Ardrossan Angus

been strategically positioned within 3km grazing radius of each other (6km between waters), with approximately 80% of the place within 3km of water. Grazing management has also been a focus of development, with paddocks being fenced in respect to land type and to sizes that equate to relatively similar carrying capacities of approximately 800 head per paddock across all land types. Paddocks on “Rocklands” range from 7,000 ha to 40,000 ha. Each year, every paddock’s carrying capacity is assessed and is matched with the appropriate stocking rate. It is through this regular assessment that a spelling regime is implemented, based on country condition which in turn aids the destocking process in the event of drought. Matt describes the benefit of this style of grazing management particularly in the event of a failed wet season. “We stock our country to the green date of 21st January, it is a trigger point to start offloading cattle. By having stocked our country to the land type and carrying capacity, we aren’t in dire straits immediately,” he says. “From there, there are a number of levers we can pull such as selling stock we had set up to rejoin, blanket early weaning certain mobs and selling the percentage of those cows that failed to raise a calf,” he adds. Sage Advice

Due to low disease challenge the major limitations in Angus use on “Rocklands” are predominantly adaptation related. To combat this, Matt offers this advice for people wanting to bring Angus bulls into northern Australia. “Select the bulls for the country, make sure they have that natural heat tolerance, that they are clean coated and strong footed. In the handling of Angus cattle, don’t expect them to walk the same distances you can walk a Brahman cow and calf, they are slower and you just have to adjust accordingly, but when you get them there you are selling them at $200 extra a calf so just walk slower, it is as simple as that,” he says. “We have got our paddocks split up, they are relatively small for the area we are in and that aids in minimising the distance that they have to travel,” he adds. Oddly enough, Matt says that one of the biggest issues they have is the high fertility resulting in heifer calves having early and out of season calves. “It is a challenge for those heifers to raise that calf and then get back in calf again,” he states. So, is the use of Angus paying off at “Rocklands”? Weaning weights have been increased, despite the seasons being, as Matt describes them, not fantastic. “Season has got an affect, but the seasons here haven’t been fantastic and the weaning weights have increased. It has made a difference, our weaning weight at the start of 2022 was 260kg. That will reduce to approximately 220kg as the year progresses and we wean other mobs but it is a pretty good start to the year,” says Matt.

OFFERING 60 HEIFER BULLS PRIVATE SELECTION ON ULTRABLACK BULLS FROM OCTOBER 1ST 2022

OFFERING 121 ANGUS BULLS BULL SALE TUESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER, 1PM

Ardrossan Angus ‘TALMALMO’, 5069 RIVER ROAD, TALMALMO 2640 Rob Bulle 0407 369 203 · Lachie Bulle 0487 957 887 Shaun Darmody 0487 654 308 · Emily Perkins 0400 750 801 ardrossan@bigpond.com

Brett Shea 0428 691 489 brett.shea@elders.com.au

Onsite interfaced with

Cameron Hilton 0419 578 309 chilton@crcoranparker.com.au