JUNIORS
FUTURE
bright for young stud principal T
HE Simmental breed is in good hands if 21 year old, Brodhi Carracher, is any indication.
Establishing his stud, Grangeburn Simmentals in 2013, on his family’s 730 hectare property, Brodhi has his sights set on raising the profile of the European beef breed. Starting out with one stud cow given to him by his parents, Faye and Damian, Brodhi quickly sold her and started his stud based on South Australian bloodline, Woonallee, and Wormbete bloodlines from New South Wales. Growing up on his family’s cattle and sheep properties in western Victoria, where they ran predominantly British Breeds, Brodhi, however, was attracted to the traits of the Simmental breed. “I was attracted to their milking ability, good growth rates and muscling, all the while retaining their softness,” he said. Brodhi established his stud aiming to produce moderate, meaty, stylish polled Simmental cattle.
who took part in five days of industry presentations, training workshops, a careers expo and two meat judging contests, during July in Wagga Wagga. “It is a very prestigious event and it’s the first time I’ve entered,” he said.
Brodhi Carracher, Grangeburn Simmentals, after he purchased the “I also participated in $9000 top priced heifer, Woonallee the South Australian Regal K13, at the Woonallee stud sale Junior Heifer Expo this in February 2015. year, exhibiting a black Simmental from Stuart Moeck’s Valley Creek Simmentals.”
“I have about 75 stud females, and three stud bulls at the moment,” he said.
Brodhi recently purchased the entire Juraley Simmental herd, in Yarram, Victoria, comprising 60 registered females, and two bulls, in a private sale in August.
“Last year I started selling bulls, and next January I will be taking part in my first field day, as part of Hamilton Beef Week.
He has big plans for his new herd of quality Juraley genetics.
“I will have some of my young Simmental bulls on display as well as some 20 month old bulls, plus a few females, and all will be for sale.” Currently in his third year of studying Veterinary Science at the Adelaide University, Brodhi tasted success recently at the 2016 Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging Association/MLA Intercollegiate Meat Judging Competition. In the Eating Quality Evaluation, Brodhi was named the runner-up in the individual placings, sponsored by Teys Brothers, and his Adelaide University team were named the Champion Eating Quality Evaluation Team at the event. Enjoying the practical side of his vet course, that undoubtedly helped Brodhi achieve such high marks in the Beef and Lamb judging at the competition.
Brodhi Carracher, Grangeburn Simmentals, with Valley Creek Lovestruck, at this year’s South Australian Junior Heifer Expo.
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SIMMENTAL SUMMER 2016
The young Simmental breeder was one of 170 students and coaches from 14 different institutions from Australia, Japan, Korea, Indonesia and the United States
“I’m planning to start an extensive AI program early to mid next year,” Brodhi said. “I also trade in about 40 Hereford/Simmental cross bred steers on my family’s farm,” he said. Brodhi said he really got his start in agriculture when his grandfather, Barry Dicker, gave him five Merino ewes when he was just nine years old. He now also operates Bruk Bruk East Friesian and Border Leicester stud, with his cousin, Rick Foster, at “Haven Park”, at Wando Vale, Victoria. “We currently run 250 stud ewes, and sell 100 rams each year,” he said. “Rick is also a strong user of Simmental genetics in his commercial Hereford cross herd.”
By Linda Mantova Brodhi Carracher after his success at this year’s ICMJ/MLA Intercollegiate Meat Judging Competition.