Directors’ Report

DIRECTORS’ DECLARATION

Droughtmaster Stud Breeders’ Society Limited For the year ended 31 March 2021 Directors Declaration

The directors have determined that the company is not a reporting entity and that this special purpose financial report should be prepared in accordance with the accounting policies outlined in Note 1 to the financial statements. The directors of the company declare that: 1. The financial statements and notes, as set out on pages 1 to 19 are in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001 (a) comply with Australian Accounting Standards as described in Note 1 to the financial statements and the Corporations Regulations 2001 (b) give a true and fair view of the financial position as at 31 March 2021 and of its performance for the year ended on that date in accordance with the accounting policies described in Note 1 to the financial statements 2. In the directors’ opinion there are reasonable grounds to believe that the company will be able to pay its debts as and when they become due and payable. This declaration is made in accordance with a resolution of the Board of Directors.

Todd Heyman, President Roger Underwood, Vice-President

REGISTRAR’S REPORT

It sure has been an exciting year. On joining Droughtmaster Australia in July 2020 little did I realise the journey that I had embarked on as Registrar and Member Services. On a daily basis it can be very hectic but I enjoy speaking with members and helping resolve issues relating to their Droughtmaster herds.

During my 9 months as the Register and looking after Member Services I have been very fortunate to welcome so many new members to the Society, helping turn aspirations into reality. Attracting passionate people from a variety of backgrounds, ages and postcodes - bringing with them new ideas, fresh enthusiasm and rejuvenation that can only continue to spread the “Droughtie addiction”.

We have also recently seen next generation families reactivate studs that were previously closed. The older generation are in awe and mildly shocked at the admiration the younger generations have for their lifetime efforts and the passion these young ones have, not only bringing these studs back to life but growing and improving them. It is also refreshing to see the value placed on continuing the traditions of that stud prefix and stud number.

I would especially like to thank all the long-standing members who are so willing to lend a hand, provide words of encouragement and advice to these new members. It does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

More and more schools are re-establishing their agricultural programs and the Droughtmaster is very often the breed of choice. The Society welcomes school memberships offering support to these programs in many ways. Once again, the support Droughtmaster members give these schools by the donation of straws or cattle and by providing advice and assistance is a credit to the generous nature of Droughtmaster members. These students are the future – buyers, breeders, members or consumers.

The herd book is rapidly recovering from the hit it took from the recent drought. It is wonderful to receive requests for the reactivation of so many females and the subsequent registration of two and even three generations of their calves. It is so fortunate that the attributes of the Droughtmaster breed have meant that members have been able to hang onto their best breeders and the girls have repaid in kind by doing what they do best.

DNA – who would have thought that we all would become so competent in reading spreadsheets and interpreting scientific information. Droughtmaster members have overwhelmingly embraced DNA testing, with more and more members testing their whole calf drop. The volume we have witnessed in the office has significantly grown over the past 12 months. The Office continues to work closely with ABRI and the laboratories to streamline the whole DNA process with special focus on unifying results and reporting which will enable swift and timely entry into the herd book. The aim is to have the process much more efficient over the next six to twelve months.

The new branding and associated marketing continue to really hit the mark. Over the year, I regularly fielded telephone and email enquiries about potential membership. We have seen a lot of these enquires turn into new members. It has been amazing to experience the number of stories and experiences people have with Droughtmasters, whether talking to them on the phone or out and about at sales and events with my Droughtmaster shirt on. It is this fondness for “Australia’s natural wonder” that makes the future exciting.

Leah Wall Registrar and Member Services

SALES AND EVENTS REPORT

Rondel Whiskey who sold for $160,000 to 3-way stud syndicate Nindethana Droughtmasters, High Country Droughtmasters & Glenlands D Droughtmasters at the 2020 National Droughtmaster Bull Sale.

