JANUARY 2016
Postage Paid WEMBLEY WA 6913 Australia
Print Post Approved Print Post Publication Number - 100005480. If undeliverable please return to Newsletter Coordinator, WA Angus Committee, PO Box 94, Wembley, WA, 6913.
CHAIRMAN’S UPDATE
Breeders because without them we would not have the quality of cattle available today.
Dear Cattle Enthusiasts,
Again I would like to ask you to please consider coming to the WA Angus State Committee AGM in March/April 2016 when the date is finally set. The notice of the AGM will be on the Angus Australia Homepage so please keep an eye out for this.
I am here writing this report so this means that another year has gone and what a year it has been!
I thank this year’s committee for an outstanding job. It is not getting easier to attend these meetings as we seem to becoming very time poor, but without your support getting WA cattle producer’s messages to the appropriate sources, our concerns would find it hard to get an audience.
Cattle are selling as if there is no tomorrow!! Record or near record prices have occurred in the sale yards and at auction. There is unprecedented demand for cattle of all types; due to domestic and export markets screaming out for beef. Let’s hope that this demand is sustainable so that we can consolidate and spend money on streamlining our businesses with improvements on infrastructure and genetics if such things are needed.
Wishing you all the best for the coming season and may the buoyancy of the cattle market continue for some considerable time yet!
Events have occurred in my region with some devastating fires occurring in November. These Esperance fires were breathtaking in their intensity. Farms were destroyed. The fire burned so fast and hot that the aftermath left paddocks like beach sand and the lightest of breezes would see the soil drift. It is hard to believe that a fire could burn 100km from west to east in such a short time. The fire was tragic as the community lost four lives that afternoon.
Yours Sincerely,
Andrew Kuss Chairman WA Angus State Committee
But that was not the only destruction to occur that day. The 100kph winds and the 42C day also caused huge losses to farmers not affected by the fires by decimating Barley crops and Canola crops either swathed or standing. And then we have the horrific fires from Waroona to Harvey completely destroying the town of Yarloop. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the people affected by such soul destroying events. Anyway I had better get back to talking about cattle. The Bull selling season is upon us. Catalogues will be posted on the web or mailed to you. It is amazing to see how many bulls are available Australia wide. A lot of dedicated breeders are doing their upmost to provide a wide range of bulls from varying genetics to suit your needs. Take your time going through the sale catalogues as I am sure you will be able to find many bulls suitable to your enterprise. Please support your local Bull 1
Changes to Processing of Angus BREEDPLAN Data
As you will see in this edition of the newsletter it is bull selling & buying time in WA! Why should you consider ANGUS as your best purchasing option???
Angus Australia wishes to advise members that as of January 4th 2016, the processing of all Angus performance information, enrolments and enquires for Angus BREEDPLAN will be handled by the Angus Australia office.
**Market Demand & Versatility **Superior Fertility & Maternal Ability
From this date onwards, all performance data submissions and Angus BREEDPLAN enquiries should be directed to the Angus Australia office, rather than ABRI.
**Finest Meat Quality **Hardness & Efficiency
The new contact details for Angus Australia will be as follows: Angus BREEDPLAN Email | breedplan@angusaustralia.com.au Phone | 02 6773 4600 Fax | 02 6772 3095 Address: Locked Bag 11, Armidale, NSW, 2350
**Best All Round Balance **Documented Gene Pool **Committed Service Backup
In association with this change, Angus Australia is pleased to announce the appointment of Ashleigh Horne as Project Officer (Angus BREEDPLAN). Ashleigh grew up in south-east QLD, on her family’s small farm outside of Pittsworth. Since 2012, she has been working towards finishing a Bachelor of Rural Science at the University of New England, whilst being employed by Angus Australia in the Member Services Team.
HELP WANTED!
As the new Project Officer (Angus BREEDPLAN), Ashleigh will be co-ordinating the management of performance data input for inclusion in Angus BREEDPLAN analysis and participating in related RD&E projects.
