Effective grazing management relies on a producer’s ability to match pasture with the appropriate stock classes that comprise a grazing business.  Livestock performance is driven by energy intake, and in a grazing environment, the principal source of energy comes from pasture. A producers ability to effectively match livestock needs with pasture comes down to their ability to assess the amount of feed in available and to make an assessment of its quality.  Assessing the amount is one of the key skills for any graziers. While some producers talk about herbage mass or pasture mass, a m ..read more

There have been many national and international studies focused on evaluating the impacts crossbreeding can have on beef production.  The advantage of hybrid vigor, particularly in increasing growth rates, weaning weights and on traits of lower heritability are extremely well demonstrated. Across man southern systems, the opportunity to join Hereford sires over Angus cows has long been a “go to” option for producers seeking to commence crossbreeding.  The value of the Black Baldy has been recognized for both its growth and additional weaning weight, as well as the demand by restocke ..read more

How often have you seen livestock for sale on social media or online platforms? As people grow more used to online shopping, it’s probably only natural that livestock are starting to be advertised more frequently. I have lost count of the number of people who tell me they have seen cattle for sale on websites such as Gumtree. Even more frequently, sales pages on Facebook with groups located in regions or for broad livestock sales always seem to have cattle for sale. While there is nothing technically wrong with buying and selling livestock online, there are several significant differences to c ..read more

If you were in the market for a new bull this year, or if you were selling bulls, then 2021 will be a year that you will probably remember for a long time! The price of bulls this year was well above he average of te last 5 years. There is a reason for that. The combination of high cattle prices; seasonal conditions that resulted in high pasture growth; herd rebuilding across the county and overall optimism for agriculture all played a role in driving bull drives. Its worth remembering that the prices are relative to the cattle market. And even though a bull may seem dear, he is still on aver ..read more

Operating a beef enterprise, or indeed any farming enterprise, is a challenge. Farming is really a multi dimensional activity. As most producers will readily acknowledge, their skill set has to cover not just the requirements of managing livestock; but to adjust and operate in an ever changing environment. They need to be across animal health, nutrition, understand the markets, adjust their systems to comply with welfare and health regulations. All this before considering financial management; infrastructure maintenance - the list goes on! “were like a lot in our area, on our P plates when it ..read more

The continued strength of the Australian cattle market is definitely the most frequent conversation starter among farmers and in the broader industry. For producers selling cattle, the record prices are exciting and have gone a long way to help recover from the costs of almost a decade of drought. If you are purchasing cattle, however, the price of cattle can make you feel pretty concerned! The challenge of purchasing cattle on a rising market, with the hope the margin stays positive is something quite a lot of finishers, processors and even restocks are grappling with. There are plenty of dif ..read more

Fertility is one of the most important aspects of a beef breeding business.  Fertility tends to be an overarching term applied to the number of calves that are born each year. Maximising the number of calves born and weaned annually requires attention on several areas in the herd. While bull fertility is a significant contributor, there is also the aspects of female fertility.  Female fertility is impacted directly by daily energy intake.  This influences her condition score, and her ability to produce the hormones required to trigger ovulation and place the femal ..read more

Cattle prices in Australia have reached record levels. One of the most referenced indicators is the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator – or EYCI.  This indicator is used to describe animals on a 7-day rolling average. Based on the reports from 25 major saleyards across Australia it is expressed as cents per kilogram carcase (or dressed) weight (¢/kg cwt). While the EYCI shows the general trend for young cattle, it is important to remember that there is a fair range of cattle that are assessed to make up this indicator.  Cattle which are assessed as part of the EYCI include veal ..read more

One of the greatest challenges in purchasing a bull is to weigh up his physical suitability for his role as a sire with his genetic potential to influence the herd.  In my mind, these are two very important factors.  However, you can’t approach them both in the same way. It’s impossible to see genetics!  Looking at a bull you really have no idea what his progeny are likely to be capable of achieving if they are given the right opportunities.  All you can really see when you look at a bull is how well he has grown to that point in his life.  It ..read more

Purchasing new bulls for a program is a significant event for any producer.While many people consider the immediate cost of the bull to be the most pressing consideration, there is much more to consider than his actual cost! A bull will make a contribution to a herd that will extend for up to 15 years. So the lifetime cost of that bull in a herd is much greater than what you may pay at auction. I spend a lot of time with producers looking at bulls before sales.  I’m often conscious that a large number of people I chat to have only a general idea of the characteristics of the bull th ..read more