Having used Matesel we have found a few tricks to increase the power currently available. You have to provide a list of Idents of cows and potential sires in a column in an Excel spreadsheet. It is easy enough to type in your own sires but entering a list of AI sires or sires in a sale catalogue is more time consuming. Likewise you might want to make a list of cows of a certain age from your own herd. This is how we did it.
Read more
For those not familiar with biosecurity it is the management required to keep the farm and its livestock free of pests and diseases.
Read more
I participated in a Webinar on Fertility and Body Composition run by Southern Beef Technology Services. The bottom line was that heifers need to have at least 5 mm of fat to have the best chance of going in calf. That has been our experience too.
Read more
Our senior sire, Willalooka Arthur, is now ranked number 1 in the Murray Grey breed. His average Financial Index across the three production systems, Long Fed Export, Supermarket and Heavy Grass Fed, is $72, just ahead of three bulls on $71.
Read more
“My parents bought a farm at Wilton near Picton NSW in the late 1950’s. Originally my father, Harry Hoare, and his manager decided to breed commercial Aberdeen Angus but Herefords were much easier to obtain so that is what we bred. All went pretty well until we bought a lovely line of 12 unjoined heifers in the 1960’s at which time I was doing my Veterinary Science degree. These heifers calved one November with disastrous results – I was in the middle of my annual examinations, away from the farm and unable to help. I think all of the heifers had calving difficulties. Seven calves died and we had to cull 5 of the heifers following calving paralysis, caesareans, embryotomies and infertility.
Read moreAs a breeder of stud Murray Grey cattle for 40 years, we consider our clientèle to be local commercial producers. It is interesting to reflect on what our clients are seeking when they look at bulls.
Read more
We were delighted to win 2 classes in the Crookwell Show Society Pasture Competition. There were 5 classes in total with 14 farms entered. Results were announced on Monday 22 October.
Read more
For at least 30 years we have provided a protein supplement for our heifers in winter by using urea and molasses in licker drums plus hay or silage. The price of molasses has climbed to $200 per 200 litre drum and made this uneconomic.
Read more
