2026 Autumn Angus Bulletin

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Publisher: Angus Australia Locked Bag 11

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Editor: Caroline Laine

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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Editor or of the Board of Angus Australia. Neither the Editor nor Angus Australia takes any responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained within this publication, nor for the outcome (including consequential loss) of any action taken by readers or others based on information contained therein. The publishers reserve the right to refuse or cancel without notice any advertisement in a publication issued by them.

EDITOR’S NOTE

AUTUMN BRINGS WITH IT a natural pause. A moment to take stock of the season behind us, to weigh the decisions made, and to look ahead with a steady, practical eye. It is a time shaped as much by reflection as it is by preparation, and one that feels particularly relevant across the Angus community this year.

This edition marks a new chapter for The Angus Bulletin. You will notice a shift in tone and format, with a stronger focus on storytelling, seasonality and the lived experience of those working within the Angus industry. It is an evolution intended to better reflect not just what we do, but how and why we do it, the environments we operate in and the people who shape the breed every day.

The theme, Harvest, Heritage & the Year Ahead, speaks to that balance between past and future. There is a quiet confidence in the Angus breed, built over generations through careful selection, shared knowledge and a willingness to adapt.

That same balance continues to guide the industry as it navigates change, whether through advances in genetics, shifting market expectations, or the realities of seasonal conditions.

Across Australia and New Zealand, Angus programs are as diverse as the landscapes they sit within. Yet there is a common thread, a commitment to improvement, a respect for the land, and a deep understanding that progress is rarely driven by one factor alone. It is the accumulation of decisions, made over time, that shapes both herd and business.

At its heart, Angus remains a people story. It is found in the families who continue to build on the work of those before them, in the emerging leaders stepping forward with new ideas,

and in the broader community that supports and challenges the industry to keep moving forward. There is strength in that continuity, and in the shared sense of purpose that underpins it.

This renewed Bulletin has been shaped with that in mind, to create something that feels considered, relevant and reflective of the industry it represents.

As always, it is a publication built on the strength of its members.

Kind regards, Caroline

DON'T MISS THE NEXT EDITION

The Angus Bulletin is published quarterly and distributed across our membership and wider Angus community. The next edition will be available at the end of June as our Winter edition. If you would like to discuss advertising opportunities, partnerships or have feedback, please direct all queries to marketing@angusaustralia.com.au

CAROLINE LAINE | Marketing & Communications Manager

President’s Report

SINCLAIR MUNRO | President and Board Chairman

AS WE MOVE INTO the 2026 Autumn season, it is my privilege to reflect on the achievements, challenges, and ongoing commitments of Angus Australia. Our organisation continues to stand as a cornerstone of the Australian beef industry, a not-for-profit member-based organisation with a proud history that shows leadership in making strategic decisions in the best interests of our members.

The strength of Angus Australia has always come from its members. Today it is ever most important to demonstrate the power of collective effort and a unified vision for a profitable, sustainable future for Angus and Angus-infused cattle.

Despite seasonal variability and shifting market conditions, Angus cattle have continued to deliver top performance across many production systems, highlighting our vision “Angus for Every System”. This is no accident. It is the result of decades of investment in genetic improvement, data integrity, and industry partnerships.

Our commitment to providing world-leading genetic evaluation tools remains central to our mission to maximise the profitability and sustainability of our members. The data submitted by our members, phenotypic measurements, genomic samples and pedigree information, forms the backbone of the Angus Genetic Evaluation System. This member-driven data ecosystem is one of our greatest strengths. It ensures that the genetic evaluation tools we deliver are not only scientifically robust but also deeply relevant to real-world breeding objectives.

In 2026, the continued evolution of Angus GenetiQTM has been a standout achievement. Angus Australia has invested in Angus GenetiQ over the past five years due to strategic considerations, including the identification of efficiencies, important capability advancements and to safeguard member data. Throughout 2026, members will have the opportunity to evaluate Angus GenetiQ alongside TACE, and we strongly encourage you to provide feedback. TACE remains our primary genetic evaluation reporting platform and continues to be the EBV display seen in sale catalogues.

Importantly, Angus GenetiQ underpins our commercial genomic products, including Angus Heifer SELECT and Angus Steer SELECT. These are valuable commercial tools that can be used to make significant genetic improvement when used in conjunction with the use of well described Registered Angus bulls.

Angus GenetiQ is used to develop EBVs for valuable traits, such as Mature Body Condition and Mature Cow Height. Currently Angus GenetiQ has Research Breeding Values for Coat Type, and in the future other traits of significance will be included.

Beyond the farm gate, Angus Australia continues to play a critical role in supporting the integrity and authenticity of Angus-branded beef programs. This is to ensure customers can trust that Angus-branded products meet the standards expected of the breed. We are working to help underpin branded beef programs with simple but effective quality assurance. This benefits every member of the supply chain, from seedstock breeders, commercial producers and processors.

As Chairman of the Angus Australia Board, I must say a key pillar of Angus Australia’s success is the strength and commitment of our Board of Directors. I thank my fellow directors for your exceptional dedication and integrity. Members can be assured that the Angus Australia Board is united and highly engaged. In my time as President there have been extensive strategic discussions. All Directors undertake formal governance training through the Australian Institute of Company Directors or the Australian Institute of Management. Decisions are made collectively, carefully, and in the long-term interests of the Society and the breed. On behalf of the Board, thank you to our CEO Scott Wright and his staff at Angus Australia.

In closing, it is imperative to recognise the power of our memberdriven organisation; that it is owned by its members and operated for their benefit. This structure ensures that decisions are made with the interests of breeders and producers at the forefront. It also means that the organisation’s success is directly tied to the engagement and contributions of its members. Together, we continue to build a future where Angus and Angusinfused cattle deliver profitability, sustainability and excellence across the Australian beef industry.

With Kind Regards,

MUNRO President, Angus Australia

SINCLAIR

Pictured Scott Wright (CEO Angus Australia) , John Eales AM (Keynote Speaker, World Angus Forum 2025 Conference), Oli Le Lievre (MC), Erica Halliday (Chair WAF Organising Committee), Sinclair Munro (President Angus Australia), Michael Crowley (Managing Director MLA).

CEO’s Report

SCOTT WRIGHT | Chief Executive Officer

DEAR MEMBERS,

Welcome to the autumn edition of the Angus Bulletin. This issue reflects a clear theme - the winds of change currently shaping our breed.

I recently returned from a trip through southern NSW, Victoria and South Australia, visiting members during Southern Beef Week. After two extremely challenging years, I am always impressed by the resilience and mindset of our members, particularly as many now face the prospect of another difficult season. Seasonable conditions remain a concern across NSW, with many producers already making the decision to reduce stock numbers.

I would like to take this opportunity to update members on several key matters currently underway at Angus Australia.

Over the Christmas period and into January, members will have seen the release of Angus GenetiQTM breeding values and subsequently the percentile tables for those figures. Angus GenetiQ has been positively received by the majority of Angus Australia members, although not unanimously. Some members have raised concerns with the Board and management of Angus Australia, and I want to say unconditionally to members that we have heard those concerns.

Angus GenetiQ is a very significant tool for the Angus breed going forward, perhaps a once-in-a-decade advancement for the Angus breed across Australia. However, I want to be very clear on one important point: The Board has made no decision to move away from BREEDPLAN. This appears to be one of the key misunderstandings currently circulating in the Angus community.

Importantly, 2026 will be a transition year, where members can evaluate Angus Genetic figures alongside BREEDPLAN. We strongly encourage members to engage with both systems and provide feedback to Angus Australia. Strategic feedback can be directed to the Board, the President or myself, while technical enquiries should be directed to our Chief Operating Officer, Carel Teseling, and the genetic improvement and extension teams.

I firmly believe Angus Genetic represents a very positive advancement for the benefit of all Angus Australia members. To support understanding, a webinar was held in January, accompanied by a YouTube recording and a Frequently Asked Questions document. I encourage members to revisit these resources.

It is important to note that Angus GenetiQ was developed over a five-year period in response to several strategic considerations for the Angus Australia organisation. One of the key drivers was the fact that Angus Australia did not have long-term clarity regarding access to our BREEDPLAN licence and ongoing access.

When the opportunity arose, Angus Australia developed Angus GenetiQ. Through that process we have identified a number of efficiencies compared with other genetic evaluation platforms. Angus Genetic already allows weekly analysis runs, and most importantly will allow faster and more frequent runs going forward. It also allows Angus Australia to bring new traits to market more quickly because the development time is significantly reduced.

Importantly, it also provides a common analysis platform across our commercial Angus products, including HeiferSELECT and SteerSELECT. This allows animals to be benchmarked directly from either a seedstock and commercial perspective. It also delivers efficiencies in cost and operational flexibility. I would say to members that if there were ever a delivery problem with BREEDPLAN going forward, members would rightly ask why the Board and management had not acted earlier. Angus GenetiQ represents that innovation.

Put simply, Angus GenetiQ is not simply a genetic evaluation platform, it is a capability that positions Angus Australia to deliver new and previously unimagined services to the membership.

I encourage members to learn more about Angus GenetiQ and to attend the Members’ Day associated with our AGM in Ballarat, Victoria, in the last week of May. We intend to hold a full day of information sessions for members to further understand developments in Angus GenetiQ. There will also be a number of new traits released during the year and additional innovations introduced.

Another matter of significance for members is the recent announcement that Zoetis will acquire Neogen. I have communicated to both organisations that the Board and management of Angus Australia have some concerns regarding this acquisition, particularly regarding reduced competition in the genomic testing sector and the potential long-term impact on pricing. While these concerns may not materialise, history suggests that reduced competition carries risk.

As a risk mitigation strategy, Angus Australia has recently established a relationship with Weatherbys, a long-standing

genomic laboratory with an established footprint in Australia. In the coming weeks we will introduce new services through this partnership, with the intention of building a broader relationship over time.

Please be assured that the Board and management remain focused on ensuring that members have access to the best possible services at the lowest possible prices, while maintaining competitive and innovative service options.

Members may also be aware of discussions regarding a multibreed genetic analysis, identified as a priority within Meat & Livestock Australia’s new five-year strategic plan. While we have participated in initial discussions, we do not yet have clarity regarding what a multi-breed analysis may mean for Angus Australia members or whether it will have positive or negative implications. We have raised a number of key questions, including consultation processes, how such a system may operate in the future, and whether participation might be tied to any BREEDPLAN licence arrangements. As always, the Board and management are working to fully understand these developments to ensure informed decision-making on behalf of members.

In the coming months, members will receive the Angus Australia Annual Report. Preliminary audit figures indicate a loss for the 2025 financial year. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, the World Angus Forum required a significant investment from the Society. Secondly, dry seasonal conditions in the south negatively impacted inventory and commercial activity.

Our focus is firmly on recovery. The Board and management are targeting a balanced budget in 2026 and a return to profitability in 2027. Unfortunately, achieving this has required a combination of some fee increases for 2026 along with a number of internal cost reductions. While we aim to minimise any impact on services, maintaining a sustainable financial position is essential.

I would like to acknowledge President Sinclair Munro, Audit and Finance Committee Chair Ben Todhunter, and our company accountant Elliott Connors for their work in this area.

Members will also notice changes within our marketing team. Caroline Laine has stepped into the role of Marketing and Communications Manager under the direction of Kathryn Duddy. Together, they are implementing a number of improvements that we believe will benefit members, including a review of catalogue services and improvements to the Angus Australia website.

We have received strong member feedback in these areas and are confident of continued improvement throughout 2026. You will also notice updates to the look and feel of the Angus Bulletin, which we hope enhances its value as a member publication.

Put simply, Angus GenetiQ is not simply a genetic evaluation platform, it is a capability that positions Angus Australia to deliver new and previously unimagined services to the membership. “

I would also like to draw members’ attention to the Members Directory and encourage all members to participate in this project.

Additionally, I would like to acknowledge Sarah Horrocks (New Zealand) for her work in strengthening Angus Australia’s social media presence. Since September 2025 there has been a noticeable increase in both the frequency and diversity of content.

Members are also encouraged to listen to The Angus Table podcast, which provides an opportunity for deeper conversations with industry professionals, breeders and other individuals who can contribute to improving the profitability of Angus operations.

Suggestions for future guests are welcome and can be directed to Mel Strasburg or myself.

Finally, over the coming months we will deliver the latest GenAngus Leadership Program, coordinated by Nancy Crawshaw. The program continues to attract strong interest, with more than 50 applications received this year. While not all applicants can be accommodated, I encourage those unsuccessful to consider reapplying in 2027.

Thank you for your continued support of Angus Australia. We are navigating a period of significant change and opportunity and I thank President Sinclair Munro and the Board for their ongoing leadership and commitment.

Yours sincerely,

SCOTT

WRIGHT CEO, Angus Australia

The Angus Table, Angus Australia's new podcast, is hosted by CEO Scott Wright and brings together industry leaders, innovators and people with a great story to tell. You’ll hear practical insights on markets, genetics, pasture management, business decisions and the people shaping the future of the Angus breed. Pull up a chair, scan the QR code and listen today.

Angus Australia Board Outcomes

MARCH 2026

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS of Angus Australia convened in Sydney on Tuesday, 24 March 2026, to review key strategic and operational matters relevant to the organisation and its members. The meeting involved a broad range of discussions, reflecting the Board’s continued focus on ensuring the strength, relevance and long-term sustainability of Angus Australia. As always, the meeting was characterised by robust discussion and healthy debate, with Directors working to deliver the best possible outcomes for members.

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND AUDIT

The March meeting has a strong focus on financial and audit obligations.

The Board reviewed the 2025 financial statements and audit report, with Angus Australia’s auditor, Max Elphick, presenting an overview of the audit findings. The audit confirmed that there were no significant issues of concern.

Members should note that Angus Australia recorded a financial loss for the 2025 financial year. This result will be detailed in the Annual Report ahead of the upcoming AGM. The loss was largely, though not entirely, attributable to the hosting of the World Angus Forum.

The Board remains concerned about rising overhead costs and broader inflationary pressures. Both management and Directors are actively working to identify efficiencies and ensure the organisation remains competitive. A clear objective has been set to return Angus Australia to a profitable position.

INVENTORY AND FEMALE FATE SUBMISSIONS

As part of broader cost management discussions, the Board considered an issue paper relating to late inventory submissions.

From the Spring inventory period this year, where female fates are submitted after the due date, only a 50% reduction in billed inventory will apply. This change is designed to recognise and reward members who submit their data on time, while maintaining fairness across the system.

Importantly, this policy will not apply in exceptional circumstances. Angus Australia will continue to support members where genuine difficulties arise.

ANGUS GENETIQ TM

The Board considered member correspondence relating to the rollout of Angus GenetiQTM. While feedback has been broadly positive, a small number of breeders have raised concerns.

In response, the Board reviewed both the implementation process and the forward strategy. The Board remains committed to ensuring that Angus Australia delivers the most appropriate and effective genetic evaluation system to support ongoing genetic improvement.

The CEO has been tasked with leading a comprehensive member education program to ensure clarity and understanding of Angus GenetiQTM

It is important to note that TACE figures continue to be derived from three key components: BREEDPLAN, AGI, and Angus GenetiQTM

STRATEGIC SESSION

A strategic session is held at each Board meeting to assess changes in the operating environment.

• At this meeting, the Board considered:

• MLA’s multi-breed objective

• Consolidation within the genomics sector

• The emerging partnership with Weatherbys

The CEO also presented a paper outlining the value of the Angus breed system in delivering profitability across the entire supply chain.

ANGUS ONLINE

The Board received an update on Angus.TECH member input functionality which is called Angus Online. The board is pleased to announce that following the board meeting this facility is now switched on for members.

This represents an important step forward in improving service delivery and system usability.

ANGUS YOUTH ROUNDUP REVIEW

The CEO will lead a strategic review of the Angus Youth Roundup in April 2026, involving selected Board members and invited stakeholders.

This process will develop a clear blueprint to strengthen and enhance the Roundup into the future.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Board discussed planning for the 2026 AGM.

Members are invited to attend a Members’ Workshop and AGM in Ballarat on Tuesday, 26 May, with the AGM to conclude the day. Ballarat has been selected to provide greater accessibility for southern members, particularly given seasonal challenges affecting travel to other events such as the World Angus Forum.

ANGUS HEIFERSELECT

The Board approved changes to Angus HeiferSELECT aimed at improving its value for commercial producers.

The Board acknowledges feedback from seedstock members and will continue to engage constructively on these perspectives. A revised marketing approach will emphasise that the most effective pathway to genetic gain remains the use of Registered Angus bulls.

Further information will be provided to members in the coming weeks.

EXTENSION AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT

The Board noted the development of a series of workshops across Central and Western Queensland, designed to support commercial producers in selecting Angus genetics suited to their production systems.

These initiatives aim to strengthen the adoption of Angus genetics in northern markets.

UNREGISTERED ANGUS BULLS

The Board discussed concerns regarding the marketing of unregistered Angus bulls without meaningful performance data. This issue remains under consideration, with further work to be undertaken on an appropriate response.

The Board remains committed to delivering value to members and advancing the interests of the Angus breed. Members can expect further updates through Angus Australia communications and the forthcoming Annual Report.

Clockwise from top left Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother visiting Weatherbys' print works in 1970; Master James Weatherby 1731-1794 founder of Weatherbys and The General Stud Book, Secretary of The Jockey Club, Stakeholder (or Banker) and Keeper of The Match Book; James Weatherby accounts from 1772.