The WA Angus News is a publication that goes out to readers 3 times a year - JANUARY, MAY & OCTOBER. As the coordinator I rely on the support of Angus Members to not only contribute material but to also ADVERTISE in the newsletter! This advertising support is what keeps the newsletter operating. If you want to support the Angus breed, particularly in WA, please think about advertising in the newsletter -
Angus Australia Chief Executive Officer, Dr Peter Parnell said “Angus Australia is very fortunate to have been able to appoint someone of Ashleigh’s calibre to this role”. “Ashleigh is very familiar with the Angus Australia organisation, having previously held the positon of Senior Member Services Officer.” “Ashleigh is held in high regard by members and will play a key role in facilitating the smooth transition of performance data input from ABRI to Angus Australia”.
WE WOULD LOVE YOUR SUPPORT!! Please contact Shezanne on the details below Phone 08 9242 8894 or 0409 025 099 Email waangusnews@yahoo.com.au
Ashleigh will be based in the Angus Australia office in Armidale and can be contacted on (02) 6773 4603 or ash@angusaustralia.com.au *From Angus e-News 6/1/16 - www.angusaustralia.com.au
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WORLD’S BEST STEAK COMPETITION
ANGUS SIRE BENCHMARKING PROGRAM This is an example of MSA Marble Score 8. And what’s more it’s pure ANGUS from a steer, by an Australian bred bull having just completed a 270 day feeding trial in Rangers Valley Feed Lot as part of the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program.
This competition was held in London in October. There were seventy entries from the world’s leading beef producing countries. Nine GOLD medals were awarded of which Australia was awarded four.
GOLD MEDAL WINNERS: By - COUNTRY
By - BREED
Australia
4
Angus (Pure)
5
This program was started in 2010 and is about to enter its sixth year. Seedstock breeders enter a bull and provide 100 straws of semen which is allocated to co-operator herds throughout Australia.
USA
1
Wagyu (Pure)
1
The mating is based on one round of fixed time AI to produce about 15 steer and 15 heifer progeny.
Japan
1
Wagyu/ F2Angus cross
1
Canada
1
Angus cross
1
Scotland
1
Wagyu crosses
1
England
1
These progeny are monitored from birth to maturity with the steer progeny going through a 100 day feed efficiency trial before the final feeding period in the Rangers Valley Feed Lot to bring them up to the total period on feed of 270 days. To date 1470 steers have been analysed which represents the progeny from 122 ANGUS Bulls. This is a largest test program ever run in Australia and is generating invaluable information for the Angus breed and the wider beef breeding industry.
Note 1. The overall winner was the Wagyu/F2Angus cross from Australia. Note 2. The Angus cross and the Wagyu cross were not specified as to full breed description.
It shows that there is a strong correlation between the performance of the progeny and the EBVs of participating sires. It also shows that the ANGUS breed as a pure breed is well able to meet the specifications for the lucrative export markets for marbled beef.
The performance of the ANGUS breed was outstanding with pure bred ANGUS winning five gold medals out of the nine awarded.
It comes as no surprise that the performance of the ANGUS breed in the WORLD’S BEST STEAK COMPETITION was so outstanding.
Need we say more? “ANGUS The BREED of Choice” says it all!
~ Thanks to Don MacLeay for these contributions on behalf of WA Angus Committee, it is much appreciated.
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Angus Sire Summary January 2016
ASBP - Cohort 6 AI Program Completed
The fixed-time AI joining program to produce the Cohort 6 calves of the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program (ASBP) has been completed. Overall, this Cohort involves 41 new Angus sires joined to The latest Angus Breedplan Sire Summary, based on the January 2,556 females (including 202 yearling heifers) across 7 co- 2016 analysis is available for download. operator herds. The Sire Summary includes a listing of EBVs and Index values for Angus sires with 50 or more progeny, and with progeny regisTo view a list of the 41 Cohort 6 sires go to the Angus Australia tered in the last 2 years. website and head to the e-News December 2015 section. Each sire received an average of 61 joining’s spread evenly across each The Sire Summary also contains lists of the top 100 sires for each of the 7 co-operator herds. individual EBV and Index Value. To download the January 2016 Sire Summary go to the Angus The fixed time AI program utilised the Cue-MateŽ and PregAustralia website - www.angusaustralia.com.au necolTM products from Vetoquinol, along with valued technical advice and support. *From Angus e-News 6/1/16 - www.angusaustralia.com.au Pregnancy testing is scheduled to start early in the new year to determine the success of the fixed time AI program. *From Angus e-News Dec 2015 - www.angusaustralia.com.au
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Cattle methane emission downsized by 24 per cent That was one of the headlines in MLA’s Friday Feedback email on 18th December 2015 - good news, although some of us realise that methane emissions from cattle are not a problem when compared to methane emissions from other sources never mentioned in Greenhouse Gas discussions (eg wetlands, termites, oceans, landfills, fossil fuels).
