Looking north for sales
THE Close family is striking a balance between high growth rates and cattle that perform well in northern Australia.
The family – Bernadette and Robert with their son Anthony – have been breeding Red Angus and Senepol at Culla in western Victoria for about 12 years, aiming to meet the requirements of northern markets.
Robert had a background in sheep farming and moved into breeding Herefords about 40 years ago, as well as backgrounding Angus for Rockdale feedlot at Narrandera. Then about 12 years ago he had the opportunity to pick up a breeding herd of 300 Red Angus and Senepol.
“They were unregistered but the owner had spent lots on the best genetics,” Robert said.
“Then when the drought was on he wanted to sell.”
He had seen Red Angus and Senepol cattle at a friend’s place and thought they were “the best cows we had ever seen”.
“They calve easy and they’re very fertile. We just love them,” Robert said.
The Red Angus is mixed with the Senepol to give the progeny a sleek hide, making it better for conditions in northern Australia.
“They have to be able to handle the heat, that’s why so many breed Brahmans,” Robert said.
“But there are problems with the Brahmans – the meat quality is wanting.”
Robert said his cattle had no Bos Indicus blood, but were slick-coated with southern cattle traits such as good meat quality, marbling and marketability.
He said they sold cattle as far north as Cairns in Queensland, Katherine in the Northern Territory and through the Gulf country.
“Up there the exports to the Indonesia live trade is very strong and they will not take animals with hair,” Robert said.
However, he said the cattle handled the cooler nights at Culla quite well.
Robert said he started breeding for the northern market as a worker on his farm had a few contacts in
northern states.
“We sent a few up there and it took off,” he said.
The family run 450 Red Angus and Senepol cows on 2000ha at Culla and about the same number of Angus and crossbreds on 300ha south of Hamilton. Last year they sold more than 200 bulls.
“We have some cattle that are pure Red Angus and some that are pure Senepol and the rest are varying degrees in the middle,” Robert said.
Robert said while the
percentage of Senepol and Red Angus didn’t matter, the outcome did.
He wanted a calf with as much shape and meat as possible, but with the slicker coat.
“The composition can depend a lot on the sire,” he said.
“We prefer to have as much Red Angus as possible and they’ve got to have the coat and the doing ability for the tropics.”
Anthony returned to the farm a couple of years ago after completing an agriculture science degree.
He said all the cattle were on Breedplan but it had only been scanning for a couple of years.
The Close family run their beef herd alongside 110 stud Merino ewes and 4900 commercial ewes at Culla.
Robert said Merino rams were used for replacements and White Suffolks put over as many ewes as possible.
The Close family will have bulls available through private sale.