STEWARDS OF PEDIGREE

The

250 year legacy of Weatherbys

For more than 250 years Weatherbys has been a trusted steward of pedigree and breeding records. Today that same commitment to accuracy, traceability and innovation is helping shape the future of genetic information for Angus breeders.

A NEW STRATEGIC partnership between Weatherbys Scientific and Angus Australia is delivering a suite of innovative genomics products to assist the beef industry in addressing industry challenges and driving herd performance.

It builds on the long and successful history of Weatherbys, from its origins managing the UK and Irish Thoroughbred Stud Book to developing modern genetic data systems – the Weatherbys story is a powerful example of how heritage and data stewardship is shaping the future of animal breeding.

By the time the first Angus cattle were stepping onto the docks in Australia in 1824, Weatherbys had been publishing the Thoroughbred General Stud Book in Britain for more than 30 years.

More than 200 years later, the principles that have guided seven generations of the Weatherby family – accuracy, traceability and stewardship of breeding records – remain equally relevant as Australian Angus breeders pursue trusted genetic information to continually improve the breed.

A

LEGACY

BUILT ON PEDIGREE

The Weatherby family's pivotal relationship with the Thoroughbred industry began in 1770, when lawyer James Weatherby was appointed by The Jockey Club, the official governing body for horseracing, as their Secretary and Keeper of the Match Book at Newmarket.

During James’s tenure, the Weatherbys became responsible for administering the sport’s fledgling governing body and publishing The Racing Calendar and the General Stud Book, which traced the lineage and identity of bloodstock.

The first Racing Calendar, which recorded the results of all horse races run in Britain and Ireland, was published in 1773. Still published each fortnight, it has become the longest running sporting publication in history.

Two hundred years later in 1973, Weatherbys opened an Irish office in Dublin to run the Irish General Stud Book, and three years later, was appointed secretary to the International Stud Book Committee.

CHAMPIONING GENETIC PERFORMANCE AND PEDIGREE

Like Weatherbys’ General Stud Book, the aim that was penned in the first meeting of the Australian Aberdeen-Angus Society’s Herd Book in 1918 was ‘Forming a society for the preservation of pedigrees’, and the Society’s first herd book was published in 1922.

The 1970s saw the emergence of the Angus Herd Improvement Scheme in Australia, and the appointment of a committee to oversee a nationwide performance recording scheme for the beef industry, the National Beef Recording Scheme (NBRS).

In 1977, the Angus Society joined forces with the NBRS to develop the Angus Herd Improvement Register (AHIR). At that time, purebred Angus cattle made up 20% of the performance records in the NBRS database.

The foresight of Angus breeders to champion performance recording of commercial and seedstock cattle, and the progression of the breed into the modernised era of genomic technologies, mirrors the evolution of Weatherbys Scientific in the 1980s.

A TRAJECTORY OF INNOVATION

The Weatherbys continued their trajectory of innovation in the Thoroughbred industry and in 1986 parentage verification for all Weatherbys’ registered foals through blood typing was introduced. From 1999, all foals in Great Britain and Ireland registered with Weatherbys were microchipped.

Weatherbys Scientific commenced operations in 1985, originally established in County Kildare, Ireland, to provide parentage testing for Thoroughbred horses using blood typing technology. In 2001, the technology for parentage verification changed to Microsatellite DNA markers, and Weatherbys began offering parentage testing services for other species – bovine, ovine and canine, as well as some companion and exotic animals.

The laboratory commenced genotyping cattle using SNP technology in 2010, and in 2012 began a partnership with the

Weatherby's Timeline

Irish Cattle Breeders Federation which resulted in the development of a customised SNP chip (IDB) for dairy and beef breeds.

Genotyping 25,000 cattle per week, it was the largest program of its type in the world.

Weatherbys has since grown into a global provider of genomic services, and has been providing DNA testing, genomics and bioinformatics services to livestock industries in Australia and the Pacific since 2018.

As cattle breeding programs become increasingly data driven, the importance of trusted pedigree and genetic information continues to grow. The large number of Angus animals globally provides an immense pool of available genetics that allows the breed to respond to new challenges and commercial demands.

Angus Australia Chief Operating Officer, Carel Teseling, said the new partnership that Angus Australia has engaged in with Weatherbys is a welcome development as the rapid evolution of genomics had changed how seedstock producers approached genetic improvement.

“Genotyping gives you an earlier indication of an animal’s genetic potential, but proof is always in the performance,” Mr Teseling said.

“Phenotype data, whether that’s growth, carcase traits or fertility, allows the system to keep learning and improving. The two are complementary, and you need both to drive long-term genetic progress.”

Weatherbys Scientific Business Development Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Michael-John Barry, said the collaboration is firmly focused on delivering practical benefits to Angus breeders and the broader industry, with the benefit of Weatherbys’ 250 years of experience.

“This partnership is about turning genomic science into everyday value, to lift herd potential, breed performance and industry productivity,” Mr Barry said.

1770 James Weatherby appointed Keeper of the Match Book

1773 First Racing Calendar published

1791 First General Stud Book compiled

1985 Weatherbys Scientific established

2010 SNP genotyping introduced

2026 Partnership with Angus Australia announced

“But it’s also about continuing to build on the Weatherby family’s centuries of commitment to success through collaboration, innovation and world-renowned customer service.”

As a fifth-generation farmer himself, Mr Barry said he was attracted to working for Weatherbys because they were a family business with strong values and customer focus.

“There’s a very personal and humbling side to the way Weatherbys operate,” he said.

“They understand that for most people in the industry, their cattle and breeding programs are something they’re deeply connected to.

“When those family enterprises are built over generations, we recognise the privilege of being part of the legacy, as well as at the cutting edge of the future.”

Pictured Left Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's official opening of Weatherbys' Offices in Wellingborough with (from left) Christopher, Charles, Simon and Peter Weatherby; Right Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Johnny Weatherby at Royal Ascot.

BENNEVIS 2026MATURE

Designed for the Country Angus on the Hills of North Otago

On the steep hill country of New Zealand’s South Island, Rob and Jane McClure have built a simple but highly effective Angus system. By matching genetics to landscape and focusing on efficiency, their Mole Hill Downs operation demonstrates how Angus cattle can thrive in challenging country.

REBECCA GREAVES | Images ANNIE STUDHOLME ('AngusPRO Magazine 2026')

FOR ROB MCCLURE, it all starts with the foundation, the cow herd, and there’s nothing he enjoys seeing more than a nice, even line of black cattle in the paddock.

Rob and wife Jane farm Mole Hill Downs at Five Forks, half an hour inland from Oamaru in the South Island. Both originally from a mixed cropping background in Canterbury, the couple purchased their hill country property in 2008.

“We were keen on stock and hill country, so with minimal savings and a bank that would kindly back us, we stumbled our way down here,” Rob explains.

It is fairly extensive farming on the 826 hectare property; there is about 200 hectare of workable country, which has 19 paddocks, most including a gully, and the rest is in 12 blocks, averaging 40 hectare. The blocks tend to be steep around the river faces, with native bush at the edges.

“It’s quite a steep place and truck-only access, which is a bit of a feature of the property. Our agents are really good around truck only access and only when it is dry, so we all have to negotiate around that.”

Rainfall varies, but is about 550ml annually. They usually get rain in December, but being on the East Coast, Rob says the weather pattern can be changeable.

FROM SHEEP TO ANGUS

When they initially arrived in North Otago 18 years ago, they ran only sheep, no cattle. Since moving to Mole Hill in 2008, they had been slowly increasing their Angus cattle numbers. It was was when their children went off to boarding school about eight years ago that they decided to change things up.

“We found that school holidays, around Christmas, were always so busy with sheep. We asked ourselves, how can we turn things on their head to make it more enjoyable, have more family time off the farm and be more profitable?”

In a complete reversal, sheep were out, and cattle were in.

“Because I’m half Irish, half Scottish, my goal was to sell a cattle beast a day within a low-cost system, and because of the nature of the country with the gullies, cows and calves in the gullies and fattening animals on the workable country was a good fit.”

DESIGNING A HILL COUNTRY SYSTEM

The McClures put 400 breeding females to the bull, including 85 yearlings. They have 10 bulls and they keep their own replacement females. The bull goes out to the heifers on December 10 and to the mixed age cows about a week later.

Everything calves in the gullies, but Rob does keep a close eye on the heifers, opting to run them on the easier blocks. “We try to calve where calves won’t slide into gullies.”

They single-sire mate where possible, loading up the better bulls, and rotating the bulls after the first cycle.

“Our fertility has increased. The heifers are down to 38 days with the bulls. For the mixed age cows, we give them two cycles, plus up to a week extra to cover the change over.”

Rob says they are hovering at around 3-4% dry at scanning, losing about 3% more at calving.

“It’s pretty good, it’s been increasing over the last three years, and the mixed age cows are calving at about 94%, we’re happy with that.”

Weaning typically happens in March to coincide with early scanning and selling the culls, if it’s a dry season.

They usually put in 10ha of swedes for the steer calves. That paddock will then have two crops - rape and grass - after the swedes, before being sown back down. They have changed their grass to a tetraploid ryegrass, which gives them a four-year grass, with red and white clover.

Heifer calves are rotated around the better country on pasture, as one mob of about 170. They also buy in about 200 bales of baleage to supplement the heifers and steers.

The McClures have been supplying all their steers to Five Star Beef, the ANZCO Foods feedlot, for about four years. Most animals are committed under a minimum price contract. The feedlot at Wakanui, Ashburton, has an annual capacity of 40,000 head of grain-finished beef.

“Grant Robertson, our agent, understands our farm and the access issues. They go to Five Star mainly to be finished for the Japanese market.

“With our genetics we are now getting rid of them earlier, the first lot were sold pre-Christmas. For the next three to four months, we will be continuously selling as they come ready.”

The aim is to sell the steers at 500kg liveweight at 15 months old.

Cull heifers are a little more flexible, depending on the season and market, but the goal is to sell them in early winter. Some heifers go to Silver Fern Farms and/or Hazlett or Rural Livestock and about 85 are kept as replacements, which Rob feels is high enough.

FINDING THE BALANCE

Moving to cattle has cut down significantly on labour. Rob is mostly a one-man band, with Jane working three days a week at a medical centre in Oamaru as a nurse.

“Other days she helps out with any jobs that need doing, takes care of the farm bookwork and is pretty handy with a knapsack.”

Calf marking and weaning are the big jobs, and their children are often home to lend a hand, too. Daughter Molly has just started her second year of primary teacher training at university, while son Stan is in his second year of an engineering apprenticeship, as well as being fortunate enough to have an academy opportunity playing rugby.

“Our children are keen on farming, but we have encouraged them to experience opportunities and get other qualifications behind them as a backstop.”

Rob purchased a drone several years ago and says it has been a game changer. “It is phenomenal out here in the gullies. I use it for shifting the cattle. You can make sure there are no cows left behind in the scrub; it’s magic.”

The drone is simple to operate and saves on gear, time, and fuel, not to mention dogs.

“I’m not very computer savvy, but it has been a game changer for me. It is so simple to round them up, and the cattle respond well to the drone.”

Development-wise, Rob would like to do a bit more fencing and install some laneways to improve access and subdivision. “It

would be good to pay down a bit of debt, but mostly, to just enjoy it [the farm].”

BLACK CATTLE PREFERRED

Rob has always liked Angus cattle and says you can’t beat a nice, uniform mob of one colour.

“I’m a bit fussy. They always look good as a mob, and they command a premium, whatever the market, whether it is store or prime.”

Over the years, they have tried bulls from different studs, finding the bulls off irrigated flat land didn’t suit their property. They settled on Te Akau based Twin Oaks Angus Stud in 2011, establishing a long-standing relationship that they value with stud owners Roger and Susan Hayward.

BREEDING FOR THE COUNTRY

Rob says they are quite fussy about what they like. They’ve been focusing on the Estimated Breeding Values [EBVs], while keeping a lid on mature cow weight, to build a herd that suits their country.

“Our bull team is sitting at the Australasian average for EBVs, and we feel the AngusPRO goalposts are quite a bit higher, which appeals very much.”

Now the cow herd is where they want it, the McClures are adding a bit more 400-day weight into their system, as well as Intramuscular fat (IMF), with their average currently at over 2.5.

“We are fussy with the catalogue and will check parent EBVs as well. I like to eyeball them to make sure they are good, solid bulls with excellent temperament, plenty of width and depth of carcase.”

Rob feels they get a good selection that meets their criteria at Twin Oaks, and he says they are excited about the new EBVs for mature cow body condition and mature cow height.

“We feel we can now add a bit more carcase data without affecting mature cow weight, as long as they have good cow EBVs. We want to retain thickness and condition in the cow herd.”

Rob and Jane have built a friendship with the Haywards over the 15 years they have been purchasing bulls from Twin Oaks, and this is something they attach great importance to.

“Roger and Susan are genuine, humble people. They attempt to come down to Mole Hill annually to have a look around, see our cattle, and both of them know and understand our programme and breeding objectives.

Rob emphasises the great relationship they have with Roger and Susan.

“We enjoy discussing black cattle with them, and it is very exciting with the new stud sires that they are using.”

He goes on to say that he believes Twin Oaks is heading in a similar direction to where he wants to go with production, while still breeding the type of cattle in the Twin Oaks programme that everyone can be proud of.

From both a personal and financial point of view, Rob and Jane are quietly pleased with where they are at. They are excited to see improvements year on year with growth rates, and take pride in their docile herd of Angus cattle. It’s no accident; they have been bred with care and attention to detail, and the genetics selected to match their breeding objectives.

REGIONAL FEATURE

King Island: where Angus thrives

On King Island where heritage, landscape and premium beef production are intertwined, some of Australia's most distinctive Angus systems have evolved. Shaped by the island's climate, community and deep connection to cattle, we speak to the Angus families on KI - as it is affectionately known, who are showcasing that the breed can do more than survive here, but thrive.

AUSTRALIA’S NATURAL ANGUS FACTORY

As autumn settles across southern Australia, few places better illustrate the relationship between environment, genetics and community than King Island.

SHAN GOODWIN

Raff Angus cattle grazing on Lymwood, King Island, Tasmania. Opposite page Andrew and Anna Raff of Raff Angus with son Harry and daughter Olivia.

KING ISLAND TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA

FROM YEAR-ROUND RICH native pastures to a temperate climate and the infrastructure, systems and know-how that can efficiently convert a plethora of feed into kilograms of beef, Tasmania’s King Island has accumulated all the ingredients to make it a premier beef production region.

Add data-proven genetics to the mix, cutting-edge genomic tools and globally-renowned branded beef programs chasing both eating quality and a provenance story, and the region is arguably world-class for Angus production.

King Island is the epitome of what can be achieved by matching the right genetics to a plentiful environment and for the producers putting that into practice on a daily basis, the satisfaction is enormous. Here are their stories.

Raff Angus: Lifestyle value

For the Raff family, who made the decision ten years ago to ship 500 prime Angus seedstock 2000 kilometres south, the King Island move was as much about lifestyle value as production value.

Andrew and Anna Raff, their four children Harry, Charlie, Georgina and Olivia have not looked back.

Raff Angus was established in 1965 between Karara and Leyburn before expansion moved them to Drillham in Queensland where drought was a challenge.

Their 1052 hectares at Lymwood, in the south east of King Island, is green year-round.

Andrew Raff said producers need to factor in an 'emotional value' on land in environments where production and rainfall are both high and reliable, to take into account the toll it takes to keep producing beef through drought.

"Farmers can become entrenched in the day-to-day grind and rarely have the chance to sit back and actually consider if there is a better option," Andrew said.

"What our experience has shown is that dramatic decisions can be taken and that they can work."

Every animal on their King Island operation is registered, parent verified and fully performance verified, including genomics.

A quarter of turnoff is sold as seedstock with the remainder of younger animals sold into Greenham and JBS grassfed branded programs Cape Grim and King Island Beef.

Cattle are turned off as yearlings, entirely grassfed, with the Raffs aiming for a 360 kilograms carcase weight with a 95 per cent Meat Standards Australia compliance rate and an MSA index average of 60pc.

Cull cows go to Greenham’s vintage branded beef program.

One challenge the Raffs encountered was that by moving their stud to the middle of Bass Strait, they had reduced the opportunity for mainland people to view their cattle.

So in December 2024, they bought a farm at Book Book in southern NSW which is effectively their bull depot.

Bulls are managed there for six months and then marketed at an annual bull sale back at Drillham in August.

Last year, they added long-term agistment with a neighbouring farm which will become home to a spring calving breeding herd.

“This property purchase has also allowed us to value-add high quality surplus stud females for private sales and we plan to one day hold an on-farm female sale on this property,” Andrew said.

Clockwise from top right Raff Angus cattle; Duddy Pastoral cattle; hitching a ride to the yards; Olivia Raff. Opposite page Tahroona Pastoral cattle.

“King Island will be the production aggregation with autumn calving only.”

This year, the Raffs will calve 800 cows.

FAST-GROWING WITH EXTRA WEIGHT

While in Queensland it was dust and 40 degree days, on King Island the challenge is wet weather and wind, Andrew said.

They’ve divided the country into 153 paddocks, with 20 kilometres of laneways to allow for a strict rotational grazing system and ease of management.