Bull sale day: Tuesday 2nd February On farm, Maybenup, 7.5kms south of Kojonup on the Albany Highway; inspections from 11am; complimentary light lunch; sale starts 1.30pm.
Main points (with the italics mine) from the article follow; email me MAYBENUP@bigpond.com and I will forward that Friday Feedback to you.
The McGregors, in addition to offering sound, high performance bulls, also offer:
Methane emissions from cattle in Australia are 24 per cent lower than previously estimated, equivalent to 12.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, following analysis of new Australian research data. (The analysis used a revised calculation method; the former methods had been mainly on dairy cattle in the 1960’s and 1990’s; this one was based on data collected over eight years of research into ways to reduce cattle emissions.)
The new methodology also brings the NGGI in line with the estimates of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the leading international body on the assessment of climate change, which was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organisation in 1988. There were large differentials between the NGGI and IPCC emissions figures.
MLA General Manager, On Farm Innovation, Dr Matthew McDonagh, said the results of this Australian research provide an accurate dataset which clearly show our cattle contribute substantially less to methane emissions than previously believed. “This is positive news for the Australian livestock sector as it seeks to continually improve its production efficiencies and demonstrate its environmental credentials.”
MLA Manager, Sustainable Feedbase, Dr Tom Davison, said the latest research findings from the National Livestock Methane Program (NLMP) also showed there are a number of simple management measures producers can implement to substantially reduce methane emissions while increasing productivity.
A catalogue of their entire bull turn-off giving the widest choice of Ardcairnie genetics on sale day for potential buyers; A reserve selling price published in the catalogue for each bull; Abundant choice of genetics - possibly 20 different sires of sale bulls; Bulls catalogued and penned in age order (= good bulls throughout the catalogue); Bulls free of the genetic conditions AM, NH, CA and DD; Bulls vaccinated with Ultravac 7 in 1, Vibrovax and Pestigard; Bulls Ear Notch Tested clear of BVDV; Bulls semen tested and morphology assessed; Bulls run in one mob since weaning; Seventeen EBVs and four $Indexes are in the catalogue for each bull; Details of all reference sires are included; All bulls catalogued would be happily used in the Ardcairnie stud/commercial herds; A letter to their mailing list immediately after the sale advising which bulls are still available should a bull be required later. A copy of the catalogue can be posted to you, just ring - 08 9831 0401 / 0417 942 326
The catalogue is available in full on our website www.ardcairnieangus.com.au The sale bulls information is available on the Angus Australia website: www.angusaustralia.com.au
“Some of these are as simple as integrating leucaena into grazing systems, improving growth rates or herd reproductive performance, while other future techniques may include feeding red-algae to livestock and have been prioritised for further research.”
If you’d like to see the bulls before the sale, call us to arrange a time.
Contributed by Pam McGregor, Kojonup.
Our contact details: Jim and Pam McGregor
**Below is the link to the MLA press release http://www.mla.com.au/About-MLA/Media-releases/Mediareleases/Cattle-methane-emission-downsized-by-24-per-cent
Phone 08 9831 0401 Mobile 0417 942 326
(Many thanks to Pam for this contribution - it is much appreciated!!)
Email MAYBENUP@bigpond.com 5
cols for international exchange of genetic information, and exchange of technical material related to the ongoing genetic improvement of Angus cattle and Angus beef in member countries”.
