Being a relatively niche breed in Australia, Speckle Park producers are aiming to attract and retain young people to the breed and their peak body.
Angela McGrath is a prime example. She was initiated to the Speckle Park breed at high school and went on to establish her own stud at the age of 16.
The Tumut, New South Wales-based principal of the Southern Cross Speckle Park stud started out as a handler at agricultural shows.
"I just loved the look of the breed in the show ring, with its unique and varied colours," Ms McGrath said.
"I went on to do a lot of research into the benefits and saw that Speckle Park-cross cattle were winning a lot of carcase competitions at shows around the country.
"The stock agents had limited knowledge of the breed, so I had to really dig around to find the information I needed."
Ms McGrath persevered and even went on a five-week, scholarship-funded, fact-finding mission to Canada, where she decided she would source Prairie Hill genetics.
She initially used four of her father's Poll Hereford cows for embryo transfers and got two male and two female calves. Her father has sinced used Speckle Park bulls in his commercial herd.
Ms McGrath has gone on to sell three stud bulls and purchase more semen to use in her Speckle Park cows that range in age from one to seven years.
She said the Speckle Park breed was still developing in Australia and that made it attractive to young members, who would have the chance to "grow up" with the breed.
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"It is ideal to target high school students and get them involved from an early age - as handlers and general farmhands," she said.
"Even if they don't have a farm, they can develop contacts in the breed while they are at school and use their connections to get work after graduation."
Ms McGrath is involved in the Speckle Park International youth sub-committee and said it had some great initiatives.
Sub-committee secretary Claudia Humphries said several of these would be rolled out in the next two years.
The youth arm of the society was established in early 2020 and had much of its planned activities and events for that year cancelled due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, the group was able to hold two key fundraising and fun initiatives.
An auction was staged with donations that netted the group more than $18,000 and this success was followed by the production of a calendar featuring photographs and artwork from young people - from primary school to the age of 25.
Ms Humphries said the youth sub-committee was established to get more members into the breed and retain them as they progressed through various stages of their life.
"We aim to deliver interesting and interactive events and promote the Speckle Park breed to the benefit of all our members," she said.
"Our young members will be closely involved in the development of the breed. It is exciting because it is a relatively new breed and the cattle are unique. People who are producing Speckle Parks are innovative and not doing what everyone else is doing.
"That makes it more enticing for young people who want to have a go at something a bit different."
Ms Humphries said a key event for 2022 would be a series of educational youth days, bringing young members from several states together for networking and information sessions.
"These will cover a wide range of production and breeding topics and be highly valuable," she said.