Animals that grow fast and have extra carcase weight and yield are the goal.

“We’ve always had enhanced selection emphasis on weight-forage and carcase weight, while keeping the traditional maternal and carcase qualities the breed is renowned for,” Mr Raff said.

“Calving ease is also important but we choose not to follow mainstream selection of low birth weight types. Instead, we prefer to put pressure on our heifers to ensure genetic advancement continues to be made with actual calving ease.”

Three selection criteria have been emphasised since moving south.

“Up in Queensland’s harder country we had natural foot wear and we always had selection emphasis on structure, but when we moved down here to a 50-inch rainfall environment, where our cows stand in mud for three to four months of the year, any animal that lacked depth of heel had to go.

“Our farm aggregation were dairy blocks. Rich pastures meant udder attachment and teat size need to be spot on – if they are not, udders will break down early.”

The third is temperament.

“King Island is very low in many trace elements, with magnesium being one, so cattle lacking docility can not hide,” Andrew said.

The Raffs are very optimistic about future growth.

“Demand is exceeding supply with the grassfed product, driven by a generational shift to eating nutritionally-dense food,” Andrew said.

“Social license in the ag space is huge and people are far more health conscious. It is obvious that a 100pc grassfed, no antibiotics, no hormone growth promotant product raised on an island in the middle of Bass Strait is an ideal beef story.”

Duddy Pastoral: Quality kilograms

Producing as many kilograms of beef as efficiently as possible was the purpose young Ben Duddy had in mind when he agreed to look after his family’s venture into commercial beef production on King Island.

To his mind, there were two key ingredients that would require: the right Angus genetics and the right environment to allow them to be expressed.

In a nutshell, Duddy Pastoral’s King Island operation is putting to the test, under ideal climate conditions, the focus of the family’s longstanding Killain Angus seedstock operation at Tamworth: feed efficiency, growth, eating quality, maternal traits and structural soundness.

Ben has been looking after the King Island arm of the family operation of his parents Richard and Susie and brother Thomas since it was purchased in 2024.

The three blocks - Kenmare, Ballinda and Kenmare South - make up a little over 1000 hectares and Duddy Pastoral is running 1000 commercial females on the gently undulating country, finishing all the offspring at around 600 kilograms.

At weaning, heifers are classed by eye and weight with the top half kept as replacement breeders. The remainder are sent to Tamworth for sale at the annual on-property female and genetics sale as pregnancy-tested-in-calf heifers to Killain Angus stud bulls.

An Angus female herd was bought with the property and the Duddys shipped in 32 Killain bulls to start the program.

They also carried out an AI program on the classed heifers using semen from Killain Rainman P1, Killain Prolific U62 and Baldridge Badger, purchased out of the United States.

The Killain Angus stud is based on the genetics of Schaff Angus Valley stud, North Dakota, with which it shares a sister stud relationship.

Duddy Pastoral is turning off 500 steers a year to Greenhams’ Cape Grim brand, which requires grass-finished, no hormones, no antibiotics and 5-22ml fat.

It pays a 10 cents a kilogram premium when an MSA index score over 62 is achieved, which Duddy cattle regularly make.

Cattle are typically marketed at 16 to 22 months.

GRASS FACTORY

Ben Duddy calls King Island the ‘best cattle county in Australia.’ “The grass grows 12 months,” he said.

The cattle are always on a rising plane of nutrition. They are never stressed. It always rains and the grass will always grow. “

BEN DUDDY, DUDDY PASTORAL

“It is second to none in Australia as an environment for breeding and fattening cattle. “There’s nothing quite like it. We don’t go over 30 degrees in the summer. We don’t go under five degrees, and we don’t get frost, in the winter.”

The pastures on Duddy country are ryegrass and white clover, with a bit of fescue and cocksfoot but it is it’s all entirely native, not sown.

“We don’t get bloat down here because of all the salt that’s dumped on the island, so it’s quite a unique environment for producing beef,” Ben Duddy said.

“And the right Angus genetics can bring out the attributes of that.” Growth, and weight, is king to Ben Duddy’s mind.

“At end of the day, carcase weight is what I get paid for, so we target average daily gains in spring of 2.5kg and 1kg in winter,” he said.

“Cape Grim is a high eating quality product. We were able to get a marble score 4 on grass last month in an animal of just 17 months.

“The other thing I’m big on is udders. The cow has one job and that is to produce a big, heavy weaner, so udder structure is crucial.”

Ben Duddy is now conducting genomic testing to pinpoint the genetics that will perform best within his system.

“Along with weight, we must have structurally sound and very well footed animals,” he said.

“From May to October, you can’t drive a vehicle in a paddock here it is so wet, and it is also rock-free which adds another dimension to the challenge.

“But Angus can do all that in the one package and we wouldn’t have anything else.”

Clockwise from top right Ben Duddy refers to King Island as the 'best cattle country in Australia' with grasses that are 'second-to-none for breeding and fattening cattle.; Ben Duddy, Duddy Pastoral.

He is stocking at a rate of one cow to 0.4 to 0.6 of a hectare and a heavy steer to 0.4.

“That’s probably more on the conservative side here but I choose to do that to always have wriggle room,” Ben said.

Duddy Pastoral is looking to increase numbers but one challenge is hitting the sweet spot with calving.

“It’s a fine line between being too wet when you’re calving and not calving too late, where you hit the flush of feed and get associated problems like scours and cows with too much milk,” Ben said.

“We’ve got to be able to calve as early as we can, because we want a maximum amount of time before next year’s autumn break.

“We’ve identified that we need to move our calving back from mid-September that had been the traditional practice. We are working it back two weeks at a time to the start of August.

“By utilising AI we can also control when we have calves on the ground. We’ve invested in a new set of yards to make that easier.”

Meanwhile, rotational grazing also has to be a fine art on King Island.

Duddy Pastoral country is split into 100 paddocks and the aim is to move cattle on before ryegrass reshoots, which typically means cattle are in a paddock for four to seven days.

“It’s a system of intensive grazing and you really have to be on the ball with how you rotate and rest paddocks,” Ben said.

“We aim to have summer pastures well down before the autumn break, so we get a really fresh start for the ryegrass and we try to have a 50-day rest to give paddocks as good a chance as possible to regenerate.

“We fertilise straight behind the cattle like a dairy farm, which gives a massive feed wedge for winter.

“But if you leave it a day too long, the cattle can really make a mess of a paddock.”

With 2000 to 3000 head at any one time, Ben is running the operation by himself with just one part-time assistant.

So the cattle also have to be of the right temperament.

“We just open the gate and they move through - they are well trained from when they are calves, but having the right genetics for quiet cattle is the first step,” Ben said.

PERFECT STORY

In a world where sustainability is becoming paramount and everyone is asking about emission targets, the Duddys believe King Island beef has the perfect story.

“The cattle are always on a rising plane of nutrition. They are never stressed. It always rains and the grass will always grow,” Ben said.

“So the quality of our beef is guaranteed, but we also have one

of the heaviest stocking rates in Australia which means we are producing the kilograms to be profitable.”

Tarroona Pastoral: Consistency is key

With just a one-man-band running 700 breeders to produce a high-eating-quality branded beef product, consistency becomes the lynchpin.

Richard Sutton’s Taroona Pastoral counts on the reliability of Angus genetics to deliver that.

Egg Lagoon, on the very north of King Island, is owned by Richard and brother Alistair, who works off-farm. It turns off 12-month-old steers to a local fattener who grows them on to a Meat Standards Australia article.

The Suttons also have the Bass Strait Beef stud with 50 registered females, supplying the commercial operation.

Having a good line of cattle of the same age, with all the production traits required to do the job in one package, is critical to keeping all the balls in the air in an operation of that size with no additional labour, Richard Sutton said.

“We aim for a moderate mid-maturity cow that will produce a steer with good carcase qualities,” Richard said.

“All our commercial heifers are artificially inseminated. This year, I’ve done 250 heifers to two different sires, and I’ll put bulls out to cover.

“We breed with a focus on calving ease but the number one trait I must have is foot structure, given our wet environment.

“We have a strict six week joining. Given it is just me on deck, it can’t be a situation of calving for months on end.

“Angus can do what we need on the production side at the same time as delivering a very marketable beef.”

Egg Lagoon features three distinct types of pasture. The home block is ryegrass and clover mixes, while the lighter country is lucerne with native grasses coming back through it and the coastal sand dune country on the west coast is native pasture sown down to kikuyu and fescue.

With an annual rainfall of around 800mm, there are times when cattle need to be taken off the country for weeks on end.

Over summer, the sand dune country is typically destocked so it becomes a standing hay crop and provides the supplementary feed for animals when grazing land is too wet.

It’s perfect country for producing the type of high quality backgrounder animal that will go on to meet the specifications of a branded beef, but the trick is to have everything perfectly streamlined.

Selling locally helps bypass one of the other big challenges of beef production on King Island – securing enough space, and at the right time, on ships.

Registered Angus bulls are sourced from Tasmania, Victoria and into NSW and bringing those in comes with an additional cost, however Richard said the ability to get consistency in genetics means that investment pays for itself.

MBI Blacks: For the love of breeding Angus

What started as ‘a bit of hobby’ born of the love of breeding Angus bulls has turned into the cornerstone of a fine-tuned and very successful commercial beef operation for John Daniels and his property manager Beau Mullin.

Trading as MBI Blacks, the enterprise is run on country in the centre of King Island, along with some coastal land on the western side and lighter country on the eastern side, encompassing 1700 hectares in total.

Each year, 1400 cows are joined in a six-week period to produce feedlot steers, sold to lots around Australia.

Up to 100 registered females are also run, with around 60 joined each year to produce all the bulls required in the commercial operation.

A city boy from Melbourne, John Daniels came to King Island 35 years ago chasing drought-free country to run cattle.

He ran a dairy and had multiple beef breeds but it wasn’t long before he shifted his attention entirely to beef and Angus, convinced that was the ideal match for King Island.

Beau Mullin arrived 10 years ago, with extensive experience in beef production around Australia, and says there is nothing quite like the island environment for running high quality cattle.

Breeding their own bulls, he says, provides the ability to put pressure on the key traits that will allow for full utilisation of the island’s natural gifts.

“We are very focussed on bulls for our own commercial herd, rather than being a bull supplier,” he said.

So far, they've had no surplus genetics to sell, having focused on achieving as much genetic gain as possible in the shortest time.

It is a self-replacing herd, and they regularly achieve 93 per cent pregnancy tested rates.

Growth is a key trait MBI is breeding for.

“We have a short, sharp growing season so to capitalise, we look for growth,” Beau said.

“From weaning to hitting the feedlot, we’re aiming for an average daily gain of 700 grams in order to market from 14 months, 480 kilograms liveweight after curfew.”

That is achieved on a mixed pasture species including ryegrass, cocksfoot, fescue and clovers.

“With females, we look to mature cow weight and body condition score to get through the sharper shoulders of the season and as a consequence we have lowered our cow height,” Beau said.

“It’s all about efficiency. Lowering cow height is not an aim – it seems to be just a consequence in our process to get efficient breed average size cows producing fast-growing, fast-maturing progeny with good carcase quality.”

Stocking rates are 1.4 to 1.6 head per hectare for calving animals and 2.0 head and upwards for weaner stock.

Left Tahroona Pastoral cattle. Right Property manager Beau Mullin with MBI Black Angus owner John Daniels.

THE BUTCHERY that saved an island tradition

When King Island’s only butchery faced closure, local farming families stepped in to keep the island’s paddock to plate story alive.

SHAN GOODWIN

A PREMIUM EATING quality experience packaged with a farming story that works hand-in-glove with nature where the gift of rain and year round green grass and a gentle climate make for content cattle and producers.

This is the narrative behind beef produced on the picturesque King Island in the Bass Strait between the north western tip of Tasmania and Victoria.

For so many of those who are passionately producing the beef that has come to be known for its high quality paddock to plate King Island reputation, the Angus breed is a key component.

And it is not only the superior quality of the beef and the environmental credentials that make the King Island brand so special, it’s the take care of everyone community spirit and rich heritage that makes this such a special story.

Third generation beef producer Steph Ellis, who with her husband Dale and parents Robbie and Linda Payne runs sheep and Angus cattle across three properties encompassing 2000 hectares on King Island, says it is a tight knit community with a strong sense of looking out for each other.

There’s no better example of that than the establishment of King Island Meat Providore.

In 2021, when the King Island Butchery, the only storefront butchery on the island, was facing closure, five local families banded together to take on the enterprise.

Steph Ellis said it was largely a move to support the community and ensure locals could enjoy prime beef and lamb that was bred, raised and processed on the island.

“Our farm and the butchery are complementary but stand-alone businesses for us,” she said.

The butchery is supplied by a mix of producers but only requires three beef beasts a fortnight.

Lamb from the Payne and Ellis operation is supplied for 12 weeks of the year.

“The business is evolving and we are now seeing opportunities for expanding off the island,” Steph said.

RICH HERITAGE

There is a history of more than 65 years of farming on King Island for Steph Ellis’ family.

“My grandparents met at Hawkesbury Agricultural College at a time when a soldier settlement allotment scheme was running, and they took the opportunity to come to King Island on a small parcel of land with a house, and set up a life for themselves,” she said.

“They came down in 1960 with two young children, and my dad on the way.

“My dad eventually took over from my grandparents and gradually acquired more and more land around the island. He has built it up to be an operation of substantial size today.”

Steph left to grow her commerce and business acumen and only returned four years ago.

“What brought me back was family,” she said.

“We’d had our first child and we just really felt this pull to raise our children on the land and give them the unique upbringing and the security that living off the land brings.”

PREMIUM BEEF IS KING

Given the additional costs that freight present to producing beef on an island, both shipping cattle off for processing and bringing in the inputs like fertiliser, achieving a premium for every kilogram turned off is critical.

The Payne and Ellis family focus on intramuscular fat to deliver eating quality second to none and lock in the premium they say the King Island brand deserves.

Angus genetics give them the ability to target high IMF while maintaining the production traits required to make full use of the natural environment on King Island.

The homestead property, Wongaru at Reekara, is on the northern end of the island, and the operation has two other blocks closer to the coast.

Clockwise from top Steph Ellis serving customers at the King Island Meat Providore; King Island Beef available at the Providore; cattle grazing on Wongaru..

They have 1,000 Corriedale self-replacing ewes and 1,000 Angus breeders.

Of each crop of calves, they retain the best 250 heifers as replacements, sell some heifers onto other breeders and then fatten the rest.

Some steers are turned off at 18 months to feedlots on the mainland but the majority are fattened to 600 kilograms liveweight, typically by 28 to 32 months, for the prestigious Cape Grim brand by Greenhams.

The family has also been partnering for more than a decade with NH Foods to supply heifers for Wagyu F1 production on the island.

Regardless of which way their heifers go, the genetics have to be spot-on in terms of both eating quality and production performance.

“To that end, we have started genomic testing our heifers and selecting the animals with the traits we want for our herd, then directing those with the traits that NH Foods most wants their way,” Steph said.

They utilise Angus HeiferSELECT, from Angus Australia and Zoetis, to identify the right animals for both jobs.

“For our operation, we want IMF well above the breed average,” Steph said.

“The higher the Meat Standards Australia index, the better premium we can secure.”

Alongside IMF, they need calving ease, growth and structural integrity.

“In bull selection, we also target a superior marbling product with excellent calving ease and good growth,” Steph said.

They target 1.5 to 2.0gm average daily growth for steers during the spring.

“We’re not afraid to spend more for the top quality genetics as we see that investment pay off in the progeny,” Steph said.

“The genetics we can access via the Angus breed have the data to back them up and quite simply, produce an article like no other.”

GOOD TIMES

This past spring was very kind and the cattle on Wongaru will head into winter in great condition, plus the operation has plenty of supplementary feed in store and a good autumn break looks set to be just around the corner thanks to some early rains.

That’s not unusual for King Island, which Steph said was an environment with the ability to bring out the best in the Angus genetics.

“In spring, when we have a flush of feed, we will harvest as much hay and silage as we can to see us through shortfall periods, which is typically the end of summer or late winter,” she said.

“In a good year, we would normally harvest 1200 bales of hay and silage, but this year has been sensational and we will end up with 2000 bales.”

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A CENTURY IN SIGHT

The

Booroomooka legacy

Stories like Booroomooka’s are part of a much broader tapestry across the Angus community, where many families have contributed to the development of the breed over generations. This feature offers one example of that legacy, reflecting themes of continuity, service and adaptation that are shared across the Angus industry.

ON A MILD AUTUMN afternoon at Booroomooka, the hills feel close and familiar. A mob of cows drifts quietly along a ridge, children ride ahead on horses and a ute pulls up beside an old picnic spot on the Gwydir River, that has seen generations of Munros spread out lunch in the grass. It is easy to imagine the same scene fifty years earlier, different horses, different kids, the same country.

For Angus Australia President Sinclair Munro, that continuity between past and present is the heart of the Booroomooka story.

“We’re fifth-generation cattle farmers here,” he says. “My greatgreat-grandfather came out from Scotland in the 1850s and built the house I live in now. Our children are the sixth generation.”

That long connection to land and livestock found a more formal shape when Gordon Munro established Booroomooka Angus in 1926, laying the foundations for a stud that reflects the evolution of Angus breeding in Australia. Registration with Angus Australia followed in 1928, and from those early years the program was shaped by the realities of the country itself, hilly, demanding and not suited to cattle that could not work for a living.