Angus Australia to host World Angus Forum in 2021
At its meeting in Mazatlan, Mexico the World Angus Secretariat agreed to a proposal by Angus Australia to host “Presentations by member countries at the World Angus Secretariat meeting indicated that the Angus breed conthe World Angus Forum in Australia during 2021. tinues to grow in prominence in all major beef producing The Secretariat meeting, hosted by the Mexican Angus countries. The dominance of Angus based beef brands Association, included delegates from USA, Canada, UK, across the world is a clear indication of the continued Germany, Argentina, Sweden, Uruguay, Portugal, Brazil, recognition of Angus as the breed of choice for quality Columbia, New Zealand and Australia. Angus Australia beef production”, said Dr Parnell. was represented by Mr Hugh Munro (President) and Dr The next World Angus Forum will be conducted in ScotPeter Parnell (CEO). land between 15th June and 3rd July 2017. Further de“Angus Australia was honoured by the decision of the tails of the Forums to be conducted in Scotland (2017) World Angus Secretariat to award the 2021 Forum to and Australia (2021) will be available on the Angus AusAustralia”, said Mr Munro. “Hosting of the Forum in tralia website in the near future. Australia will be a fitting way to celebrate 100 years of the existence of the Angus Society of Australia (Angus Australia) which will occur in 2019”, he said.
The 2015 World Angus Secretariat was held in Mazatlan, Mexico.
Angus Australia CEO, Dr Peter Parnell, said that “The World Angus Secretariat is an important body which sets international standards for pedigree recording and maintenance of Herd Books by member countries. It is also an important forum for the establishment of proto-
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- 15 Angus steers, Connelly Creek Grazing, North Brookton WA, made 336c/kg or $1,104. - 14 Angus steers, 342kg, Connelly Creek Grazing, North Brookton WA, made 327c/kg or $1,117.
Angus & Angus Influenced Cattle Demanded! Saleyard prices in the lead up to Christmas eased slightly, but the demand for Angus and Angus influenced cattle continued in Victoria and Western Australia. The Ballarat store sale (VIC 18/12/15) cow and calf market was topped by a pen of 10 Angus cows and calves. Offered by VG & SM Richards, the cows made $1,720. The same vendor offered 30 Angus steers that made up to 338c/kg for 355kg steers, to make $1,200 per head.
The Landmark Manjimup weaner sale (WA 15/12/15), also saw Angus steers realise the top price for cents per kilogram. Kanangra Angus offered 11 pens of Angus steers, with their top pen making the sale top of 336c/kg or $1,227. Four pens of 13 Angus steers made between 334 and 336c/kg or $910 to $1,145. Other pens of 12 sold for between 310 and 330c/kg or $1,126 to $1,175.
Other Ballarat results: - 49 Angus steers, 327kg, Worndoo Park, made 321c/ kg or $1,050. - 30 Angus steers, 413kg, Narweena Partnership, made 305c/kg or $1,260.
Other results around Australia: Pakenham (VIC 17/12/15): - 12 Angus steers, 2 teeth, K & H Brown, French Island VIC, made $1,570. - 28 Angus steers, D Gilfillan, Mt Eliza VIC, made $1,170 - $1,380.
The highest price per kilogram paid at the Kyneton store cattle sale (VIC 16/12/15) was 337c/kg. The price was achieved for 13 March drop Angus weaner steers, on account of Ken and Glenys Kelly, making $1,130 per head. FULLY
Elders Mt Barker weaner sale (WA 17/12/15): - 13 Angus weaner steers, 254kg, LT Toovey & Sons, made 341c/kg or $866. - 21 Angus cross weaner steers, 326kg, Quintarra Farms, made 330c/kg or $1,075. - 10 Angus cross weaner steers, 334kg, ME & R Henderson, made 312c/kg or $1,042. - 12 Angus weaner steers, 342kg, Ten Year Developments, made 310c/kg or $1,060.
The top price for cows and calves was $1,500, when a GUARANTEED pen of 7 mixed age Angus cows with calves at foot, offered by Murphy and Barker, Barfold VIC, were knocked down for the top price.
Landmark Mt Barker weaner sale (WA 17/12/15): - 16 Angus weaner steers, 287kg, JR & ME Rodgers, made 335c/kg or $961. - 15 Angus weaner steers, 314kg, BL Petchall & SA Petchall, made 330c/kg or $1,036. - 17 Angus cross weaner steers, 335kg, MJ & VJ Neill, made 316c/kg or $1,058.
Other Kyneton results: - 60 PTIC Angus heifers, 20 months, GPI Pastoral, averaged $1,200 per head. The South West premium F1 female sale, held at Boyanup (WA 17/12/15) saw Angus influenced cattle dominate the results. A pen of 6 PTIC Angus cross Friesian heifers, made the sale top of $3,000. The top price pen was offered by EP & DK Gardiner who offered a total of 75 head overall to average just over $2,500.
