A Lasting Legacy

An observation of an Australian soldier in the First World War (1914-1918) has lead one family down a love for the Charolais breed that is now in the fourth generation. Bill (William Leslie) Taylor from the Myrtleford region of Victoria in 1919 was stationed in France and saw Charolais cattle. These cattle belonged to the family of his future Belgium wife, Marguerite and formed a lasting impression. Bill married Marguerite and returned to Australia in 1920. He advised his son George that if the breed ever came to Australia he should consider breeding them.

When Charolais semen arrived George and his wife, Betty used Crogham Centurion over their dairy cows and produced the families first Charolais in Australian aptly named Myrtle Park Marguerite P born on the 30/08/1972. The family registered their herd through to 1995 when they became a commercial herd. In the early days, the poorer milking Friesian females were AIed to the Charolais as beef females. These crossbred calves were grown out to bullocks with some sold to specialist butchers in Melbourne and Myrtleford. The feedback on the performance of these cattle encouraged the family to continue with the breed.

Now in the hands of the third and fourth generation George and Sharron Taylor and their daughter Sarah the family continue their admiration for the breed. When talking to George, Sharron and Sarah you feel that intrinsic connection to the land and livestock. George recalls females that shaped their herd such as embryo donor International Marise back in the 1970s as if it was yesterday. George in his career has worked as an AI Technician and bled cattle for the Brucellosis eradication scheme. George and Sharron met in the Australian high country, use horses for stock work and run a successful leather business trading as SKT Leather.

Now based at Boralma just north of Wangaratta in Victoria the herd is again in the growth phase. The home property is 130 hectares of heavy clay soil and another 160 hectares of lease country provides the opportunity to grow the breeding herd.

Top: William Leslie (Bill) Taylor in 1914 first observed Charolais in France during World War 1. Left: Bill’s son George and Betty Taylor used Charolais semen in 1971 and commenced the families Charolais breeding program. Seen here at an early Victorian Charolais function. Below: Pure Charolais cows with their heifers calves at Bloodwood just prior to weaning, the future is looking bright.

The whip made by Sharron and presented to Carolynn and Joe Garrett by Hamish Gosse in 1998 on behalf of the Charolais Society of Australia.

George, Sharron and Sarah Taylor with some springing replacement heifers.

Some family adversity in the last few years saw the breeding herd cut back, but with 30 young heifers joined to calve out in 2022 the herd will increase from the current 100 breeders.

The home property is very heavy clay based and this has shaped the current marketing strategy of weaning steer calves early and selling at a younger age. This has returned excellent prices through the online Auctionsplus platform and allowed the breeding herd a little extra recovery time before calving again. Pastures on the home property are fertilised native grasses and needed some renovation from when it was purchased eight years ago.

Improving the pastures and refencing is a high priority for the family. Drenching is only done when required with the normal vaccinations such as 5in1. Sharron commented the use of multi vitamin programs has been very successful for the herd health, in particular fertility and successful joining percentages. The steer draft in 2021 sold on the 5th November at 5 to 8 months and averaged 306kg liveweight. These sold for 737.4cents a kilogram returning $2,260 per head. The heifer calves are being retained to increase the herd. In the past weaners were sold through the Barnawartha saleyards but the family feel the Auctionsplus platform gives them a wider buying audience with less stress on the calves.

The herd was spring calving and has been adjusted to Autumn now the family is at Boralma where Autumn calving suits. The calving season is being tightened to increase management and fit in with the leather business workload. Back in 1998 Sharron made and donated the leather whip that was presented on behalf of the Charolais Society of Australia to Joe and Carolynn Garrett from the United States. The Charolais Society Garrett Youth Scholarships are based on a donation made by the Garrett Family.

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The steer calves sold in November 2021 to average $2,260 per head at 5-8 months of age.

A line of young purebred Charolais replacement heifers showing tremendous capacity and growth for age.

A Lasting Legacy

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Many other breeds have been trialled in various crossbreeding mixs but the Charolais consistently perform the best. One attribute of the breed the family love is the temperament. When driving around the herd, cows and heifers were coming up for scratches and attention. Then there are the two bullocks that were hand raised. The oldest bullock Clyde is ten years of age weighs an estimated 1,150kilograms and just loves a scratch. Clyde towers over George. Consistently in every paddock the temperament of the herd was outstanding.

In recent years sires have come from Rangan and Huon studs which are local and the family have been very happy with the progeny. The Taylor’s prefer a softer easier fleshed type of animal on a good frame and the female herd is a testament to this. All females including the heifers calving at two years of age are joined to Charolais and not a single female was assisted in 2021.

Considering the passion George, Sharron and Sarah have developed for the breed that has shaped so much of their family history the Charolais program is destined for a longer chapter at Bloodwood. As a commercial herd, the pure Charolais have consistently performed and produced the goods for us time after time Sharron concluded.

As a commercial herd, the pure Charolais have consistently performed and produced the goods for us time after time. “Taylor Family

George and Clyde, a ten year old calf hand reared twin and now weighing in at an estimated 1,150kg, Clyde loves a scratch highlighting the temperament of this herd.

Charolais purebred cows with their heifer calves to be retained.