GORDON MUNRO

Booroomooka Angus now spans around 30,000 acres of hill country and Gwydir River flats across two properties. It registers around 1,400 Herd Book calves each year and markets approximately 270 bulls through its annual August

sale, alongside private treaty sales throughout the year. The operation also includes a commercial herd, reflecting the broader production systems in which Angus genetics are applied.

More recently, the program has been recognised through participation in the Teys Australia Angus SHOOT-OUT competition as part of the World Angus Forum, where Booroomooka-bred cattle performed strongly across both team and feedlot performance categories.

Yet for all its scale, it remains unmistakably family-run.

“It’s still very much a hands-on place,” Sinclair says. “Often you’ve got two generations working side by side.”

A STUD SHAPED BY COUNTRY AND TIME

The early years of Booroomooka were practical rather than romantic. The cattle had to survive the hills, travel well and still deliver commercially.

“Booroomooka started as a program to suit this kind of country,” Sinclair explains. “We wanted cattle that could walk, handle the hills and still perform.”

That grounding in stockmanship still sits at the centre of the Booroomooka approach. Even as the stud has embraced performance recording, genomic technology and changing market requirements, the family’s philosophy has remained tied to functional cattle, visual appraisal and long-term improvement.

Pictured Sinclair Munro with children Barnaby, Arabella and Digby.

ANNA D'SOUZA

Today, Booroomooka describes its herd as the product of nearly a century of steady refinement - a resilient, fertile and functional cow herd developed since 1926, backed by a deep commitment to both the visual and the measurable.

That blend of practical stock sense and data-driven decision making mirrors Sinclair’s own memory of growing up on the place.

“It was a very quiet, isolated childhood. We didn’t go to town much,” he remembers. “I was riding horses at four, mustering sheep and cattle in the hills, getting lost and following the fence line until I found the stockmen or Dad.”

Weekends often meant picnic lunches in the paddock with family. The wider station community was part of daily life too. At one stage, around 40 children rode the school bus from Booroomooka and nearby places, many of them from families working on the property.

“It was a whole community in itself,” Sinclair says.

A FAMILY THAT GIVES BACK

The Munro family’s contribution to Angus reaches far beyond their own stud. From showing cattle and recording data to helping shape the direction of the Society, theirs has been a long and active relationship with Angus Australia.

That legacy begins in a very visible way with Gordon Munro, who served as the Angus Society of Australia President from 1947–49 and again from 1953–55. He exhibited cattle at the Sydney Royal Easter Show for 60 years, chaired the organising committee for the 1969 World Angus Forum and was recognised as a Life Member of Angus Australia in 1970.

His son, Hugh Munro, continued that tradition of leadership, serving as President in 2015–16 and being awarded Life Membership in 2025.

Now, Sinclair Munro, President from 2024 to 2026, represents the third generation of Munro leadership within Angus Australia. For Sinclair, that continuity is important, but not because it was ever treated as an expectation.

“We’ve always been brought up to be givers back to community,” he says. “We prefer to be part of the solution rather than the complaint.”

That sense of giving back is shared across the Angus community, where many breeders contribute their time, knowledge and leadership to strengthen the industry.

He is quick to point out that there was never pressure within the family to become President.

“There was no expectation that someone had to do it,” he says. “It was a personal choice for each of us. But when you’ve benefited from what Angus Australia does, you do feel a responsibility to give something back.”

As Booroomooka and Angus Australia move closer to a century of shared history, that combination of longevity and service is part of what makes the family’s story notable. They have witnessed and contributed to the evolution of the breed.

SERVICE ACROSS GENERATIONS

The significance of three generations of presidents of the Angus breed society is not only symbolic. Each term reflects a different stage in the development of Angus cattle in Australia.

Sinclair grew up hearing about the earlier eras, when show cattle and visual judgement were central to breeding reputation.

“For decades, Sydney Royal and other shows were a big focus,” he says. “People judged cattle with the eye and off show results.”

That foundation in visual appraisal still matters at Booroomooka, but over time the industry has shifted decisively toward more

Pictured left Gordon Munro; Below Sinclair Munro and Hugh Munro; Overpage Mustering cattle at Booroomooka.

“

Booroomooka started as a program to suit this kind of country. We wanted cattle that could walk, handle the hills and still perform.

objective and data-backed selection. From the early 1980s onwards, performance recording and structured genetic evaluation changed how breeders thought about growth, fertility, weight-for-age and carcase quality.

The wider beef supply chain drove much of that change. Refrigeration, feedlots and export demand pushed breeders to focus more sharply on consistency, marbling and measurable performance.

Then came genomics.

“Genomics has really changed the industry quite dramatically,” Sinclair says. “It changes your mindset, how you collect data, how you evaluate cattle and who gets rewarded for good data. But it’s only as good as the data behind the analysis.”

Booroomooka’s own story reflects that shift. Its foundations remain built on stockmanship and visual assessment, but they now sit alongside a serious commitment to collecting and analysing data with integrity. That combination has helped the stud continue to improve reliability, profitability and genetic gain while staying aligned with commercial demand.

Artificial intelligence may yet influence breeding decisions more directly, but Sinclair sees genomics as the defining disruptor of the current era.

On the commercial side, expectations have grown steadily sharper.

“The expectation is becoming more and more about reliability and trust,” he says. “Buyers want proof, traits recorded, objective evaluation, data integrity and they want to know the stud is using the latest technology. Different markets might prioritise different traits, but trust and reliability are universal.”

AT THE HELM: SINCLAIR’S PRESIDENCY

If Gordon’s era helped shape the Society through show, service and international engagement, Sinclair’s presidency has unfolded in a far more data-intensive and globally connected Angus environment.

He describes his term as “busy, challenging and rewarding,” with the World Angus Forum standing out as one of the defining projects.

“It was a big responsibility,” he says. “You’re stewarding members’ money on a major international event. The Tamworth Expo in particular was a huge piece of work, but incredibly rewarding.”

COWS THAT WORK, VALUES THAT LAST

Back at Booroomooka, the future is already taking shape - not in one dramatic change, but in the steady continuation of the principles that have guided the stud for generations.

“Our core philosophy is pretty simple... adapt to our customers’ needs and keep improving,” Sinclair says. “We want the cows to work for us.”

That line captures much of what Booroomooka stands for.

The cow herd has been developed over decades to be resilient, fertile and functional, capable of handling hill country and seasonal fluctuations while still delivering commercially relevant performance.

“Seasonal conditions will always fluctuate,” Sinclair explains. “When you breed cattle that can adapt to those changes and still get back in calf, you build resilience and fertility into the herd over time.”

At the same time, the family is focused on ensuring those practical strengths are matched by the traits the market demands.

“You can’t treat it as either/or,” he says. “You need cattle that can survive and thrive in your environment and still deliver on carcase quality and marbling.”

That commercial versatility is part of why Booroomooka bulls have developed a following across a wide range of environments. The stud has long supplied cattle into NSW, with strong support north into Queensland and the Northern Territory, where clients are chasing improvements in fertility, weight-for-age and meat quality. It also has a following further south, including King Island and Tasmania, where producers are targeting high-quality grass-fed programs.

When Sinclair talks about what he wants Booroomooka to stand for, the values come quickly integrity, commitment, reliability and innovation values the stud continues to state publicly and live out in practice.

“We’re long-term. We’re not chasing quick wins,” he says. “We’re committed to our customers, to agriculture and to our communities. Whatever we do, you can rely on us, and we’ve always tried to be innovative.”

Succession reflects the same mindset. There is no single “rule” at Booroomooka. Different family members step up at different times and younger generations are encouraged to leave, learn and come back with fresh perspective.

It is a story that sits alongside many others across the Angus community, each contributing in their own way to the strength and future of the breed.

A LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF BOOROOMOOKA

“The younger generation are encouraged to go and work for other people first, learn other systems and ways of doing things and then come back,” Sinclair says. “At the moment they help on holidays and when they’re home from their studies.”

Beyond the family, the needs of commercial producers are evolving too. Businesses are getting larger. Decisions need to be made faster. Information has to be clear, useful and easy to act on.

“They’re busy,” Sinclair says. “Decisions have to be made quickly, with no fuss. Our job is to give them the information and trust they need to do that.”

Looking ahead, he believes the Angus community has a shared responsibility not just to breed better cattle, but to continue protecting and developing the broader Angus brand.

“The Angus brand is more than just the high-quality beef,” he says. “It’s also about environment fit, sustainability, profitability and welfare. We have to protect that and keep developing it.”

As Booroomooka and Angus Australia move towards the hundred-year mark of the stud’s registration, the Munro story is still unfolding - in sale catalogues and board meetings, in genomic data and paddock decisions, in kids learning to ride and adults learning to adapt.

“Just because something was right yesterday doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do tomorrow,” Sinclair says.

For a family whose Angus story formally began in 1926, that willingness to keep learning may be the strongest legacy of all.

Pictured The Munro family; Barnaby, Jo, Sinclair, Digby and Arabella.

PROTECTING THE LEGACY

Succession planning for Angus families

MARK WESTCOTT | Rural Succession Solutions

ACROSS AUSTRALIA, ANGUS breeders are building sophisticated cattle businesses and long term breeding programs. Yet many enterprises still avoid the most important conversation of all, how the business will transition to the next generation.

THE

SUCCESSION

QUESTION ANGUS FAMILIES MUST ANSWER BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

When you’re gone, will your family be clearer, closer and more confident — or confused, divided and left guessing?

That is not a dramatic question. It is a practical one.

Across Australia, Angus breeders are building extraordinary operations. Genetic progress is accelerating. Herd performance continues to improve. In many regions, balance sheets have never looked stronger.

Yet here is the uncomfortable truth.

Some of the most sophisticated cattle businesses in the country are running twenty-year breeding programs… and have a zero-year succession plan.

The cost of doing nothing is rarely just financial. It is relational.

The real risk isn’t tax. It’s silence.

When families say, “We’ll get to it one day,” what they usually mean is: We don’t know where to start. We don’t want to upset anyone. We’re too busy. It feels complicated.

THE SEVEN SILENT SABOTEURS OF SUCCESSION

Over the years, I’ve seen what I call the Seven Silent Saboteurs of Succession. They are the unseen forces quietly tearing rural families apart.

• The Unknown Unknowns Most families simply do not know what they do not know. They are unsure who to speak to, what questions to ask, or what options even exist. The real danger is a missed opportunity. Missed opportunity to protect assets. Missed opportunity to guide conversations. Missed opportunity to preserve relationships.

• Communication and Conflict Issues “We don’t talk about that stuff.” Until something happens. Then everyone talks at once. Poor communication and unresolved tension prevent families from having the real conversations that matter.

• Procrastination

“We’ll deal with it later.” Every year

delayed increases risk. Decisions are often forced during times of grief or crisis rather than made calmly and strategically.

• Not Knowing the Right Time to Step Aside When the older generation clings to control too long, the next generation feels stuck and untrusted. Bitterness quietly builds.

• Fairness versus Equality Confusion “We’ll just split it evenly.” Equal is simple. Fair is more complex. One child may have worked the land for decades. Another may not have contributed directly at all. Treating everyone the same can feel deeply unfair.

• The Wrong Advisors Accountants and solicitors are critical. But succession planning is specialist territory. Just as you would not ask a GP to perform heart surgery, complex intergenerational transitions require someone who understands both the human and structural dimensions.

• Lack of Asset Protection

“It’s in the will. We’re fine.” If assets are not structured correctly, they are exposed. A future relationship breakdown can bring unintended consequences into the heart of the farm.

If even one of those sounds familiar, it is worth paying attention.

THE ANGUS ADVANTAGE IF YOU GET THIS RIGHT

Angus producers are long-term thinkers. You invest in genetics years ahead of commercial return. You select for traits that compound over time. You understand stewardship. Succession is no different.

Handled well, it strengthens business continuity, family unity, next-generation leadership and asset protection.

Handled poorly, or avoided entirely, it fractures trust.

I have sat in rooms where siblings have not spoken for years. I have seen farms sold because no plan existed. I have watched capable next-generation operators walk away because they had no certainty about their future.

I have also seen families who did the work early. Families who had the difficult conversations. Families where the next

generation understood the timeline, the expectations and the pathway forward.

The difference was not intelligence. It was structure.

STARTING THE CONVERSATION WITHOUT STARTING A WAR

One of the biggest myths is that succession begins with a large family meeting. It rarely does.

Real progress begins with private oneon-one conversations. Over time I have developed five simple ways to start the conversation.

Start with why. Lead with your purpose. “I want to make sure we protect what you have built.” Choose the right time and setting. Not during branding. Not at Christmas lunch. Pick a calm moment. Ask rather than demand.

STARTING THE CONVERSATION

Curiosity creates space. Confrontation closes it. Be ready to listen.

Often the older generation fears loss of control more than tax implications. Bring solutions, not complaints.

Show that you are thinking about the future constructively.

That leads to an important fork-in-theroad question every Angus family must eventually answer.

Now that the estate can be secured, do you want to actively shape what happens while you are alive, or leave it to be sorted after death?

That question changes the tone of everything. Fair Does Not Always Mean Equal.

In registered cattle families, especially, contribution matters.

One child may have worked the property for twenty-five years, carried seasonal risk and reinvested sweat equity into the operation. Another may have built a successful career elsewhere.

FAIR DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN EQUAL

Dividing everything evenly might feel neat. It may not feel fair.

Fairness requires nuance. It requires courage. It requires structured facilitation rather than guesswork.

It also requires children to understand one fundamental principle. The estate belongs to Mum and Dad.

When families embrace that mindset, harmony becomes possible. When entitlement creeps in, conflict often follows.

THE COST OF DOING NOTHING

Planning might represent a fraction of one percent of your asset base.

The cost of doing nothing can include legal disputes, forced asset sales, tax inefficiencies and fractured relationships. I have seen disputes exceed two hundred and fifty thousand dollars before emotional cost is even considered.

The real loss is rarely measured in dollars. It is measured in Christmases not shared.

LEGACY IS MORE THAN CATTLE

Angus breeders understand legacy. Stud prefixes carry history. Bloodlines represent decades of effort. Reputation takes generations to build.

But legacy is not only about cattle. It is about stewardship, leadership, clarity and preserved relationships.

PROTECTING THE LEGACY

If the next generation does not know where they stand, they cannot plan their lives.

Certainty creates confidence. Confidence builds capability. Capability protects legacy.

A SIMPLE FIRST STEP

Do not begin with documents. Begin with conversations.

Ask your parents what a great outcome looks like for them. Ask how they see the transition unfolding. Ask what would give them confidence to step back.

If you are the older generation reading this, ask yourself what would need to be implemented in the next ninety days for you to feel satisfied with the progress of your succession plan.

That single question creates movement.

The future of your Angus enterprise will either be designed deliberately or decided by default.

Succession planning does not destroy families. Silence does. Procrastination does. Lack of structure does.

Handled properly, succession strengthens Angus families. It preserves studs. It empowers the next generation. It protects assets. It keeps families clearer, closer and more confident.

The question is simple. Will you shape your legacy, or leave it to chance?

For further information, go to ruralsuccessionsolutions. com.au or to book a chat with Mark Westcott, scan the QR Code.

The future of your Angus enterprise will either be designed deliberately or decided by default. “

STEWARDSHIP OF THE LAND

The foundations of Angus production

Across Australia and New Zealand, Angus producers are known for breeding cattle that perform year after year. But behind every successful herd is something just as important: the land that supports it. Pasture, soil health and seasonal management remain the quiet foundations of productive Angus systems.

FROM THE HILL COUNTRY of New Zealand to the grazing regions of southern Australia, Angus cattle are raised in an extraordinary range of landscapes.

Each property has its own challenges. Rainfall patterns shift, soils behave differently, and pasture growth can vary dramatically from one season to the next. Yet regardless of where Angus cattle are run, one principle holds true. The success of any cattle operation starts with the land.

Pasture, soil health and water availability ultimately determine how well cattle perform. Genetics and technology have transformed the beef industry in recent decades, but even the best genetics cannot deliver their potential without the right conditions on the ground.

For many Angus producers, caring for the land is not simply part of the job. It is part of the legacy they hope to pass on.

THINKING IN GENERATIONS

Angus breeding has always been a long game. Stud prefixes often carry decades of history, with each generation building on the work of the one before. Land stewardship follows the same philosophy. Improvements to soil structure, pasture diversity or grazing management rarely happen overnight. Instead they develop gradually, season after season.

Across many Angus operations, producers are placing greater emphasis on pasture resilience and soil health. Rotational grazing systems, improved forage species and a stronger

awareness of soil biology are helping many enterprises make better use of the feed they grow.

These approaches recognise that livestock production does not operate in isolation. Soil, pasture and cattle all interact within a living system. When the balance is right, the results are visible not just in pasture growth but in animal performance.

AUTUMN: A TIME TO TAKE STOCK

Autumn has a natural pause to it. For many producers, it is a time to look back over the past season and assess how things have unfolded. Calves have been weaned, pasture covers are clearer, and attention begins to turn toward the winter ahead.

It is often during these months that producers make some of their most important management decisions. Stocking pressure, grazing rotations and feed allocation over winter can influence herd performance long before the next calving season arrives.