*From Angus e-News 6/1/16 - www.angusaustralia.com.au
Unjoined heifers were knocked down for a top of $1,850 on two occasions. Firstly for a pen of 6 Angus cross Friesian heifers on account of R & C Italiano and then again for a pen of 10 Angus cross Friesian heifers offered by the Neil Family. Weaner sales in Western Australia continued their strong start with Angus steers topping the cents per kilogram at the Elders Boyanup weaner sale (WA 16/12/15). Knocked down for 352c/kg were 16 Angus steers on account of Jasper Hill Resources, Rosa Glen WA. The 276kg steers made $972 per head. A further two lines of 15 Angus steers offered by the same vendor made 350c/ kg ($1,004) and $344c/kg ($857). Other Boyanup weaner sale results: - 14 Angus steers, 294kg, Connelly Creek Grazing, North Brookton WA, made 339c/kg or $997. - 15 Angus steers, Connelly Creek Grazing, North Brookton WA, made 338c/kg or $1057. 8
Aussie beef exports miss setting a new record in 2015 - just!
shipments were up 1% year-on-year, at 127,633 tonnes swt, while frozen declined 6%.
Even though imported beef prices to the US softened from their record highs during 2015, they still finished 2015 higher than the five-year average, and the lure meant that the US was the largest volume destination by a large margin. Shipments reached a record 415,951 tonnes swt, up 5% year-on-year and 75% on the five-year average.
Looking forward, a significant reduction in Australian beef and veal exports is expected in 2016, simply due to a large fall in production in the wake of three unprecedented years of cattle slaughter.
Korea proved itself a strong market for Australian beef, where the second year of tariff cuts assisted volumes to a 10% yearon-year increase and a 20% jump on the five-year average, at Australian beef and veal exports during December 2015 con- 166,588 tonnes swt. firmed the expectation of another huge shipping year, with the annual total coming in at 1.285 million tonnes swt – down just Only just missing being a record volume, Australian shipments 0.15% from the record set in 2014 (Department of Agriculture to China in 2015 were 148,222 tonnes swt, up 19% year-onyear and a staggering 128% on the five-year average. There and Water Resources). was a small volume (6,998 tonnes swt) of chilled product exAs was widely documented during 2015, fuelling the sustained ported, with the majority frozen. large export volumes were the extremely high adult cattle kill, particularly during the first half of the year, a weakening A$ dur- Volumes to the remaining Australian beef export destinations can be seen in the table below. ing the year, and the strong global demand for beef.
Encouragingly, the growth in chilled beef shipments to the US was up to an even greater extent than frozen. Chilled beef exports were up 23% year-on-year and 122% on the five-year average, at 87,121 tonnes swt. Frozen shipments for 2015 were 328,830 tonnes swt, up 1% year-on-year and 66% on the fiveyear average. Australian beef and veal exports to Japan lost some ground from the year before (down 3%), at 285,224 tonnes swt. This was slightly lower than expectations, considering the reduced competition from the US, with a comparatively higher currency and a tariff advantage through the JAEPA. Nevertheless, chilled
*From Angus Australia website ‘Links - Australian Beef Industry –MLA/11 January 2016’
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‘Angus Youth News’
Proposed Bull
The Angus Youth National Roundup will be done and dusted by the time you are reading this so if you want to catch up on the Roundup news head to www.angusyouth.org and head to the latest news section to check out all the photos and stories!!
Sale Dates - 2016! (Subject to change and some sales will have already been held!!)
