The Land

Kilkenny sale draft is packed with carcase boosting genetics

This article is sponsored content for Kilkenny Charolais

Michael Lawlor, Kilkenny Charolais Stud has selected 50 first-rate Charolais bulls for the 2020 Kilkenny Woolooga Charolais and Charbray Bull Sale.
Michael Lawlor, Kilkenny Charolais Stud has selected 50 first-rate Charolais bulls for the 2020 Kilkenny Woolooga Charolais and Charbray Bull Sale.

A stellar draft of 100 bulls have been catalogued for the Kilkenny Woolooga Charolais and Charbray Bull Sale being held from 10am, Friday, July 24, at the Woolooga Saleyards.

The bull sale group is made up of Kilkenny and Barambah-Dale Charolais, Emjay and Wellcamp Stud Charbrays.

Mike Lawlor, Kilkenny Charolais, said the 2020 catalogue is loaded from the first page to the last with bulls that have the carcase performance genetics to bolster the performance of any commercial beef producers' herd.

"Our focus is to breed top end cattle that have the versatility to meet all markets" Mr Lawlor said.

"Members of our group have been selling bulls in South East Queensland for the last 40 years or more with their progeny assisting producers to achieve top end returns, as is evidenced by the record prices achieved at weaner sales this year," he said.

In the Charbray section of the sale, 15 bulls will be offered by the Connolly family, Emjay stud, while the Curtis family, Wellcamp stud, have selected 10 bulls.
In the Charbray section of the sale, 15 bulls will be offered by the Connolly family, Emjay stud, while the Curtis family, Wellcamp stud, have selected 10 bulls.

The Cameron family at Meadowbank Station, east of Mt Surprise, were first introduced to Kilkenny Charolais cattle in the early and mid-2000s and have been purchasing bulls out of the paddock and through the sale from Mr Lawlor since.

Glen Cameron said generating more income by being able to market quality even lines of weaner steers and heifers was a significant motivating factor behind their decision to introduce Charolais bulls into their breeder herds more than 20 years ago.

"The bottom line is that using Charolais bulls provides livestock producers who run mixed breeder herds the ability to breed and market quality lines of stock, though the advantages gained by using Charolais Bulls isn't restricted to use as terminal sires over mixed herds," Mr Cameron said.

The Camerons use Kilkenny bulls with their Brahman and Droughtmaster bulls in their respective herds.

"Our preference is to use them when crossbreeding only purebred cattle; this is in our case Charolais bulls over Droughtmaster breeders and Brahman breeders.

When the family were first introduced to Michael's cattle he had country leased on Lillarea Station which was close to the Camerons' then home property Caledonia Station (purchased in 2002) north of Aramac on which they ran the separate Brahman and Droughtmaster breeder herds.

"The land around the area is part of what is known as the Desert Uplands a mix of river and creek flats through to Gydia, Ironbark Box and Spinifex country," Mr Cameron said.

"On outings to Lillarea, we had the opportunity to see Michaels' cattle functioning in a purely commercial environment in the lighter country, and they were doing exceptionally well, efficiently acclimatising to the country.

"It's for this reason that we like the Kilkenny Charolais bulls, as they're adaptable to any country. As they were bred and run on forest country at Eidsvold, when we took them west to Caledonia we had bulls that did well in our country.

"They held their condition and best of all, produced lines of quality weaners. We found that by using the Kilkenny bulls over our Droughtmaster cows at Caledonia, the calves the cows produced were mostly a golden colour and resulted in excellent lines of weaners to market."

The family moved to Meadowbank in 2014, and though they'd hoped to escape the drought conditions they were contending with on Caledonia it followed them.

"We'd moved all our breeders to Meadowbank as the season at the time of purchase in 2014 was reasonable, and in the prior 25 or so years we had owned it we had only had one major drought. Part of our restructure at the time was that we planned to run all our breeders on Meadowbank and fatten at Caledonia.

Anthony and Kylee Curtis, Wellcamp Charbrays and auctioneer Dan Sullivan, Sullivan Livestock and Rural Services with the 2019 sales' $10,500 top-priced Charbray bull, Wellcamp 362.
Anthony and Kylee Curtis, Wellcamp Charbrays and auctioneer Dan Sullivan, Sullivan Livestock and Rural Services with the 2019 sales' $10,500 top-priced Charbray bull, Wellcamp 362.

"Following the drought, we'd stopped buying Charolais bulls for a time as we needed to increase our breeder numbers. To achieve this and not have to buy breeders in we kept our breeder cows a couple of years longer and as well most of our Droughtmaster and Brahman heifers as potential breeders.

He said after they'd gotten their breeder numbers were they wanted them it was then time to again buy some Charolais bulls.

"More than ever at Meadowbank we needed bulls that were from the right type of country. With areas of basalt and basalt ridges on the property, we needed sure-footed structurally sound bulls.

"After the success we had with the Kilkenny bulls at Caledonia, we contacted Michael and purchased another run of Charolais bulls from him."

Mr Cameron said these bulls were ready for work as they hadn't been overfed so were in great condition and ready to go out into the breeders.

"As yet we haven't had any calves on the ground from these bulls, though with the season we have we're looking forward to some good Charolais cross calves soon.

At the 2019 sale Tony and Michele Perrett, Tye, Kilkivan paid the $10,000 top Charolais money for Kilkenny N160 (P) (R/F) from Michael Lawlor of Kilkenny Charolais.
At the 2019 sale Tony and Michele Perrett, Tye, Kilkivan paid the $10,000 top Charolais money for Kilkenny N160 (P) (R/F) from Michael Lawlor of Kilkenny Charolais.

"To this point we have had Charolais bulls on three very diverse types of country, from Barcoo River country, desert uplands and now basalt country, this must be a testament to the breed."

This year a draft of 50 Charolais bulls will be offered by Kilkenny, while the Davis family, Barambah-Dale stud, have selected 25 bulls for the catalogue.

In the Charbray section, 15 bulls will be offered by Emjay, while the Curtis family, Wellcamp Stud, have selected 10 bulls.

"We'll be offering free transport to saleyards at major centres including Roma, Blackall, Gracemere, Taroom, Kingaroy, Murgon, Eidsvold, Biggenden, Gympie and Toogoolawah.."

  • For sale enquiries please call the sale agents Sullivan Livestock, Gympie on (07) 5482 9252 and Shepherson and Boyd Toogoolawah on (07) 5423 1284 and visit the sale Facebook page KilkennyEmjayBulls for updates

This article is sponsored content for Kilkenny Charolais