For Angus breeders, these decisions also tie closely to breeding objectives. Cattle can only express their genetic potential when the production environment supports them. Nutrition, pasture quality and herd management all play a role.

In that sense, land stewardship and genetic progress are closely connected. One supports the other.

STEWARDSHIP AND PRODUCTIVITY

There is sometimes an assumption that environmental stewardship comes at the expense of productivity. In reality, the opposite is often true.

CAROLINE LAINE | Marketing & Communications Manager

Behind every successful Angus herd is something just as important: the land that supports it. “

Healthy soils support stronger pastures. Well-managed pastures provide more consistent nutrition. Cattle raised in those systems tend to perform more reliably and efficiently.

Many Angus producers recognise that improving the condition of their land is not just an environmental decision, it is a practical one. Better pasture utilisation supports stronger growth rates, improved fertility and more efficient feed conversion.

Over time, those gains add up.

LEARNING FROM THE LANDSCAPE

Every farm teaches its own lessons.

Producers continually adjust their management in response to seasonal conditions, market signals and new research. Some experiment with different pasture mixes or grazing systems. Others focus on improving soil fertility or water management.

What unites these approaches is a willingness to observe and adapt.

That mindset has long been part of the Angus community. The breed’s success has been built not only on genetic improvement, but on the practical knowledge of the producers who work with these cattle every day.

Each property has its own character, and each producer develops their own understanding of how best to manage it.

LOOKING AHEAD

As the beef industry continues to evolve, the importance of land stewardship is only likely to grow.

Consumers are increasingly interested in how beef is produced and how grazing systems interact with the wider landscape. At the same time, producers are working to ensure their operations remain resilient in the face of changing seasons and environmental pressures.

For Angus producers, the principle remains simple. Strong cattle come from strong landscapes.

By maintaining healthy soils, productive pastures and wellmanaged grazing systems, Angus producers are not only supporting the performance of their herds today. They are also protecting the future of their land and the legacy of the breed.

Because while genetics may shape the animal, it is the land that ultimately allows that potential to be realised.

GENETICS & INNOVATION

Understanding the science shaping the future of Angus cattle

Genetic progress in Angus cattle continues to accelerate, driven by better data, targeted research and a deeper understanding of how genetics interacts with management and environment.

In this section we explore the science and systems shaping the future of Angus production. From industry performance trends and new research into animal resilience, to practical insights into nutrition and marbling, these stories demonstrate how genetic potential is realised in real production systems.

Together they highlight the growing partnership between producers, researchers and industry organisations working to ensure Angus cattle remain productive, profitable and resilient in the years ahead.

Key areas of innovation in Angus breeding

• WORM EGG COUNT

Improving parasite resilience through genetic selection and research within the Angus Sire Benchmarking Project.

• IMMUNE COMPETENCE

New traits such as ImmuneDEX helping identify cattle with stronger natural disease resistance.

• FEED EFFICIENCY

Research exploring how genetics and technology can improve feed conversion and production efficiency.

• INTRAMUSCULAR FAT (IMF)

Understanding how genetics and nutrition interact to deliver marbling and premium beef quality.

Many of these traits are being investigated through the Angus Sire Benchmarking Project (ASBP).

BEEF & GENETICS OUTLOOK

Genetic trends and insights

HANLIE JANSEN | Genetic Improvement Specialist

THE GENETIC PROFILE of the Australian Angus population today reflects a long history of cumulative breeding decisions, underpinned by decades of rigorous performance recording and, more recently, the integration of genomics. Each generation builds on the foundation laid by the previous one, layering measurable gains in growth, fertility, carcase composition, and maternal efficiency.

THE STATE OF GENETIC PROGRESS - LAST FIVE YEARS (2019–2024)

Between 2019 and 2024, Angus seedstock herds continued to demonstrate steady genetic progress. By analysing the change in the average Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) of animals, expressed in genetic standard deviation (GSD) units rather than raw measurement units, it is possible to directly compare the relative change observed across traits. Expressing traits in standard deviations puts them on a common scale, regardless of their original units or range of values. This allows meaningful comparisons between traits that naturally differ in units and magnitude, such as growth and fertility, enabling a clearer view

of the relative progress achieved across the breed. The 20192024 drop is used as the reference period, as 2025-born calves may not yet have completed performance recording.

While these trends may provide an indication of where producers are placing selection pressure, it is important to consider factors such as heritability and genetic correlations. Highly heritable traits (e.g. Growth) respond more rapidly to selection, whereas traits with low heritability (e.g. Days to Calving) may change slowly even under strong selection. Additionally, changes in one trait may indirectly influence others due to genetic correlations.

Across this 5-year period, growth traits have demonstrated the greatest relative change (Figure 1). Yearling weight (400-day) increased by 0.56 GSD (i.e. +8.9kg), weaning weight (200-day) increased by 0.48 GSD (i.e. +4.7kg) and final weight (600day) increased by 0.46 GSD (i.e. +10.4kg). Collectively, these changes reflect a consistent upward movement in post-weaning and finishing growth performance across the seedstock population over the five-year period.

Following closely, docility increased by 0.43 GSD (i.e. +2.6%). This places temperament among the traits showing the larger relative shifts over the five-year period, reflecting a consistent upward movement in docility EBVs across the seedstock population.

Moderate genetic changes were observed in carcase weight and carcase intramuscular fat, both increasing by 0.32 GSD (i.e. +6.6kg and +0.6% respectively), supporting the industry’s focus on delivering beef with desirable carcase yield and eating quality characteristics. Foot angle and calving ease

daughters also observed moderate genetic changes. Foot angle decreasing by 0.34 GSD (i.e. -0.1 scores) and calving ease daughters increased by 0.31 GSD (i.e. +1.2%), over the same period

All other traits not listed observed genetic change less than 0.3 GSD. While these changes are smaller, they are influenced not only by the level of selection pressure applied, but also by their heritability and genetic correlations to other traits.

To view the genetic trends in further detail, see the Genetic Benchmarking report available on the Angus Australia Website.

Figure 1 - Relative change in average EBVs of Angus seedstock animals across 2019 to 2024 in genetic standard deviation units.

MAXIMISING GENETIC IMPACT THROUGH QUALITY PERFORMANCE RECORDING

A key driver of genetic progress in the Angus population has been the depth and quality of performance recording undertaken by Angus Australia’s membership. Over decades, breeders have consistently collected data across a wide range of traits — from growth and fertility to structural and carcass attributes — creating a rich foundation of information for genetic evaluation.

Between 2019 and 2024, the total number of performance records submitted increased by 63%, while registrations over the same period rose by 70%. This shows that more animals are being measured and recorded than ever before. However, the value of performance recording is not measured simply by the number of records collected, but by how effectively those records contribute to EBV accuracy and reliability.

High-quality performance recording involves collecting accurate, consistent, and appropriately timed measurements, following standardised protocols, and ensuring each record reflects the animal’s true performance. The reliability of EBVs depends on comparing animals fairly within “contemporary groups” — animals of the same sex, similar age, birth type, and run under the same management conditions. When animals are measured under consistent conditions, the differences observed are more likely to reflect true genetic variation rather than environmental effects.

Breeders can improve the effectiveness of their performance data by managing their herds to maximise contemporary group size and create strong genetic links both within the herd and across the breed. Key practices include where possible

• restricting calving periods to 6–8 weeks,

• running all calves under the same management and nutritional conditions,

• weighing animals on the same day,

• and assigning breeder-defined management groups where animals have had unequal opportunities to perform (e.g., sickness, or varying feed availability).

Using multiple sires within contemporary groups, including sires shared across herds and calving years, further strengthens genetic linkage and maximised the benefit of each record to EBV calculations relatives.

Importantly, breeders should focus recording effort on the traits that matter most to their genetic progress:

1. Those included in their herd’s breeding objectives,

2. Traits that are hard to measure (Net Feed Intake/Carcase Data) or have lower heritability (Days to Calving),

3. and traits with fewer existing records in the population (Mature Body composition traits i.e. Height and Body Condition).

By prioritising high-quality measurement of these key traits, producers can ensure their data has maximum impact, improving EBV accuracy and supporting long-term, meaningful genetic improvement.

GENOMIC INTEGRATION AND REFERENCE POPULATION

Genomic information enhances EBV accuracy, particularly for younger animals or traits that are difficult or expensive to measure directly. It allows breeders to make earlier and more confident selection decisions, improving the rate of genetic gain. Importantly, genomics complements — rather than replaces — traditional phenotyping. Performance records remain critical, providing the reference population used by genomically enhanced EBVs. The combination of detailed phenotype and genotype data represents the most powerful toolkit available to Angus breeders today.

The use of genomics has accelerated in recent years, improving EBV accuracy by leveraging performance data records beyond an animal’s pedigree alone. Over the five-year period to 2024, the number of genotypes requested per year has tripled. Of 2014 born animals only 6% were genomically tested; in contrast, 64% of 2024-born animals now carry genotypes (Figure 2).

2 - Percentage of Registered Animals Genotyped by Birth Year

Figure

TRANSLATING TRENDS INTO PRODUCER DECISIONS

Producers can use their herd’s genetic benchmarking data in Angus.Tech to compare their own performance against population trends. Comparing your herd’s EBVs with the population highlights areas of strength and traits where targeted selection can drive further improvement. Examining relative EBV changes alongside heritability and genetic correlations allows producers to:

• Identify traits that have historically seen strong progress and may require less selection pressure in future.

• Recognise traits that are inherently slow to shift and may require targeted, sustained selection.

• Consider applying a balanced selection approach to optimise overall herd performance across multiple traits.

For example, a breeding herd that has made considerable gains in growth traits may choose to maintain selection pressure there while increasing focus on other economically important traits.

Building on these insights, breeders are encouraged to reevaluate their performance recording strategies to ensure they are effectively recording the traits that matter most to their breeding objectives. This includes reviewing which traits are being recorded, the depth of recording across their herd and the effectiveness of this performance recording such as increasing contemporary group size to improve the value of the data submitted.

Maintaining comprehensive and high-quality records not only supports accurate EBVs for selection decisions but also

maximises the value of genomic information, allowing younger animals to contribute sooner and more effectively – supporting accelerated genetic gain.

CONCLUSION

The past five years demonstrate that Australian Angus seedstock herds are achieving measurable, balanced genetic progress. Gains in growth, temperament, structural soundness, carcase traits, and maternal efficiency reflect both the careful selection decisions of breeders and the value of comprehensive performance recording supported by genomic tools.

For members, these trends offer a clear roadmap: by understanding the current population-level genetic trends and applying benchmarking insights in Angus.Tech, breeders can make informed, herd-specific decisions. Combined with highquality records, prioritising breeding objectives and leveraging early genotyping enables continued strategic genetic gains tailored to each herd.

In doing so, members are equipped to strengthen herd performance across diverse production systems, supporting the Angus Australia vision of “Angus for every system” — delivering cattle that perform, adapt, and provide value across all Australian and New Zealand beef enterprises.

If you have any questions, would like to discuss your herd’s genetic benchmarking report or know more about the effectiveness of your herd’s performance recording. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our Extension Team.

LIGHTNING RIDGE FLOWER T6

Maternal sister to Millah Murrah Flower R95 who sold for $100,000!

Maternal sister to Millah Murrah Flower R118 who sold for

Docility:

A direct daughter of the multi million dollar producer Baldridge Isabel Y69!

Sister to Baldridge Colonel who sold for $580,000 USD, Baldridge

Where research meets the Angus herd

Across the New England tablelands, CSIRO’s Chiswick Research Station has been advancing livestock research for decades. Today the station plays a key role in the Angus Sire Benchmarking Project (ASPB), helping ensure research outcomes reflect the genetics and performance of Australia’s commercial Angus herd.

DR BRAD HINE | Extension Officer, Angus Australia

ON THE NEW ENGLAND tablelands just south of Armidale, livestock research has been quietly shaping the future of the beef industry for more than seventy years.

Just south of Armidale on the New England Highway sits the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Chiswick Research Station, an iconic site with a proud history of livestock research dating back to 1947. Over the decades, Chiswick has been home to many large-scale genetic and production studies that have advanced Australia’s livestock industries.

While the station is perhaps best known for its pioneering work in sheep genetics, including landmark projects such as the Finewool and T13 Ultrafine Wool projects, beef cattle research has also played an increasingly important role at the site.

THE EVOLUTION OF A RESEARCH HERD

In the late 1980s, Chiswick established a Poll Hereford breeding herd, originally operated as a purely commercial enterprise. However, following the closure of CSIRO’s Longford Research Station in 1997, the herd was gradually sold off to make way for experimental animals being relocated to Chiswick as the Longford site was vacated.

As the 2000s unfolded and more beef research projects took shape, the decision was made to develop an Angus research herd. Registered females from Kidman Angus and Jet Black Angus formed the foundation herd, and in 2010, it was formally registered with Angus Australia as an Angus Performance Registered (APR) herd.

Artificial insemination programs were implemented from 2011 through 2013, but after a significant break, the herd’s genetic merit began to decline, prompting a strategic reassessment.

JOINING THE ANGUS SIRE BENCHMARKING PROJECT

In 2020, CSIRO joined the Angus Sire Benchmarking Project (ASBP) as a co-operator herd, with the first ASBP calves born at Chiswick in 2021. The decision was driven by a shared

Why Chiswick matters

• Research station established in 1947

• Located near Armidale on the New England Tablelands

• Home to Angus Sire Benchmarking Project co operator herd

• Research supporting genetics, health and productivity

commitment between CSIRO and Angus Australia to ensure that research animals truly reflect the genetics and performance of Australia’s commercial Angus population.

“Having cattle that are representative of industry is critical,” explains Brad. “It means our research outcomes are industry relevant and are more likely to be adopted by producers.”

As an ASBP co-operator herd, Chiswick now provides a unique platform where industry-linked genetics meets cutting-edge research. The ASBP animals are extensively phenotyped and genotyped, allowing CSIRO to overlay a range of research projects on a relevant, well-characterised genetic base.

SCIENCE IN ACTION

To date, ASBP progeny at Chiswick have contributed to a range of important research initiatives. These include:

• The development of the ImmuneDEX trait to better understand immune competence in beef cattle.

• Studies investigating how the microbiome influences animal health and productivity.

• Research into the use of on-animal sensor technologies to estimate feed efficiency on pasture and assess animal behaviour and welfare.

GENETIC GAINS ON THE GROUND

Participation in the ASBP has also delivered significant benefits to the Chiswick herd itself. Prior to joining the program, only

Having cattle that are representative of industry is critical. It means our research outcomes are industry relevant and are more likely to be adopted by producers. “

13% of 2020-born heifers retained in the herd were above the breed average for the Angus Breeding Index ($A). Just four years later, that figure has risen to 35%, and the average $A value across all female progeny born in a given year has increased by $40—reflecting real, measurable improvements in genetic merit and herd profitability (Figure 1). This improvement in the genetic merit of retained females in the Chiswick herd has driven genetic improvement in all progeny being generated in the herd, but particularly in progeny from backup sires (Figure 2). The transformation of the Chiswick herd since joining the ASBP provides a practical demonstration of the genetic improvements which can be achieved in commercial Angus herds in just a few generations using targeted AI programs.

LOOKING AHEAD

The partnership between CSIRO and Angus Australia through the ASBP demonstrates how industry collaboration can deliver both scientific and practical benefits. With a stronger herd and an expanding research pipeline, Chiswick continues to play a vital role in advancing genetic improvement and production efficiency across Australia’s beef industry. Research underway within the Angus Sire Benchmarking Project is also helping investigate emerging traits such as worm egg count and immune competence, providing new insights into how genetics can improve animal health and resilience.

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• “The Complete Package”

• Breed-leader for hind quarter muscle and body depth

• Heavy, docile, sound and in high demand

• Outstanding performance across the board

PROSPER

• “Power and Grunt”

• Length, depth and muscle weigh, and weight pays

• Standout type with style and presence

• Use Prosper to move the needle on ADG and CWT

ANGUS LINEUP

• “Heifer Bull with Extra Power”

• +2.5 BWT to +156 600-day weight and +92 CWT

• Feed efficient, fertile and docile

• Maternal excellence from Erica of Ellston T220

DRAFT PICK

• “1st Pick by a Long Way”

• A$330 Index. Fertile, docile and medium frame.

• +2 BWT, +168 600D, +110 CWT, +12.4 EMA, +5.8 IMF

• None come close to this generational sire

RESEARCH

INSIGHT

Worm Egg Count

Improving animal resilience is becoming an increasingly important focus for the Angus breed. Alongside traditional production traits such as growth, fertility and carcase merit, researchers are now exploring indicators of natural disease resistance and immune competence.

One area of emerging interest is worm egg count, a measure that may provide insight into how individual cattle respond to internal parasite challenges.

Through the Angus Sire Benchmarking Project (ASBP), Angus Australia has been collecting worm egg count data across research herds since 2023. As datasets grow, this information will help researchers better understand the heritability of parasite resistance and its relationship to other performance traits.

In the following article, Angus Australia researcher Dr Liam Mowbray explains how this work is progressing and what it could mean for the future of Angus breeding.

Worm Egg Counts in Angus cattle

DR LIAM A. MOWBRAY | Research and Development Specialist

INTERNAL PARASITES REMAIN one of the most persistent productivity challenges facing beef graziers across Australia. While seasonal conditions vary, the impact of worms on growth and overall performance is consistent — and costly.