JANUARY Friday, 15 Tuesday, 19
Lawsons Angus Bull Sale Jerdacuttup Multi-Breed Bull Sale Mt Barker
FEBRUARY Tuesday, 2
Ardcairnie Angus Bull Sale, Kojonup (see ad on PG 5) Tuesday, 9 Little Meadows Angus Bull Sale, Dardanup Wednesday, 10 Monterey Angus Bull Sale, Karridale Friday, 12 Mordallup Angus Bull Sale, Manjimup Thursday, 18 Carenda Angus Bull Sale, Brunswick (see ad on PG 4) Friday, 19 Diamond Tree Angus Bull Sale, Manjimup (see ad on PG 6) Monday, 22 Koojan Hills Angus Bull Sale, Kojonup (see ad on PG 7) Thursday, 25 Blackrock Angus Bull Sale, Boyanup (see ad on PG 12) Friday, 26 New Generation and Cherylton Angus Bull Sale, Boyanup (see ad on PG 11)
Become an Angus Youth Member... Each year more juniors join Angus Youth to take advantage of the opportunities the program has to offer. Being an Angus Youth member also allows access to Angus Australia’s services as a junior member. Angus Youth membership is for those aged up to 25 years. However, many of the opportunities offered by Angus Youth are open to those up to 30 years of age. If you are over 25 years of age but wish to participate in the Angus Youth events/scholarships you will need to become a Full or Commercial Member of Angus Australia. SO…IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING
‘ANGUS YOUTH AUSTRALIA’ PLEASE CONTACT KAREN GOLDING 0408 956 985 or info@littlemeadowsangus.com.au
OR…VISIT THE ANGUS YOUTH WEBSITE www.angusyouth.org
The WA Angus News...
MARCH
The Newsletter is a project of the WA Angus Committee sent to Society members in WA, Federal Councillors & senior staff of the society, people we know of in WA who have bought Angus cattle, stock agents & press - around 1200 each issue!
Thursday, 3
The mailing list is continually revised and updated, so you may be receiving the WA Angus News for the first time. If you are on the mailing list & you would rather not be or if we don’t have your correct address, please advise the Newsletter & Mailing List Coordinator Shezanne Gibbs-Hooper Phone - 08 9242 8894 or 0409 025 099 Email - waangusnews@yahoo.com.au
28th Multi-breed Bull Sale, Gingin Including - Black Tara, Cookalabi, Kapari and Warringah Angus Bulls (see ad’s on PG 9 & 12)
Post - PO Box 94, Wembley, WA 6913
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ANNUAL ANGUS BULL SALE Friday, February 26th, 2016 34 Bulls - Boyanup Saleyards FULLY GUARANTEED
Catalogues are available on request or at www.angusaustralia.com.au NEW GENERATION David & Jodie Hughan (08) 9728 0588 Mob 0417 970 997
CHERYLTON Don McNab (08) 9731 8430 - Mob 0409 114 278 Mike Cameron (08) 9834 2322 - Mob 0429 390 144 Chris Waddingham
Leon Giglia
0409 931 831
0407 931 036
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ANNUAL BULL SALE 58 BULLS
THE L I T N U WAIT H !! 25T
Including eight 2015 drop!!
Thursday 25th February 2016 Boyanup Saleyards - Starts at 1pm Catalogue available on our website - www.blackrockangus.com.au
Ken MacLeay Phone/Fax - 9755 1136 or 0438 926 363 Email - blackrockangus@bigpond.com
The WA Angus News is printed by A-Team Printing 81 Acton Avenue, Rivervale, WA, 6103 Ph: 08 9478 3188
...and remember for all the Bull Sale Dates, Results and any other information you may require go to the Angus Australia website - simply log on to www.angusaustralia.com.au and let your fingers do the surfing!!
WA ANGUS COMMITTEE Chairman Andrew Kuss 08 9076 1240 Vice Chairman Tony Sudlow 08 9936 2032
Treasurer Andrew Kuss 08 9076 1240
Committee Bruce Campbell 08 9525 2361
S. Gibbs-Hooper 08 9242 8894
Karen Golding 08 9728 1723
Tony Golding 08 9728 1723
Mark Hattingh 08 9655 7065
Andrew Kuss 08 9076 1240
Ken MacLeay 08 9755 1136
Jim McGregor 08 9831 0401
Pam McGregor 08 9831 0401
Greg Petricevich 0417 917 249
Lew Smit 08 9833 6250
Tony Sudlow 08 9936 2032
Allison Wolrige 08 9755 1123
Lindsay Wolrige 08 9755 1123
John Young 08 9884 5253 Secretary
Society Head Office
Gina Lowrie 08 6263 3100 PO Box 135, Claremont, WA 6910
02 6772 3011 Locked Bag 11, Armidale, NSW, 2350
Angus Australia Directors Tony Golding & Lindsay Wolrige 12