Semen interest sold for $25,000 to New Zealand stud

A semen share in breed leading sire, Reiland Hilary H874, has been sold to New Zealand for $25,000.

A semen share has been sold in one of the nation’s most exciting young Angus sires for $25,000 to New Zealand.

Southern NSW based stud, Reiland Angus, of Tumut, and commercial producer Dan Carey, Canberra, have sold the semen share in four-year-old sire, Reiland Hilary H874, to Patrick Lane, Whangara Angus, Gisborne, New Zealand.

The Te Mania Berkley B1 son is ranked in the top one per cent on Group BREEDPLAN for all indexes, and boasts a grain fed index of +188 kg.

The bull was originally sold at the 2014 Reiland sale for $13,000, with Reiland later buying back a half share.

Mr Lane has scoured the world for leading Angus sires before selecting Hilary H874 to multiply soundness, type and performance.

A director of Angus New Zealand and Angus Pure, Mr Lane is building his stud and commercial herd from 650 to 850 females.

Whangara uses genomic technology to gather accuracy on estimated breeding values combined with yield data from processors to increase genetic gain.

“We liked the perfect set of EBVs on Hilary, from calving ease, good maternal, growth and carcass weight – he will help us lift our IMF (intramuscular fat),’’ Mr Lane said.

“We will be using him in an autumn artificial insemination program over first and second calf heifers.

“We are excited to use Hilary as he is our first Australian bull and a total outcross for us.

“Our aim is to turn progeny off grass at 18 months of age at 300kg carcass weight and 60 per cent yield.’’

Reiland principal Mark Lucas described the bull as a “game changer’’ for the Australian and New Zealand beef industry seeking carcass expression.

“The bull is the complete package and ticks all the boxes,’’ he said.

Mr Lucas said the bull’s dam, Strathewen 338 Jade E01, was a larger framed, soft-coated cow with the ability to wean heavy calves.

The spring 2012 drop bull has estimated breeding values (EBVs) of +4.1kg for birthweight, +127kg for 600 day weight, +72kg for carcass weight, +6.8sqcm for eye muscle area, +3.4 per cent for intramuscular fat, +$126 on the domestic index and a massive Angus breed index of +157 (top one per cent).

Mr Lucas said structural soundness was rated as a high priority among New Zealand breeders.

It is the first time Reiland has sold genetics to New Zealand however the stud has imported live animals and frozen embryos from the nation in the past.

“Initially the bull was sold into a big commercial herd and was joined twice a year for two years,’’ Mr Lucas said. “He never suffered a break down or injury and just got on with the job.

“We re-inspected him and bought a half share privately before using him over registered females in spring 2015 and autumn 2016.

“We now have calves on the ground and they are high merit carcass cattle with a lot of the Angus character and high growth.

“Hilary has outstanding carcass data and ranks in the top one per cent of all indexes in the Angus breed.’’

Mr Lucas said the explosive carcass traits were combined with positive rib and rump to maintain fertility in the cow herd.

“At Reiland Angus, we are conscious of our responsibility as seedstock producers to commercial beef producers, and will give the industry options of a new maternal line within the breed with the latest import of embryos from the Kaharau Stud in New Zealand.’’

Commercial Angus producer Dan Carey, of Canberra, originally bought Hilary in 2014 for his 550 cow herd.

“I could see the bull had great potential to grow out and carried a balance of traits,’’ Mr Carey said.

“I retained 23 out of 27 of his heifer progeny – they were a class above everything else, showing great weight for age.

“I was not surprised in the international interest as he ticked all the boxes.’’