At Angus Australia, we are investing in research aimed at providing breeders another tool in the box: the ability to genetically improve resistance to internal parasites through Worm Egg Count (WEC) data.

Since 2023, Angus Australia has been collecting individual worm egg counts on our ASBP progeny during immune competence testing at weaning. To date, over 2000 individual phenotypes for WEC have been collected at weaning. Additionally, after treating the weaners with a single lifetime drench, we have followed a subset of animals through and re-tested them as yearlings. Interestingly, early results indicate that animals recording higher WECs at weaning often remain higher shedders when re-tested

as yearlings, suggesting that parasite burden may have a repeatable biological and genetic component.

WHY WORM EGG COUNTS MATTER

Worm Egg Count is a measure of the number of parasite eggs present per gram of faeces. In simple terms, it provides an indicator of an animal’s parasite burden and its ability to regulate internal worm populations.

Animals that maintain lower worm egg counts under challenge are considered more resistant. Over time, selecting for this resistance may:

• Reduce reliance on chemical drenches

• Slow the development of drench resistance

• Improve growth rates under parasite pressure

• Support productivity in higher rainfall and coastal environments

Importantly, genetic resistance does not eliminate the need for good parasite management — but it can significantly strengthen it.

WHAT RESEARCH IS UNDERWAY?

Angus Australia is actively building datasets that link Worm Egg Count phenotypes with genomic information.

This work involves:

• Collecting WEC records under natural parasite challenge

• Correcting for environmental and management effects

• Linking phenotypes to genotypes

• Investigating heritability and genetic correlations with economically important traits (eg growth and immune competence).

Preliminary analysis has also identified a favourable relationship between Worm Egg Count and immune competence at weaning, with animals displaying lower immune competence tending to record higher worm egg counts.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR ANGUS BREEDERS

For members operating in higher rainfall zones or regions with

significant parasite pressure, genetic resistance could provide long-term cost savings and production stability.

This is particularly important as:

• Drench resistance continues to increase

• Chemical options become more limited

• Consumer and regulatory scrutiny around chemical use grows

A genetic approach may offer a permanent, cumulative and costeffective addition to existing parasite management programs.

A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT

Developing robust breeding values requires large, high-quality datasets which takes time.

The work currently underway is about building the scientific foundations properly — ensuring that when tools are delivered to members, they are accurate, robust and commercially relevant.

This research represents a strategic investment in the resilience and profitability of Angus cattle across diverse Australian production systems.

We look forward to sharing further updates as analyses progress and datasets expand.

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

For further information or information on how to get involved please email liam.mowbray@angusaustralia.com.au.

BUILDNG MARBLING Genetics and nutrition building blocks of IMF

SARAH HORROCKS

INTRAMUSCULAR FAT (IMF) gives beef its flavour, taste, tenderness and juiciness, and processors are rewarding farmers who deliver it in their cattle because the more there is, the more beef the consumer demands.

The process of achieving IMF begins at conception, and there are a number of opportunities throughout the year when the farmer can get things right or wrong.

IMF develops in the perimysial connective tissue between muscle fibres, opening up and disrupting the organisation of intramuscular connective tissue, making it easier to chew. More fat within the muscle also improves the aroma and flavour of meat during cooking and eating. This is how we get tender, tasty beef.

Farmers around Australia and New Zealand are now selecting bulls with

favourable estimated breeding value (EBV) figures for IMF because they want to breed progeny that will have good marbling at killing time. But there’s more to the equation – stock bred to deposit higher levels of IMF also need to be nourished to encourage the trait, and that nutrition starts in utero.

In a Head Shepherd podcast, hosted by neXtgen Agri chief executive Dr Mark Ferguson, he spoke with Dr Charlotte Westwood (PGG Wrightson Seeds) about the importance of not just the quantity and quality of the feed going into animals, but also the timing throughout the lifetime that this feed is available.

While the ratio of the value of genetics to nutrition in livestock production is a well-debated topic, there’s no denying that genetics is a slower burn, whereas

the results from nutrition can be seen in a much shorter time frame.

Westwood is a veterinary nutritionist who did a PhD at the University of Sydney, looking at cattle reproduction and how it’s influenced by the interaction between nutrition and genetic merit. At field days, she has discussed the importance of genetics, nutrition and other management aspects when trying to increase the amount of IMF in a beef carcase.

GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT

Westwood says it’s an interplay between genetics and all aspects of management.

“We’ve got the sex effects and the age of the animal, their liveweight as a percentage of mature weight, and the time of slaughter if they’re a little bit younger.”

Opportunity to improve IMF in the finishing animal actually does start inside the mum’s tum, and there’s a term that’s framed the ‘marbling window’.

She says a lot of what is happening when the animal reaches its finished stage for processing has started while still in utero.

“Opportunity to improve IMF in the finishing animal actually does start inside mum’s tum, and there’s a term that’s framed the ‘marbling window’.”

While this might sound a bit mystical, the last trimester of pregnancy, from day 180–190 onwards, can influence both the number and potential future growth of the fat cells (adipocytes) within the muscle itself.

“So if we work mum a little bit too hard during the last trimester of pregnancy, that may influence the decision around stem cells inside the unborn calf –whether they’re going to turn themselves into fat cells or muscle cells or fibre cells, like collagen-producing cells.”

Westwood explains there’s a drafting gate happening during the marbling window, so if the nutrition isn’t done right during that time, it can, in a small way, influence future IMF deposition in the progeny.

It’s not limited just to inside mum’s tum. There is some degree of plasticity around continuing to encourage more stem cells to end up as adipocytes in progeny up to about 250 days of age.

Adipocytes, also known as lipocytes and fat cells, are the cells that primarily compose adipose tissue and are specialised in storing energy as fat.

“So yes, beef cows have to do what they have to do and suck it up… for other capital stock classes during

winter, and work a bit harder.

“But if we are looking for … an end-toend aspect around nutrition and IMF deposition, it does start inside mum’s tum and during that critical first 250 days.”

Westwood says if you’re looking for the added benefits that come from genetics, nutrition is a key part of the management strategy.

“You can’t run a Ferrari on 91 fuel.”

She says essentially the gestational diet of the breeding cows is what is being looked at, encouraging better foetal maternal programming for the calf. Improving cow condition at calving and feeding optimal nutrition for lactation performance and mating go hand in hand with this science.

If you’re already ticking these boxes then you’re already giving your Ferrari genetics (as Westwood terms them) the opportunity to express themselves.

WHAT ELSE TO CONSIDER

While Westwood spoke about IMF in isolation during the podcast, she did note that it shouldn’t be looked at in isolation from other aspects around productivity and profitability, for example, growth.

“I wouldn’t suggest we tip a farming system on its head just to chase more IMF cells being deposited within the muscle bundles in an unborn calf, but it kicks a few goals along the way.”

She says farmers are chasing IMF in their bull-buying decisions, and while, of course, the science tells them that they’ve got to have the genetics there to get that

IMF into finishing progeny, they don’t want to burn those progeny by not getting their nutrition right from conception onwards.

“Some think that genetics is a silver bullet, and there are also those at the other end of the spectrum who think it’s only about feeding.”

The two work together, and it is a key issue in terms of IMF predisposition. Genetics is certainly a strong attribute to part of it, like putting a jigsaw puzzle together.

“You know, if you’ve got half a jigsaw puzzle piece missing, well, you’re not going to get the complete picture in the end product.”

You don’t create a premium product such as high-marbling beef by accident, you have to get all aspects of the production system right, every time.

The finishing phase is equally important with IMF, since all the different fat depots inside that animal are laid down in a specific order. First is intra-abdominal or visceral fat, which protects internal organs and serves as an energy source; the second is subcutaneous fat, deposited under the skin as an energy source and protects the skeleton from harm; third is intramuscular fat, also an energy source, though surrounding moving muscle surfaces, therefore serving to reduce friction from muscle movement. It’s not until the fourth and final stage of fattening, when an animal is typically getting closer to its mature liveweight, that the IMF gets laid down.

If things come unstuck – perhaps you hit a drought, bad weather, a feed deficit,

Photo by Sarah Horrocks

stress or there’s no feed budget in place – the IMF will disappear. Any of these examples can be enough for the animal to go through a short period of negative energy balance, and it starts to mobilise fat. They’ll mobilise it out in the same order that was laid down. So the IMF that you’ve lovingly sculpted through a combination of genetics and good nutritional management is the first to peel out.

“So if we see back-fat mobilisation, as in a drop in body condition score, heaven forbid, in our prime cattle, the IMF is probably long gone, and we’re gonna have to start that process again.

Breed for it, feed for it, and farmers will be rewarded for it.

JUST FEED THEM

Grain feeding is the typical way to pump IMF into finishing animals around the world, but in New Zealand, there’s a far greater focus on grass-fed, foragebased finishing. The opportunities are there with forage-based feeding, but in

order to look at which are most suitable, Westwood says it’s important to look at the biochemistry involved in creating intramuscular fat.

Westwood says intramuscular fat cells love their glucose, and they take their glucose and turn it into fat.

“The subcut internal fat tends to prefer making fat directly from some of the VFAs [volatile fatty acids] … inside the rumen.”

So when a lot of good quality leafy green feed is fed, it potentially improves the total amount of volatile fatty acids. This creates more of a special VFA called propionate, which is converted in the liver and makes more blood glucose.

She says overseas research has shown that more blood glucose is better in a finishing programme, because those little IMF fat cells prefer glucose as the building blocks to deposit fat. Therefore any diet that can increase blood glucose is good.

On a feedlot, starchy grains such as maize, corn grain and sorghum, all lift

blood glucose in two ways. Increasing VFAs in the rumen (subsequently creating more propionate), and secondly, there is some rumen bypass of starch which also drives up blood glucose.

Westwood says that because of NZ’s temperate climate, she predominantly sees C3 pastures, legumes, and increasing amounts of herbs such as plantain and chicory being used for finishing. “It seems that chicory drives higher dry matter intake as a percentage of liveweight. So they’re eating a whole lot more, which means a whole lot more VFAs, which coincidentally along for the ride, brings more propionate.”

Feeding high-quality forages at an allocation well above maintenance maximises the likelihood of IMF accumulation in finishing cattle.

Westwood says there’s a resounding take-home message that’s applicable to all ruminant species.

“Just feed them.”

IMF, marbling and Angus Australia genetic evaluations What’s the link?

Intramuscular Fat (IMF) and MSA Marbling describe the same underlying trait — the fat within the muscle that drives eating quality — but they are measured in different ways.

IMF refers to the actual amount of fat within the muscle (expressed as a %) and can be measured either through:

• Ultrasound scanning in live animals or

• Chemical analysis of carcase samples (more accurate, but more expensive)

MSA Marbling, on the other hand, is the visual assessment of that same fat in the carcase, scored by graders under the Meat Standards Australia grading system.

All measures are taken from the longissimus dorsi muscle between the 12th and 13th rib. Both IMF and MSA Marbling are strongly linked to improved eating quality — including tenderness, juiciness and flavour.

HOW THIS LINKS TO ANGUS AUSTRALIA

GENETIC

TOOLS

Angus Australia’s genetic evaluations provide estimated breeding values (EBVs) that target this trait from different angles:

• TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation (TACE) → Carcase IMF EBV (reported in percentage values, it predicts the genetic differences between animals in intramuscular fat (marbling) at the 12/13th rib site in a 400 kg carcase.)

• Angus GenetiQ → MSA Marbling EBV (reported in MSA Marbling scores, it predicts genetic differences between animals in MSA Marble Score (marbling) at the 12/13th rib site).

• UltraSELECT → Ultrasound IMF (reported in decimal terms, it predicts the genetic differences between the animals in the percentage of ultrasound intramuscular fat).

TACE and Angus GenetiQ also use correlated traits to improve accuracy.

While measured differently — chemically, visually, or via ultrasound — they are all tools for improving the same thing.

Increased intramuscular fat (marbling) → better eating quality → increased market value.

These tools allow producers to make genetic progress, while nutrition and management ensure that genetic potential is realised.

HANLIE JANSEN | Genetic Improvement Specialist

PREDICTABILITY BY DESIGN

Genetics Driving Performance at Hauiti Farm, New Zealand

On a Hawke’s Bay finishing block, Wayne Breeze is applying stud level genetic discipline to a commercial system. The result is a highly predictable grass based programme targeting premium beef performance.

SARAH HORROCKS

Photos by Sarah Horrocks

WAYNE BREEZE IS not a man who does things by halves, and the banker, turned farmer, is determined to squeeze every drop of juice out of his operation. At Hauiti Farm in Poukawa, Hawke’s Bay, he has built a beef finishing system that most commercial operators would consider the domain of elite stud breeders. Everything is weighed at birth. Genetics are matched with the precision of a stud programme. Kill sheet data flows back up the supply chain to inform the next generation of sire selections. And every steer on the place is targeted to finish prime on grass, at 340 to 350 kilograms carcase weight, in under 18 months.

The objective, as Wayne states it plainly, is predictability. Predictability in the animal, predictability in the feed, and predictability in the commercial outcome. It is a word he returns to throughout our conversation, and it is the thread that connects every decision made on the farm.

"Increased beef per hectare and the shorter you can finish them, the better," says Wayne.

"Predictability relates to both the animals, via genetics, and the feed produced so that we can grow them out.”

THE GENETIC FOUNDATION

Hauiti Farm runs as a closed commercial system in close association with Te Mania Angus (NZ), one of New Zealand's leading Angus studs. The relationship began with bull purchases, but Wayne quickly realised that putting elite genetics over an unknown cow base was limiting the programme's potential.

"Even if you pick great bulls with good genotype, if you don't know what they're covering, I don't know how you can expect good results.”

The issue, as Wayne understood it, partly came down to epigenetics. The cow's influence over her progeny extends well beyond the DNA she passes on. Nutrition, environment, and management experienced by the dam directly modify gene expression in her offspring, with effects that can carry across generations. Wayne is clear on what this means in practical terms: the female is the most important part of the equation, accounting for approximately 75 percent of the epigenetic influence on the calf.

So once he decided he needed to sort out his cow herd, Wayne worked with Will Wilding at Te Mania and genetic advisors Targeted Breeding, led by Jo Scott, to replace his original mixed-background cow herd with surplus Te Mania females. The replacements were not culls. Wayne and Will selected the cows together, with a clear shared objective. He wanted fast finishers.

"Why shouldn't we be able to utilise the same genetic knowledge and technology that the studs are using? It's available.”

The cow herd was replaced two years ago in 2024. Targeted Breeding now applies the same sire-matching principles to Hauiti’s cows that they would use in a stud environment, with the difference being that the progeny are destined for commercial beef production rather than the bull sale ring. Hauiti currently runs 171 females to the bull each year, including yearling heifers.

Sire selection draws on full genotype data with high accuracy figures. MateSel sire selection technology is used to ensure the right bulls go over the right females, optimising the desired outcome at an individual pairing level rather than applying a blanket bull-to-mob approach. Wayne's herd will also be registered with Angus Australia as an APR herd in the coming months, bringing further structure and traceability to the programme.

The follow-up bulls are all Te Mania bulls, and Will is assisting to ensure the right sires are selected for both the females at Hauiti and the desired finishing outcome.

AI AND CONCEPTION RATES

Artificial insemination is part of the programme, though Wayne is candid about the variable results they have experienced so far. The first AI run on the cow herd returned an 88 percent conception rate, a result he was told at the time was unusually strong. More recently, the heifer mob returned just 43 percent, which was obviously disappointing.

The outcome was compounded by a follow-up bull being injured, which left a proportion of the heifers dry. It was a reminder that even the most carefully designed genetic programme carries biological and logistical variables that do not always cooperate.

Wayne notes that the skill of the technician applying the AI semen carries a significant influence on conception outcomes. Human execution remains a critical link in the chain.

THE FINISHING TARGET: ONE WINTER, PRIME GRADE

The commercial logic of the Hauiti system centres on a single, powerful metric: finishing steers in one winter rather than two. Wayne has done the arithmetic carefully.

"If you do the numbers, having your finishing stock do only one winter increases the MA carrying capacity by 25 to 30 percent, which then increases your gross turnover by 25 to 30 percent.”

Calves born in August and September are targeted to hit 340 to 350 kilograms carcase weight by January/February of the following year, with the balance finishing by late March. That puts the steers through a single winter before processing, cutting out a full year of feed conversion at a less efficient stage of growth, freeing up pasture for additional stock, and reducing the amount of winter cropping required.

The initial programme was designed to finish steers at 17 to 18 months. In practice, Wayne found he needed to pull the first draft earlier, at around 15 to 16 months, to prevent the faster growing animals from exceeding the premium weight grade window. It is a good problem to have.

Average daily liveweight gain from birth to weaning sits between 1.06 and 1.12 kilograms per day. From there, the target is to hold above one kilogram per day through to the finishing phase, where the steers are recording gains of 1.4 to 1.5 kilograms per day.

The processing yield is also worth noting, achieving 53.74% average in the February 2025 killed steers, and increasing to 54.9% average in the February 2026 killed steers. Wayne finds the yield increases by 2-3% as they come into autumn each year.

All stock is processed through Silver Fern Farms at Whakatu. The progeny consistently grade into Silver Fern Farms' EQ specification, driven by intramuscular fat levels that Wayne attributes to the genetic programme and the feeding system working together. He is looking to push IMF performance further still, positioning the herd ahead of any premium market opportunities that may develop.

