, and choosing to purchase or animals.”
All livestock on the university farm follow a rotational, strip grazing strategy, with steers mainly pasture raised and grass-finished also.
Some animals are grain fed depending on whether they are going into steer competitions or to allow students taking part in the WSU livestock team to understand the weight gain, performance and physical differences between grain verse grass fed operations.
“We do a small feedlot most years,” he said.
“Feeding a group of grass fed and a group of grain fed steers along side each other allows us to compare weight gain, and follow them right through to the kill to see how the different feeds influences the end product.”
Mr Kovacek said he will grow out a few grass-fed bullocks each year to make sure the breeding program is producing quality beef.
The WSU farm is focused on establishing mixed species pastures, through multi-species cropping, that will offer a quality nutritional profile.
“We do plant summer crops as well to ensure we have feed options. At the moment we have sorghum and sudan and sudan hybrid under travelling irrigators. We also cut hay and silage to conserve feed for dry periods,” he said.
Chemical spray use and fertiliser applications have been decreased over the years, with alternatives such as chicken manure chosen.
“The soil here needs to be continuously tested because of Sydney water purpose as where we are located, the run-off goes into waterways,” he said.
“We are aiming to reduce chemical and fertiliser use, and increase soil organic matter to work towards reducing run-off so the water is clean.”
Split the beast and send it separate ways
In October last year, the WSU farm processed a purebred Angus steer at the Wilberforce abattoirs with an interesting destination for the carcase.
The 30-month-old bullock was grass-fed its entire life and yielded a 510 kilogram carcase that was split in half and sent in separate ways.
Half of the steer was sold to Victor Churchill, Woollahra, who offer the most sought after produce in Australia.
There the meat was dry aged for five weeks and offered buyers a flavoursome experience.
The remaining half of the beast went to Mr Baillie and Co Butcher, a Rozelle based butcher that is equally as passionate about where their produce comes from as they are about providing premium tasting meat.
With a belief in ethically raised beef, and wanting to know where the product was coming from, Mr Kovacek said it was an simple choice for them to look at sourcing quality produce from the WSU farm.
“Mr Baillie and Co will also be receiving another two bodies from grass-fed steers this week,” he said.
WSU backs UniSchools Steer Competition
WSU provides up to 18 schools with steers as part of the UniSchools Steer Competition, in the attempt to equip high school students with the skills and knowledge needed to raise a steer.
Established in 2001, schools, TAFEs and universities undergo a three month learning experience beginning in May, that is put to the test at a final live day of judging held at the Hawkesbury showgrounds before steers are processed locally.
