Chance to secure quality three-in-one breeders

A genuine dispersal of Reiland blood three-in-one breeding units will be a highlight of the invitational Premier Angus Breeder Sale at Gundagai on February 21.

The sale will be held at the Gundagai saleyards from 11am and feature 1000 Reiland blood females and calves.

The dispersal of 100 PTIC seven-year-old spring calving cows, with their July-August drop calves, all Reiland blood, is account Glenn Lucas, Taranee Pastoral, Oberne Creek.

“This is a premier sale and all the cows I’m sending will be sound and without fault, and are a great opportunity for someone looking for breeding females,’’ Mr Lucas said.

He runs a herd of 650 Reiland blood, spring-calving females on his 630ha property, turning off steers at feedlot weights to JBS Australia.

Mr Lucas saw the multi-vendor invitational sale as an ideal venue to disperse quality females due to the sale of one of his holdings.

The cows on offer have seven-month-old calves and are back in calf to Reiland sires, including Reiland Duty D15 son, Reiland Hendon H43, a bull producing progeny with growth and muscle.

At Taranee, the cattle are run on undulating granitic country in a 750mm rainfall zone.

Calves are yard weaned on silage for 10-12 days before being grazed on high performance pastures, including Economax (Diamond T tetraploid ryegrass, Concord II hybrid ryegrass and Saia oats).

Steers are finished to an average of 450kg liveweight for grain feeding at Riverina Beef, Yanco, with the last of the spring-drop steers making 310c/kg last month.

Mr Lucas ran a Hereford herd until 1994 when he introduced an Angus bull, and graded up the black baldies to pure Angus.

“I have been on Reiland blood ever since and aim to breed a cow with good shape, structure and size able to inject growth into the calf,’’ he said.

“I have tended to moderate the frame size to achieve an efficient, fertile female in this hill country.

“Once we had a good base herd, I introduced marbling genetics.’’

Mr Lucas buys bulls at both the autumn and spring Reiland bull sales, selecting sires in the $5,000-$8,000 and $10,000-$12,000 price ranges.

He studies the catalogue for bulls with calving ease, positive rib and rump fat, and above average marbling.

“For heifer bulls, I go for birthweight EBVs of less than +3kg, the right shoulder placement and not too muscular,’’ Mr Lucas said.

“I like a bull to have a flat top line, a good butt shape, good feet and walk well.’’

Maiden heifers are classed on structural soundness and docility, with 75 retained in the herd this year.

They are joined at 14 months to calve at two years over a six-week period.

All heifers are scanned to determine their pregnancy status on either the first or second cycle.

Glenn has worked with Reiland Angus co-principal and agronomist Mark Lucas (no relation) over the years to improve pastures and control weeds.

In recent times, selected paddocks have been limed and direct drilled in May/June with Stamina PP, a blend of phalaris, cocksfoot and ryegrass, with the addition of 2kg/ha of prairie grass.

“We cut a lot of silage so I am after high quality bulk feed,’’ Glenn said.

He said the agronomic and genetic advice from Mark over the years had been invaluable.