Two young Hereford breeders are proving they can mix it with the big guns after paying back-to-back top prices at the Injemira Beef Genetics annual bull sale this year.
Grace, 20, and her sister Emily Elsom, 18, founded their Emigrace Poll Herefords at Warrabkook, Vic, in 2017 and last year paid $70,000 for the top price bull and Herefords Australia Super Sire, Injemira Kickstart P093 R153. They backed up this year to take home Injemira Patriarch S042 for the sale’s top price of $75,000.
The sisters are in partnership with their parents and commercial Hereford breeders David and Michelle Elsom, “Old Ripponhurst”.
Weighing 822kg, Patriarch S042 was sired by Bowen Patriarch P017 and ranked top 5 per cent on BREEDPLAN for eye muscle area at +7.1sqcm. This was combined with a low birthweight of +1.4kg and moderate growth.
Grace liked the fact the young sire was homozygous polled, allowing the Emigrace herd to be genetically dehorned, and his eye pigmentation was 100/100.
“His EBVs suit our breeding, that is, his low birthweight, high EMA and IMF, positive rib and rump fat, and good growth, as well as his phenotype,” she said.
“He was a standout bull when I inspected them. I was helping Marc Greening behind the scenes prepare for his bull sale and when I studied the bull, I knew he was the one to suit our program the best.”
The purchase was off the back of the successful Hamilton weaner sales in January for the Elsom family, where they sold Injemira blood steers, 312kg, for $1497 or 480c/kg.
“We have been using Injemira genetics for quite a few years and we are happy with how they are progressing our herd,” Grace said.
Emigrace was founded in 2017 with a purchase of four females from the Bowmont Herefords dispersal.
The sisters went on to purchase the top price heifer, Kanimbla Tia Maria P150, for $8000 at Kanimbla Poll Herefords in 2019, two Wirruna heifers in 2021 and a heifer at the Banemore stud dispersal in 2020.
They will be calving 16 registered females this year whilst the commercial herd comprises 270 autumn calving breeders and is run alongside a self-replacing Merino flock.
Injemira Patriarch S042 will be used artificially and as a backup bull over the commercial heifers to achieve a single sire calf drop.
The family already has calves on the ground sired by Herefords Australia Super Sire Injemira Kickstart P093 R153 and out of stud and commercial heifers.
Grace aims to produce commercially relevant bulls and sold three out of four bulls offered at the 2022 Beef Week open day followed up by one bull at this year’s Beef Week.
The sisters plan to show their cattle at the 2023 Royal Melbourne Show as they have both qualified at state level in the handler’s competition.
They competed at Melbourne in 2022 for the first time with Grace placing second in the state finals for junior judging.
A Herefords Australia Youth Committee member, Grace values the opportunities to make new connections, participate in the youth camps and gaining lifelong friendships.
She works part-time managing a commercial Angus herd and on her family farm while Emily works in local shearing sheds and also on the family farm.
“I’m a third generation Hereford breeder and have grown up loving them,” Grace said.
“We believe if we can buy top genetics it will result in rapid genetic gain within our herd.”
Injemira Beef Genetics principal Marc Greening with Grace Elsom, Emigrace Poll Herefords, and the $75,000 Injemira Patriarch S042.