Record price at 2021 National Droughtmaster Female Sale: Vendor Brandon Russell, Locarno Droughtmasters, Dingo, buyer Rowan Smith, Smithy’s Droughtmasters, Warwick, and selling agent, Andrew Meara, Elders Stud Stock, with the $29,000 leading lady, Locarno Piper (S). There were 20 standalone Droughtmaster auction sales held in 2020/21 along with three All Breeds sales which featured good sized Droughtmaster drafts. The total number of Droughtmasters sold through auction sales was up by 10%, the average up by 34%, strong clearance rates at 91% and the gross up by 47%. As members are aware, the Droughtmaster Australia re-brand occurred during the year which was also rolled out across Society Sponsored Sales. It is important that our branding is consistent across the Society and Society Sponsored Sales to have uniformity across the breed which in turn will create greater exposure and brand awareness. The year saw some high-priced bulls with Rondel Whiskey topping the National bull sale at $160,000, Glenlands D Bakers Dozen topping the Glenlands Sale at $120,000. Other notable high-priced bulls include Locarno Odin selling for $100,000 and Glenlands J Black Jack also selling for $100,000. Locarno Piper was the highest priced female sold at the National Female Sale for $29,000, setting a new record for this sale. The Gatton Futurity was one of the first shows on the calendar since the easing of COVID restrictions. A record of 49 exhibitors attended the show bringing 187 animals which is the second highest number of exhibits in the show’s history. There were 10 first time exhibitors attending the show, with included a large team from JJ Fitting service for numerous Central Zone members. Colonial Catering from Gatton catered the delicious meal for the Friday night meet and greet and overall the show was extremely successful.

MARKETING REPORT

WHAT AN exciting year it was in the marketing and promotions space, with changes to the masterbrand, a new website, the launch of ‘Our Story’, and a new social media platform “Droughtmaster Beef”. Supporting the Strategic Plan endorsed by the Board in November 2019, a key objective of “The Road Ahead” is to increase marketing and promotion to include the entire supply chain, and, a year down the track, we are well on the road to achieving this.

Rebrand

Droughtmaster approached branding agency, Brother & Co, with the remit to revitalize the brand with a new strategy, positioning and identity. Brother & Co conducted extensive research including numerous interviews with Society members and relevant industry players, and the feedback played a key role in the creation of the new brand. Of significant importance was the requirement to balance the heritage of the breed with the need to contemporise the brand to ‘talk’ to the entire supply chain. A new colour palette was also established, and has seen the brand adopting the more natural colours of the breed’s environment.

The result has been an overwhelming success, with the new brand and tagline “Australia’s natural wonder” now a real stand out from other breeds.

We have since rolled out the new branding across all communications interfaces, including our e-news templates, social media platforms, marketing materials, and signage.

Our Story Launch

and was officially released in November at a media launch, followed by a dinner involving Droughtmaster Board members, sponsors, and key industry guests. The video pays homage to the heritage of the breed, and it has since been another key tool in the marketing mix – beautifully depicting the attributes of breed that underpin its reputation as Australia’s natural wonder.

Droughtmaster Beef Facebook page

Food providence holds a lot of value for consumers, where people are becoming more genuinely interested in where their food comes from. To this end, we have created a new Facebook page (Droughtmaster Beef), which aims to educate consumers on the benefits of not only Droughtmaster beef, but red meat in general, as well as promoting key topics in the red meat industry, such as the environment, animal welfare and nutrition. The Droughtmaster Beef page aims to create stories that give insight into the whole beef supply chain.

Website

The new Droughtmaster website is a critical marketing tool for the Society, and, as a resource for both members and an information platform for users throughout the supply chain, we continue to focus on keeping it functional, aesthetically pleasing and relevant. The new website was launched with the new branding and with updated graphics, and I would like to take the opportunity to thank members Jenny Underwood and Sharon Harms for their contribution to the new image library.

Importantly we now use Google Analytics for our website which enables us to track and review the effectiveness of the website