"New Zealand currently has a bulk commodity market for buying cattle for processing," he says.

"We produce highly certified beef that is overqualified for the prices being paid. That has to be fixed."

He sees it as a ‘chicken and egg’ situation: the premium market requires a product to attract consumers, but processors will not pay premium prices until consumers are already paying them. His response is to be ready when the equation shifts.

COW CONDITION AND THE FEED EFFICIENCY EQUATION

A central belief in Wayne's system is that capital stock must never be allowed to take a backward step in body condition. His cows are fed well throughout the year, without compromise. The reasoning is grounded in both Beef and Lamb New Zealand research and epigenetic science.

"Putting a kilo onto a cow requires six to eight times more feed than is required to put a kilo on a calf. We just don't let the girls get hungry, which also means they're even better mothers.”

Maintaining cow condition means the breeding females are not competing with the finishing progeny for feed. It also means calves are not compromised during gestation, allowing intramuscular fat development to proceed without interruption in utero. Wayne is clear that calves born from well-conditioned, well-fed cows go on to finish faster and more consistently than those that start life at a nutritional deficit.

Calves do stall at weaning in terms of growth rate, but they do not go backwards. That baseline is protected by the cow management approach, and it sets the platform for the daily gain targets through the finishing phase.

Cow size is also managed deliberately. The herd averages 612 kilograms liveweight, and Wayne has no interest in running heavier cows. A larger-framed cow consumes more feed to maintain condition without a proportionate return in productivity. In a system built around feed conversion efficiency, every kilogram of cow weight carries a higher ongoing feed cost.

Putting

“

a kilo onto a cow requires six to eight times more feed than is required to put a kilo on a calf. We just don't let the girls get hungry, which also means they're even better mothers.

PASTURE, SOIL, AND LOW-INPUT PHILOSOPHY

The feed system underpinning Hauiti's performance is grassbased and deliberately low in purchased inputs. Wayne runs high pasture covers and pays close attention to what is happening beneath the sward surface. Visual soil assessments are a regular practice on the farm.

"WE DIG A LOT OF HOLES," HE LAUGHS.

Nitrogen application is kept to a minimum. Wayne relies on clover to do the nitrogen fixation work, using artificial nitrogen down the shoot when re-grassing. The rationale is straightforward: a healthy soil biology supporting a strong clover content delivers the same result at a fraction of the cost, without disrupting the soil ecology that underpins long-term pasture performance.

After each grazing rotation, harrows are run through the paddocks. The practice serves two functions. It spreads cattle dung across the pasture as a nutrient source, and it eliminates the bare patches that form where a dung pat sits, which would otherwise become thistle strike points months later. On an intensive hill country block, the flow-on benefit to pasture quality over successive seasons is meaningful.

The bottom of the property is a river flat carrying willows, which provide the equivalent of bales of summer feed for the finishing steers without any cultivation or supplementary feed cost.

Fencing infrastructure is managed with the same cost-conscious approach. Wayne sources ex-vineyard grape posts at one dollar each. These tanalised posts cannot be landfilled or burned, making them essentially worthless to the vineyard sector. With Hawke’s Bay's wine industry making a shift toward steel posts in the coming years, Wayne expects a significant and ongoing supply of low-cost fencing material. Not running any sheep means a simple post and two wire fence for block delineation within larger paddocks meets his requirements, keeping infrastructure costs well below those of a traditional sheep and beef block.

DATA, FEEDBACK LOOPS, AND THE COMMERCIAL CONTROL

Wayne describes Hauiti Farm as a commercial control operation relative to Te Mania NZ's stud operation. Kill sheets go back to Te Mania after each processing run, feeding carcase data into the stud's own records. Te Mania contributes monitoring data from the dam side, and that information flows back through the system. The relationship is collaborative and data-driven in both directions. Te Mania's Vytelle system supports feed intake and efficiency monitoring on the stud side, building a body of information that Wayne can draw on without needing to replicate the infrastructure himself. He is direct about New Zealand's position in this space: the country is not pioneering the research, but working to validate whether findings from other systems are relevant to local pastoral conditions.

On methane, the early data from fast-growing cattle is pointing in an interesting direction.

"Funnily enough, fast-growing cattle produce less methane. That's what the raw data is saying."

His interpretation, while noting that his third form science may not make him an expert, is practical. “Feed energy either converts to growth, is belched as methane, or passes out the backend.”

A more efficient converter simply has less to lose. From an emissions standpoint, cattle that finish on grass in 15 to 16 months surely represent one of the lowest-footprint beef production systems in the world. This is surely a question that must be asked…

He does not overlook the genetic diversity question. Wayne holds concerns about the concentration of genetics across the New Zealand dairy industry, and applies the same thinking to his own programme: individual bulls, matched precisely to individual females through tools such as MateSel, rather than broad genetic concentration across a herd.

WHAT COMES NEXT

The Hauiti herd is young. With the herd of predominantly heifers purchased only two years ago, the age structure is weighted toward the younger end of the scale. The target cow exit policy is to sell cows at five years of age, in calf, with a fully documented genetic history and a predictable expected finishing outcome for the calf on board.

"We want to start exporting [domestically] that predictability off farm, at scale, every year.”

In round numbers, Wayne expects to scale up further and be moving 80 to 100 females annually. The closed herd is currently retaining most heifers as replacements, building toward a point where the scale of the programme justifies regular commercial sales of foundation females.

Embryo transfer was considered and set aside. Wayne's concern was the epigenetic influence of the recipient dam, which would complicate the very consistency he is trying to build. Starting with actual genetic mothers kept the programme clean and the data interpretable.

At 240 hectares, Hauiti Farm is not a large operation by Hawke’s Bay standards. But the system Wayne has built on it, by combining elite genetics, disciplined pasture management, low-input infrastructure, and a genuine commitment to data, is producing results that scale well beyond what most would consider achievable on a commercial finishing block.

The numbers back it up. One winter to premium grade and a kill sheet that keeps improving. Predictability, as Wayne Breeze would say, is the point.

MATERNAL MIGHT COW POWER AND PERFORMANCE

GROUND U177

• Unmatched performance with a moderate birth and elite data for scrotal and docility

• High end structural data and selection indexes with big time CW and EMA

• Outstanding first calf crop with moderate birth and explosive performance

• Unmatched phenotypic consistency with excellent foot quality, docility and breed leading carcass

• Exciting new and highly sought after Vezina son with moderate Birth and deep bodied muscle expression

• Powerful and slick skinned with a tremendous balanced data set

• Excellent phenotype and structure

• True herd building maternal cow maker pedigree

• Superior foot scores at top 1% angle, top 2% claw

• Super soft made, slick hide in a powerful athletic package

NEXT GENERATION shaping the future of Angus

The future of the Angus breed will be shaped by the people who choose to lead it. Across youth development programs and leadership initiatives, the next generation of producers, advisors and industry professionals are building the skills and networks needed to guide the industry forward.

NEXT GEN ANGUS takes the lead

The 2026 Angus Youth Roundup has officially wrapped up, marking the largest event in the program’s history and another significant milestone in its growth.

CAROLINE LAINE | Marketing & Communications Manager

HELD FROM 7 to 11 January at the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre in Tamworth, the Roundup welcomed just under 300 competitors aged 8 to 25 from across Australia. From breeding and animal handling through to meat judging, retail identification and understanding global consumer expectations, the week long program once again showcased the depth of talent and passion emerging across the Angus community.

The event was proudly supported by NH Foods Australia, marking the fourth consecutive year of collaboration between NH Foods and Angus Australia.

Angus Australia CEO Scott Wright said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to developing capable young people for the future of the industry.

“The Angus Youth Roundup showcases every aspect of our industry, from breeding and animal handling through to understanding processing, product quality and customer expectations,” Scott said.

“NH Foods’ ongoing support helps us strengthen the educational depth of the program and develop informed, confident young people who will contribute to the beef industry in a range of roles.”

NH Foods commenced sponsorship in 2022 when the Roundup welcomed approximately 100 competitors. The growth to almost 300 participants in 2026 reflects not only the increasing interest in Angus Youth programs, but also the broader enthusiasm among young people to understand the full beef supply chain.

NH Foods Director Andrew McDonald said witnessing that growth has been both rewarding and encouraging.

“Seeing the Angus Youth Roundup grow year on year reinforces why investment in youth development is so important,” Andrew said.

“The Roundup gives participants the opportunity to learn, grow and gain a real understanding of how our industry works. It brings young people together and helps set them up for a successful future in the beef industry.”

Throughout the week, NH Foods delivered a series of interactive education sessions designed to connect genetics and production decisions with eating quality outcomes and consumer expectations.

Day 1 featured meat judging education sessions with a strong focus on eating quality and key beef attributes. NH Foods brand partner Chef Jason Roberts shared insights from a chef’s perspective, explaining how genetics, production practices and processing contribute to the final eating experience.

Day 2 saw the return of the popular Joy of Eating sessions, where competitors rotated through education stations led by NH Foods Marketing, Sales, Processing Plant and Feedlot teams. These sessions explored how cattle move beyond the farm gate and into domestic and export markets, covering topics such as sales channels, shipping logistics and emerging consumer trends.

Day 3 was dedicated to meat judging and retail identification, challenging competitors to apply their learning in practical scenarios and build confidence in identifying cuts and key beef attributes.

Capping off the week was the Gala Dinner, where NH Foods served as Beef Partner. Guests enjoyed a menu featuring Angus

The Round Up is about creating opportunity. It brings together young people from across the country and exposes them to every part of the beef industry, from paddock right through to consumer. “

Reserve Black Angus Beef, reinforcing the connection between quality genetics, supply chain management and premium eating experiences.

Angus Youth Roundup Organising Committee Chair, Bonnie Cox said the continued support of industry partners plays an important role in delivering a program of this scale and quality.

“The Roundup is about creating opportunity,” Bonnie said. “It brings together young people from across the country and exposes them to every part of the beef industry, from the paddock right through to the consumer. Having partners involved who can share real world experience helps bring that learning to life.”

She added that the success of the event is also built on the dedication of committee members, organisers and volunteers, many of whom are former participants.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have a passionate committee and volunteer base, many of whom are past Roundup competitors,” Bonnie added. “They generously contribute their time and industry knowledge to ensure the event continues to evolve and deliver a meaningful experience. Their commitment behind the scenes is what allows Roundup to operate at the standard our participants deserve.”

Scott Wright said industry involvement ensures the Roundup remains practical and forward thinking.

“Strong partnerships allow us to connect young people with different parts of the supply chain and broaden their understanding of career pathways,” he said. “As the program grows, it is important that it continues to reflect the full scope of the beef industry and the opportunities available.”

Andrew McDonald said supporting the Roundup aligns closely with NH Foods’ commitment to innovation and sustainability within the Australian beef sector.

“Supporting the Angus Youth Roundup aligns with our focus on developing people, encouraging education and maintaining a positive trajectory for the industry,” he said. “Conversations with participants throughout the week make it clear that the future of Australian beef is in very good hands.”

As Angus Youth Roundup continues to expand in both scale and impact, partnerships such as this demonstrate the value of collaboration across the beef supply chain. Together, Angus Australia and its industry supporters remain committed to investing in education, capability and the long term success of the Angus breed and the broader Australian beef industry.

FIND YOUR NORTHERN EDGE

Inside the future of beef leadership

A new leadership initiative is giving emerging northern beef producers a rare opportunity to see the entire supply chain in action while building the relationships and leadership skills that will shape the industry’s future.

JAKE PHILLIPS

AN IMMERSIVE SUPPLY CHAIN TOUR FOR FUTURE BEEF LEADERS

The NTCA Teys Australia Future leaders program that commenced in 2025 has been rebranded and refreshed ahead of its 2026 launch. The leadership program designed to develop the next generation of leaders in the Australian beef industry will be launched at the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association Conference 2026 in Darwin from 18–20 March 2026.

The Northern Beef Leadership Initiative is an immersive leadership and supply chain experience delivered in partnership with the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association, Teys Australia and Angus Australia.

The 'Find Your Northern Edge' program will provide emerging industry leaders with an exclusive opportunity to step inside key parts of the beef supply chain while connecting with some of the most experienced leaders across the Australian beef sector.

Through a multi-day tour and leadership program, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how cattle move from northern production systems through processing, export and global markets — and the leadership required to drive the industry forward.

Ethan Mooney, Teys Australia Group Operations Manager said “Teys feels strongly about developing meaningful and lasting relationships with those whose boots are on the ground in Central Australia. Being able to show our business to like-minded young individuals has been a privilege. The development and education of emerging leaders is key to our shared success well into the future, and we look forward to continuing to foster these connections.”

Scott Wright, CEO of Angus Australia added “Programs like Northern Beef Leadership Initiative are exactly the kind of initiative our industry needs. Giving young people the opportunity to step outside the farm gate and see how the entire beef supply chain works is incredibly valuable. It helps build understanding, relationships and ultimately stronger leaders for the future of the industry.”

Applications for the 2026 Northern Beef Leadership Initiative close Friday 11 September 2026.

WHAT IS 'FIND YOUR NORTHERN EDGE'?

Northern Beef Leadership Initiative is designed for emerging leaders across the beef industry who live or work within the Northern Australian beef supply chain and want to broaden their understanding of the supply chain while building lasting networks with peers and industry leaders.

Participants will take part in an immersive tour through key facilities operated by Teys Australia, gaining a rare behind-thescenes look at how Australian beef moves from paddock to plate.

The program combines supply chain exposure, industry insight and leadership development, while fostering the camaraderie and professional networks that underpin strong industry leadership.

“We spoke with some of the most senior people in the business and they were open about challenges and opportunities,” said 2025 participant Tim Weir, Mount Skinner Station, NT. “Hearing how carbon credits and emissions tracking are shaping future market access gave us real context for the decisions we’ll need to make on-farm.”

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Participants will gain direct exposure to critical stages of the beef supply chain, including visits to:

• Teys Condamine Feedlot – understanding first class feedlotting systems

• Teys Beenleigh Processing Facility – insights into processing systems

• Port of Brisbane Distribution Complex – a look inside global export logistics and product distribution

• Teys Australia Head Office – exploring strategy, marketing and global beef markets

• Breeding Herd – a look behind the scenes of a stud breeding operation servicing the Northern market

Participants will also engage in:

• Leadership and professional development sessions

• Presentations from senior beef industry leaders

• Supply chain discussions and case studies

In 2025 the group heard from Olympic Gold Medallist, Gemma Noller.

“Gemma’s story really hit home for us,” said 2025 delegate Katie, from Brunette Downs Station, NT. “She’s lived that mindset of perseverance and excellence in sport and life, but she also understands what it means to run cattle in the real world. That connection made it inspiring and tangible.”

BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF BEEF LEADERS

Beyond the technical insights, Northern Beef Leadership Initiative focuses strongly on leadership development and industry connection.

Participants will engage with senior leaders from across the supply chain and build relationships with peers who are shaping the future of the Australian beef industry.

The program encourages participants to challenge ideas, explore new perspectives and strengthen their understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing northern beef production.

2025 participant, Ellen Easy, Alcoota Station, Alice Springs, NT said“The Teys, NTCA and Angus Australia tour was a fantastic opportunity on many levels for myself and other pastoralists. It gave us valuable insight into the production chain, which is vital for our operations and helps us better understand how we can improve and produce a product that meets market demands.

Being able to connect and network with the team at Teys was also incredibly beneficial, helping to build the relationships that are so important in this industry.

Alongside the professional side of the tour, we also had an amazing time forming new friendships and strengthening connections with others we already knew in the industry”.

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

The program is designed for emerging leaders who are actively involved in the beef industry and want to deepen their understanding of the broader supply chain.

Applicants may include:

• Progressive northern beef producers

• Station managers and pastoral company staff

• Early-career industry professionals

• Emerging leaders across the beef supply chain

*Preference is given to applicants with connection to the NT or surrounding areas

APPLICATIONS

Applications close Friday 11 September 2026. Successful applicants will gain access to an exclusive industry experience that builds knowledge, networks and leadership capability across the beef supply chain. The majority of expenses are covered during the program commencing and finishing in Brisbane from the 26th – 30th of October.

Places are limited to 12 successful candidates.

Click this link or scan the QR code to submit your application today.

BREED LEADING SIRES

Symmetry 228

USA20294177

 Elite performance, exceptional muscling and substance

 Offers an impressive data profile

Paringa Real Deal T57

HKF22T57

 Growth, docility, fertility & structure with huge EMA

 Independent structural assessment – perfect 5s all round

BA7 Oaks Bold Ruler

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 Outstanding combination of performance, maternal & carcass traits

 Proven performance within his pedigree

H P C A Merit

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 Complete calving ease sire

 A true foot improver, combining style & phenotype

Rissington Titan T330

BGB22T330

 Young gun from Rissington Cattle Company in NZ

 Extreme calving ease with high carcass values

Bieber Paycheck K102

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 Short gestation calving ease sire

 Outstanding performance

WHERE LEADERSHIP MEETS LEGACY

NANCY CRAWSHAW | Extension Manager

DELIVERED BY THE Angus Australia Foundation in partnership with Achmea Farm Insurance, the 2026 GenAngus Future Leaders Program represents the pinnacle leadership and business development experience for emerging professionals across the beef industry.

