Shorthorn breed thrives in the Riverina

Bruce and Adriana Rollinson, with Bruce's parents Bob and Anne, took on the Shorthorn cattle that came with the 21,000-hectare Riverina property when they bought it in 1998 and the family now runs about 400 cows.

The Shorthorn is a low-maintenance breed, run alongside their Goolgumbla Merino stud as well as a large commercial flock.

Over the years they've bought bulls from various studs, about 20 Shorthorn cows with calves at foot when the Jerilderie-based Broome stud dispersed.

The family's last big investment in Shorthorn genetics was five bulls from last year's National Shorthorn Show and Sale, with three bulls from the Leeds family and two bulls from Lyndhurt-based Trojon and Ronelle Park.

The Rollinsons purchased Trojon Sidestep S21 for $20,000 and Ronelle Park Snow Storm for $19,000.

The national sale bulls have been joined to some of the family's best heifers to produce a few of their own herd bulls.

"We'd like to keep some bulls that are bred in the environment here, because they hold up really well to the conditions," Bruce Rollinson said.

Bulls are selected to suit the conditions, which include large paddocks of up to 1620 hectares and year-round joining.

"We're running them in 2000 to 4000 acre (810ha to 1620ha) paddocks so, thinking about the country they're running in, we're looking for big-framed, easy walking cattle," Mr Rollinson said.

"We look for cattle with soft, supple skins and hide, and with a bigger frame, that gives the feedlots something to hang their beef on, and it's also good for our restockers."

Structure is the main focus for Mr Rollinson, as he needs to make sure his herd stays productive and functional, in all seasons.

"We'd been breeding cattle for a long time before figures came in, but they're a great guide when we're buying cattle," he said.

"We're looking for big-framed, easy walking cattle with constitution."

Shorthorns are well-suited to the area.

"It's not the most popular breed but they're good grazing cattle, they look after their calves, and they've got good resilience in drought," Mr Rollinson said.

"We've always got good calves to sell because the cows have good milking ability, even in dry times."

Mr Rollinson said the grass-fed market was a huge opportunity for Shorthorn cattle.

"Feedlots are an important part of the industry but there's good demand for good young cattle coming off natural country, and the Shorthorn is perfect for that.

"We're in semi-marginal country and we go through tougher times and the cows manage to bring their calves through, when I think some of the more popular breeds of cattle don't do as well."

Young heifers are always in demand with the Rollinsons selling to restockers in multiple states.

"We have repeat buyers for our heifers, from Tasmania to Queensland, and this year we sold heifers at Barnawartha that created a lot of interest with some going to the Northern Tablelands."

In recent years their steers have gone into the Shorthorn-specific Thousand Guineas branded beef program through JBS, which ended in March.

"It was a good premium market, and sometimes we were getting prices above what was expected for the more popular breeds," Mr Rollinson said.

Steers will continue to be sold to the nearby JBS feedlot, meeting entry weights between 300 and 400 kilograms.

"Because we have our cows joined all the time, the heavier steers, any bigger calves, are pulled off and we'll background them on natural pastures until they hit that weight," Mr Rollinson said.

"Having no set joining means we don't miss markets, and we can have a little boom in the middle of the year and we've always got cattle to sell, and we're not just taking one price through one sale."

With calving throughout the year, the Rollinsons will supplementary feed cows hay if they need it, but usually the native country carries them through the difficult seasons.

"If you start feeding cows in the paddock they'll wait for the truck to come, so they're not getting the full use of the paddocks," Mr Rollinson said.

"Our cows eat what the sheep don't eat, and in a good season we'll have ryegrass and wild oats and once the cows take the top out, there's usually rain and green grass for the sheep.

"We try to lock up paddocks, so often a paddock will be empty for two months, and we'll educate the weaners with dogs and horses and drench the cattle into those paddocks.

"It's very healthy country, with not much of a worm or parasite burden.

"We don't often drench the cows, unless they're look shabby, but it's not every year."

Minimal chemicals are used, with no fertiliser or top dressing.

"It's not feasible for us, and we steer away from any of that, because we're breeding resilience in the cattle and natural worm resistance," Mr Rollinson said.

"We want to look after the land and if you do that, the country will look after you."

Calving year-round is fine for the Shorthorns, despite being in large paddocks, as they're low-maintenance calvers with great mothering ability.

"Once the heifers have calved once, I don't even go near them," Mr Rollinson said.

"We'll wean calves off the cows to mark the next morning, and when we put the calves back, there'll be two or three calves drinking off one cow and the cow doesn't care.

"It does make it difficult to mother up in the yards, but the extra milk means there's plenty for all."

Cows are usually in production at Goolgumbla until the age of nine, but with difficult seasons, they're the first to go.

"Over the last four or five years we've had a good run with seasons, so we've got a good young herd of cows," Mr Rollinson said.

Year-round joining has been great for bull management, with less injuries.

"We think it's better for bulls than set joining, because when you first bring bulls out, all they want to do is fight, so we've had less injuries."

Fertility isn't an issue, but the Rollinsons are strict on their females.

"Any heifer not in calf is gone, but once they have their first calf, they'll usually have more," Mr Rollinson said.

The Rollinsons also run Hereford cattle on nearby Hawks Nest, and country at Penshurst, Victoria.

"That gives us diversity with our breeds and markets, and it's a bit of fun comparing the breeds."