For JJ Dresser & Co livestock sales specialist Michael Anderson, a chance encounter with Circle 8 stud principal Jeremy Cooper has developed into a fruitful arrangement between the pair, much to the benefit of Mr Anderson's clients seeking top shelf Angus genetics for their operations.
Mr Anderson said one of his clients bought a composite bull from Circle 8 from a sale at Tamworth close to 10 years ago, but it wasn't until he got to talking to Mr Cooper six years ago that the ball really started to roll.
"Jeremy has been an excellent sounding board and source of information, using a different perspective when he talks about his views in the beef industry," he said.
"Circle 8 bulls are genetically bred to meet the demands of the premium Angus markets. Jeremy heavily focuses on growth rates, and places high importance on marbling potential."
John and Megan Rowlands, Mandurama, on the NSW Central Tablelands, were looking for a low-birth weight heifer bull for their Charolais-Angus crossbred breeding program, which led them to buying from Circle 8 last year based on Mr Anderson's recommendation.
Their property, Hilton, has been in the Rowlands name since the late 1880s, with Mr Rowlands being the fourth generation of the family to live and work in the undulating tablelands country.
They aim to produce an article with great temperament and hybrid vigour for feed conversion efficiency, while ensuring high breeding performance in the retained females.
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"Following through with these core objectives has improved the sale results of our sale females, and has provided us with good resale value on our older cows," she said.
The Rowlands target the weaner, feedlot and processor markets, while aiming for a 400 to 450kg article for the feedlots.
"We like to sell our sale stock by Christmas each year so we only have breeding stock and their calves after that time.
"Although it would be ideal to grow the cattle out to killable weights, we are focused on grass and keeping ground cover, and ensuring an efficient turnover.
"We aim to maximise markets and have three months' feed ahead to minimise risk of being forced to sell.
"It's important to us to be in charge of our decisions, not to be in a position where we have limited options."
Mrs Rowlands said the first drop calves from the Circle 8 bulls are now on the ground.
"We had a very good preg test rate in our heifers, minimal calving issues and the calves look good. We select our bulls on conformation, temperament, EBVs and look for moderate bulls (not extreme), and the Circle 8 bull we purchased ticked all of those boxes."