On a historic property in regional New South Wales this May, a new generation of Angus leaders will gather with one shared purpose, to grow, challenge themselves and shape the future of the beef industry.

The 2026 GenAngus Future Leaders Program will be held at Goonoo Goonoo Station, NSW, from 18 to 22 May 2026, bringing together fourteen emerging leaders from across Australia, New Zealand and Northern Ireland for an intensive four-day immersive workshop, followed by a structured twelve-month leadership journey.

Now entering its eighth cohort, GenAngus continues to build on its reputation as the sector’s leading leadership initiative. Since its inception in 2019, more than 80 alumni have progressed through the program, many stepping into management roles, expanding enterprises, purchasing land and contributing actively to their local and national Angus communities.

Demand for the 2026 intake was the strongest recorded to date, reflecting a clear shift across the industry: young producers are not only investing in genetics and systems, they are investing in leadership capability and long-term business resilience.

Set against the timeless backdrop of Goonoo Goonoo Station, the 2026 cohort will explore strategic decision-making,

governance, supply chain insight, financial literacy, communication and personal leadership. But perhaps most importantly, they will build enduring relationships across regions and enterprises, strengthening the future network of the Angus community.

Because the future of Angus is not simply measured in performance data, it is built on people.

Angus Australia Chief Executive Officer, Scott Wright, said demand for the 2026 program reflected the growing appetite for structured leadership development.

“The response to the 2026 GenAngus Future Leaders Program has been exceptional, with applications received at almost one position for every five applicants,” Mr Wright said. “This level of interest reinforces the value of the program and the importance young people across the beef industry place on developing strong business and leadership capability.”

Chief Executive Officer of Achmea Farm Insurance, Emma Thomas, said the partnership aligns strongly with Achmea’s commitment to Australian farming communities.

“As a specialist agricultural insurer with a strong co operative heritage, Achmea Farm Insurance understands the value of shared knowledge and long-term thinking,” Ms Thomas said. “GenAngus is a program created by agricultural leaders for emerging leaders, and it plays an important role in helping participants build confidence, capability and resilience. We are proud to support a program that invests in people and contributes to the long-term strength of the beef industry.”

Meet the 2026 GenAngus future leaders

Kate Campbell – New Zealand

Raised in North Canterbury, Kate developed an early passion for agriculture and the outdoors, which led her to complete a Bachelor of Agriculture at Lincoln University.

She has since built her career shepherding across diverse livestock systems in New Zealand’s South Island and is currently working at Mt Arrowsmith Station, managing sheep, beef and deer enterprises. In addition to her full-time role, she operates her own Merino wool classing business over winter, reflecting both technical capability and entrepreneurial drive.

Grounded in practical stockmanship and high-country resilience, Kate approaches leadership through hands-on experience and a disciplined work ethic. She joins GenAngus seeking to broaden her commercial understanding and strengthen strategic decision-making beyond the farm gate.

Simon Close – Victoria

A fifth-generation farmer at Kurra Wirra in Western Victoria, Simon combines strong family tradition with contemporary enterprise management.

After studying and working within the finance sector, he returned home to manage the cattle enterprise, overseeing 1,400 commercial Angus cows joined to Wagyu bulls alongside 700 stud cows across Angus, Red Angus and Slick Angus programs. He also serves as a committee member of the Red Angus Society of Australia and remains actively involved in his local community.

Simon brings analytical discipline, financial literacy and a strategic mindset to GenAngus. He is focused on refining long-term business positioning while balancing productivity, genetic advancement and responsible custodianship of land and livestock.

Tyla Comerford – New South Wales

With degrees in Agriculture and Business (Marketing), Tyla has intentionally pursued a career spanning the breadth of the beef supply chain.

Her experience includes organic export beef operations, corporate livestock agency, feedlot and backgrounding systems in North America, and specialised work as a lab technician and semen analyst at a bull collection centre. Now Central Sales Representative at StockLive, she works closely with producers navigating evolving market expectations.

Tyla brings global exposure, commercial insight and a strong communication skillset to GenAngus. She is committed to strengthening industry collaboration and positioning the seedstock sector for longterm growth and sustainability.

Jessica Dewar – Western Australia

Jessica is co-owner and operator of Ardcairnie Angus in Western Australia, managing both seedstock and commercial herds alongside her husband Joe while raising their young family.

Beyond production, she plays a key role in connecting and promoting the WA Angus community as coordinator of WA Angus News. Through magazine production, sale catalogue design and digital promotion, she combines breeding integrity with strong visual communication and brand storytelling. Jessica brings a multidimensional leadership perspective to GenAngus, understanding that modern enterprise success relies on both performance and presentation. She is passionate about industry advocacy and strengthening regional collaboration across Western Australia.

Alex Ferguson – Tasmania

Originally from Murmungee in North East Victoria, Alex grew up within a mixed farming enterprise centred on a commercial Angus herd.

After completing a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Charles Sturt University, she relocated to Tasmania and joined the team at Landfall Angus in 2021. Now serving as Farm Manager, she oversees livestock performance, pasture systems and operational planning within one of Tasmania’s respected seedstock programs.

Alex blends scientific understanding with practical enterprise leadership, working within structured breeding programs while maintaining strong team collaboration. Through GenAngus, she aims to deepen strategic capability and expand her awareness of national industry dynamics.

Marie Fitzpatrick – New Zealand

Based in Oxford, Marie farms alongside her husband Andrew while raising their two young children. Together they manage an 1,100-cow dairy operation and oversee Timperlea Angus, their 150-head Angus stud. A qualified chef by trade, Marie holds a genuine paddock-to-plate appreciation for quality beef production. She has long been involved in Angus youth initiatives, including competing in two World Forums and assisting with the revitalisation of Generation Angus in New Zealand. Marie brings global experience, communication strength and a firm belief in mentorship to GenAngus. Her focus lies in strengthening leadership capability while balancing commercial performance with family enterprise growth.

Peter Gaffney – Queensland

A sixth-generation farmer, Peter’s career has been shaped by both agriculture and service. His professional journey includes pastoral work in Central Queensland, livestock agency roles, international rugby across multiple countries and military deployment, including combat operations in Iraq. Now returned to the family enterprise with his wife Samantha and their daughters, he applies discipline, resilience and operational focus to cattle production.

Peter approaches GenAngus with a strong leadership foundation built on responsibility and legacy. He is committed to strengthening enterprise sustainability while maintaining deep family and community ties.

Troy Hagenbach – Queensland

Troy’s progression within the seedstock sector reflects determination and practical enterprise growth. Beginning his career with Charolais and Ultrablack cattle, he advanced into property management roles and now serves as Stud Livestock Manager at Booroomooka Angus. A cattle owner since 2010, he joins his herd to registered Angus bulls with clear genetic and profitability objectives.

Troy is driven by the ambition to expand and eventually purchase his own property. Through GenAngus, he seeks to strengthen business acumen, deepen supply chain understanding and build lasting professional networks within the Angus community.

Edward Hordern – New South Wales

Edward’s career bridges genetics, technology and international experience.

Following involvement in breeding and showing Angus cattle, he completed a Bachelor of Animal Science in Alberta while on a rodeo scholarship before specialising in bovine reproductive technologies. His embryo transfer and OPU expertise were refined in Oklahoma and Iowa before returning to Australia. Now working within Repro Hub, he contributes to reproductive innovation and laboratory development. Edward brings scientific depth and global perspective to GenAngus, with a focus on applying advanced reproductive technologies to practical commercial impact.

Jess Roe – New South Wales

Jess returned to her family’s commercial and registered Angus enterprise near Rosewood and Holbrook after completing a Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Bioscience.

Since returning home, she has increased her involvement in breeding management, reproductive planning and operational oversight, strengthening the direction of the family herd. Her decision to reenter agriculture reflects both personal conviction and commitment to enterprise continuity.

Jess approaches GenAngus with a desire to build leadership confidence and expand her understanding of business strategy, ensuring sustainable growth within the family operation.

Click this link or scan the QR code to learn more about the Angus Foundation and the GenAngus Future Leaders Program

Tom Stuart – Victoria

Tom’s pathway into beef production began in his teenage years milking cows, where a strong work ethic and interest in livestock management were formed.

After completing his Diploma of Agriculture in 2020, he transitioned fully into beef production and now serves as Assistant Manager at The Sisters Pastoral in South West Victoria. His experience has strengthened his operational skills and passion for the Angus breed.

Tom joins GenAngus focused on broadening business literacy and positioning himself for greater leadership responsibility within large-scale beef enterprises.

Madison Sudlow – Western Australia

Madison Sudlow is based in Northampton WA, where her family operates Kapari Angus Stud alongside sheep and broadacre cropping operations. After growing up within the family farming business Maddy pursued her interest in Agriculture by attending Murdoch University to study a Bachelor of Agricultural Science. During her time as university Maddy involved herself in numerous programs including Australian Rural Leadership Foundation’s ‘The Drought Resilience Leaders Program’, the Livestock Collective ‘Livestock Leaders’ Program, and attending the Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging Association Wagga Wagga conference. Before returning to the family farm, Maddy spent some time as a Research Agronomist.

Brandon Sykes – Victoria

As Farm Manager at Mawarra Genetics, Brandon plays a key role within a prominent seedstock operation supplying Angus and Hereford genetics across Australia and internationally.

Alongside this, he operates BJS Livestock Photography and Mawarra B Livestock with his family, blending production with professional livestock presentation. His leadership credentials include serving as Herefords Australia Youth President and receiving the RASV Emerging Leader Award.

Brandon brings strong industry engagement, international exposure and communication strength to GenAngus. He remains committed to advancing leadership within the broader beef community.

Jack White – New South Wales

Farming near Mudgee with his brother Harry and their families, Jack co-manages Coffin Creek Angus, a commercial and seedstock cattle enterprise.

Their annual operations include marketing weaners, breeding females and registered bulls through both digital platforms and on-property sales. Jack maintains a keen interest in genetics, structural design and progressive land management practices that enhance long-term productivity.

As a husband and father of three, Jack views leadership through the dual lens of commercial performance and generational stewardship. He joins GenAngus seeking to strengthen strategic capability and broaden industry networks.

A twelve-month leadership journey

Following the four-day program at Goonoo Goonoo Station, participants will undertake a structured twelve-month leadership journey focused on business capability, industry insight and personal development.

Supported by the Angus Australia Foundation and Achmea Farm

Insurance, GenAngus reflects a shared commitment to long-term thinking and strengthening the future of the Angus breed.

The 2026 cohort represents diverse geographies, enterprise types and professional backgrounds, unified by a willingness to step forward and shape the next chapter of the beef industry.

THE ANGUS SHELF

AUTUMN 2026

A considered selection for the season ahead, stories, ideas and perspectives to take with you beyond the paddock.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

WILLIAM KAMKWAMBA

An inspiring story of ingenuity in rural Africa. A reminder of resilience and resourcefulness — qualities well understood across our industry.

Legacy

JAMES KERR

An accessible look at culture and leadership through the lens of the All Blacks. Its themes of humility, high standards and long term thinking resonate strongly in multi generational operations.

Range

DAVID EPSTEIN

Explores why people with broad experience often outperform narrow specialists. A timely reminder for family businesses thinking about succession, diversification and encouraging young people to explore before returning home.

Smarter Faster Better

CHARLES DUHIGG

A book about productivity and decision making. For producers navigating performance data, genomics and market signals, the lessons on focus and clarity are surprisingly relevant.

What’s on the bedside table this season

Autumn has a different rhythm. Sale catalogues begin to thin out, mornings turn cooler, and there’s a little more space to think between jobs. Whether it’s a few quiet pages before bed, an audiobook in the ute, or something to flick through on a Sunday afternoon, this season lends itself to reading that stretches the mind beyond day to day operations.

Here are a few titles finding their way onto kitchen tables, office desks and into sheds across rural Australia.

Thinking in Bets

ANNIE DUKE

Written by a former professional poker player, this is a sharp look at decision making under uncertainty. Agriculture has always involved risk. This book offers a practical way to think about it.

Atomic Habits

JAMES CLEAR

A practical look at how small, consistent improvements compound over time. Highly relevant to breeding programs, business systems and day to day routines.

The Culture Code

DANIEL COYLE

A practical guide to building strong teams and trust. Useful reading for anyone involved in committees, sale teams, youth programs or growing rural businesses.

A note from the Bulletin Team

If there’s a book that has shaped your breeding program, influenced your business thinking or changed the way you approach leadership, we’d love to hear about it.

The Reading List will become a regular seasonal feature, shaped by recommendations from across the Angus community.

Sometimes the best ideas don’t come from a paddock walk or a data sheet — but from a page turned at the right time.

Book cover images are reproduced for editorial purposes. All rights remain with the respective publishers and authors.

Staff Directory

Scott Wright, Chief Executive Officer

P: 02 6773 4636 · M: 0428 221 008 E: scott.wright@angusaustralia.com.au

Carel Teseling, Chief Operating Officer

M: 0439 368 283

E: carel.teseling@angusaustralia.com.au

Elliott Connors, Accountant

P: 02 6773 4624 · E: Elliott.Connors@angusaustralia.com.au

Christine Kirkman, Accounts Officer

P: 02 6773 4612 · E: christine.kirkman@angusaustralia.com.au

Jake Bourne, Business Development Executive P: 02 6773 4633 · M: 0456 792 504 E: jake.bourne@angusaustralia.com.au

Mel Strasburg, Executive Assistant to the CEO and Events Coordinator

P: 02 6773 4651 · E: mel.strasburg@angusaustralia.com.au

Harry Lynn, Economic Research Assistant to CEO P: 02 6773 4610 · E: harry.lynn@angusaustralia.com.au

Carole Johns, Accounts Officer P: 02 6773 4628 · E: carole.johns@angusaustralia.com.au

Susan Webeck, Accounts Officer P: 02 6773 4606 · E: sue@angusaustralia.com.au

MARKETPLACE & ADMINISTRATION

Kathryn Duddy, Company Secretary & Senior Business Manager

P: 02 6773 4614 · E: kathryn.duddy@angusaustralia.com.au

M: 0447 332 202 · E: communications@angusaustralia.com.au

Robyn Kelly, Administration Officer

P: 02 6773 4615 · E: robyn@angusaustralia.com.au

Heather Rocks, Marketing Officer

P: 02 6773 4621 · E: heather.rocks@angusaustralia.com.au

Caroline Laine, Marketing & Communications Manager M: 0419 408 065 · E: caroline.laine@angusaustralia.com.au

Ellie Dunlevy, Graphic Designer P: 02 6773 4627 · E: ellie.dunlevy@angusaustralia.com.au

El Byriell, Marketing Coorinator

P: 02 67734625 E: marketing@angusaustralia.com.au

Staff Directory

OPERATIONS

GENETIC IMPROVEMENT

Liam Mowbray, Research and Development Specialist

P: 02 6773 4603

E: liam.mowbray@angusaustralia.com.au

Malshani Samaraweera, Geneticist

P: 02 6773 4622

E: malshani@angusaustralia.com.au

Nick Butcher, Project Officer, ASBP P: 02 6773 4638 · M: 0427 701 236 E: nick@angusaustralia.com.au

Hanlie Jansen, Genetic Improvement Specialist

P: 02 6773 4641 · M: 0427 943 436

E: hanlie.jansen@angusaustralia.com.au

INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Ryan Birch, Computer Programmer E: ryan.birch@angusaustralia.com.au

Chris Hocking, Computer Programmer E: chris.hocking@angusaustralia.com.au

Dr Gerard Hammond, angus.tech Software Manager E: gerard.hammond@angusaustralia.com.au EXTENSION

Nancy Crawshaw, Extension Manager

P: 02 6773 4643 · M: 043 633 7652

E: nancy.crawshaw@angusaustralia.com.au

Dale Curtis, Computer Programmer E: dale.curtis@angusaustralia.com.au

Lei Qian, Computer Programmer P: 02 6773 4600 · E: lei.qian@angusaustralia.com.au

Dr Brad Hine, Extension Officer

E: brad.hine@angusaustralia.com.au

MEMBER SERVICES

Tammy McLeod, Member Services & Data Specialist

P: 02 6773 4604 · E: tammy.mcleod@angusaustralia.com.au

Rachael Constable, Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 4615 · E: rachael.constable@angusaustralia.com.au

Raelene Mold, Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 4605 · E: raelene.mold@angusaustralia.com.au

Lou Wood, Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 4617 · E: office@angusaustralia.com.au

Georgia Daley, Senior Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 4623 · E: georgia.daley@angusaustralia.com.au

Jorja Watt, Member Services Officer P: 02 6773 4607 · E: jorja.watt@angusaustralia.com.au

Andrew Brennan, Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 4611 · E: andrew.brennan@angusaustralia.com.au

Nadia Scanlon, Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 8710 · E: nadia.scanlon@angusaustralia.com.au

office@angusaustralia.com.au | (02) 6773 4600 | Angus Australia Locked Bag 11, Armidale NSW 2350 www.angusaustralia.com.au

KNOW YOUR GENETICS, KNOW YOUR FUTURE. Predictability isn’t luck… It’s registered. When you buy a registered Angus bull, you’re investing in proven genetics that deliver consistency, performance and breeding confidence. No surprises, just the assurance that comes with registered high quality Angus cattle. Choose confidence. Choose progress. Discover registered Angus genetics at angusaustralia.com.au