There's something reassuring about knowing that the animal you are producing is perfect for the market it is headed for.
And for David Bruce, having Angus cattle and sourcing specific genetics is giving him an animal that is ideal for feedlots.
Mr Bruce and his wife Cis, Uliman South, Coonabarabran, run a pure Angus herd on their 429-hectare property, and have one market in mind - feedlots.
The Bruces are running around 60 Angus cows and 24 heifers at the moment due to having to cut numbers during the drought, but they plan on breeding up numbers until they reach around 90 head.
Mr Bruce has been running Angus cattle for a long time, and he doesn't regret it one bit.
He first began to switch his herd to Angus because he found he was getting plenty of bloat and eye cancer problems.
But the interest in Angus cattle was another driving force behind the decision to change breeds.
"Black cattle just sold so well," he said.
He has found it was a good choice for his herd.
"They have good fertility levels, and I've found the heifer calvings are better," he said.
"Their temperament is great. We will stick with Angus."
The Bruces have sourced their bulls for a number of years from DSK Angus stud, Coonabarabran, and they are fitting the bill.
"I really like the growth and weight for age of the DSK bulls, he said.
""They are strong looking bulls and are structurally good. I look for bulls with good 400-day growth."
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Mr Bruce is also impressed with the Canadian genetics used in DSK's breeding program.
Because the Bruces' calves are destined for feedlots, their process runs like a well-oiled machine to make sure the progeny are exactly where they need to be to enter Killara feedlot, Quirindi.
Calving begins mid-June, with calves yard weaned at around six months old.
The weaners are kept in the yards for four to five days and fed, as well as being handled and run through the race.
During the drought, the calves were weaned a little earlier than usual and fed on Manildra pellets and oaten hay to get them through.
"We had to deal with them a lot more in the yards," he said.
"But it is vital that they are used to feeding when they are destined for a feedlot."
Most heifers are retained as breeders. Usually steers are grazed on forage crops until they are between 12 and 13 months of age and weigh well over 400 kilograms.
As well as oat crops, Mr Bruce has also sown more tropical pastures as well as a small amount of lucerne.
Recently Mr Bruce sold his 455kg average steers to a feedlot for $2400 a head. The steers are aimed at the 150-day EU feeding program.
