Cattle producer Nick Mather strongly believes there is money to be made when you breed and grow cattle out to produce high quality beef.
“Both beef consumers here and internationally are demanding better quality meat that delivers flavour and tenderness,” Mr Mather said.
“So we are focusing on producing soft cattle with marbling that is valued in the market place.”
Buying quality Angus and Charolais bulls from Ascot Stud, Warwick, owned by Jim Wedge and Jackie Chard, is instrumental to his breeding program.
At the 2015 sale, Mr Mather bought eight Angus, paying the top price of the Angus draft, at $23,000, to average $12,000. He bought six Charolais bulls, paying to a top of $30,000, to average $13,000.
At this year's Ascot sale, he added five Angus bulls to average $16,000.
Mr Mather runs 950 Brahman/Charolais breeders at Manumbar Station in the Brisbane Valley, and joins these to Charolais bulls.
In a separate breeding operation at Lyndley Station, near Jandowae, he runs 1600 Brahman/Charolais breeders, which are joined to Angus bulls.
“We keep the top softer females with heavier frames from Manumbar, and these are sent to Lyndley, where they are also joined to Angus bulls,” he said. “We like functional females, and my manager Miles Paterson, culls for lack of fertility. The bulls we have selected are highly mobile, fertile bulls and we join are a rate of one bull to 40 cows, and are receiving good pregnancy results.
Jim also puts a lot of effort into selecting and breeding for DNA tested Homozygous 100 per cent polled animals - and he is ahead of the pack by doing this.
- Nick Mather
“When buying our Charolais bulls, we look for smooth skinned bulls with polled genetics.
“We select for the DNA tested Homozygous 100 percent polled bloodlines, which has made a dramatic difference to our progeny.
“We believe that polled genetics are the way of the future and will be a requirement by animal welfare.
“We take into account the cost of our labour at branding time and also to the well being of our calves, without having to put them through the stress of dehorning.”
Agent Mike Wilson, Stud and Bloodstock, Armidale, introduced Mr Mather to Ascot genetics.
Mr Mather has since leased country in the Cunnamulla district and will move the breeders from Lyndley. Lyndley will be further improved to pasture and fodder crops, and managed as a large-scale finishing operation.
Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
