The late Clinton Baulch instilled in his children Tom and Indianna a strong passion for Hereford cattle and that guiding hand helped Tom across the line this week to bid $96,000 for a young impact sire over the phone.
Tom, 20, an apprentice boiler maker, went head-to-head in a bidding war at the Yavenvale Herefords sale to secure the top price bull, Yavenvale Trump Card T350 (AI) (PP).
By the New Zealand sire Limehills Streaker 150368 and out of a Tobruk Maverick daughter, the April 2022 drop bull ranked on BREEDPLAN top 1 per cent for milk at +31kg, top 2 per cent for IMF (intramuscular fat) at +2.5 and 400 day weight at +83kg, top 3% for 600 day weight at +112kg and rump fat at +3.5mm, top 9 per cent for 200 day weight and top 15 per cent for EMA (eye muscle area).
Since Clinton passed away suddenly in 2022, Tom, his mother Jacquie and sister Indianna, have stepped up to run the stud herd of 100 registered cows at Illowa near Warrnambool.
Clinton had involved Tom in the genetic selection within the stud herd. He had launched the Jaclinton beef brand in 2018 and juggled the deliveries of box beef while running the stud herd and Clinton Baulch Motor Group in Warrnambool.
Tom and his friend Sam Wilson had a private inspection of 140 sale bulls at Yavenvale last week and described Trump Card as the standout bull.
“That bull really caught our eye in the flesh with really good sire appeal, and the pedigree with his mother being a great donor cow, plus his great data,” Tom said.
Jaclinton sells around 25 bulls privately on-property and with the support of agents locally and afar, they also take a small team each year to the Herefords Australia National Show and Sale at Wodonga. The family sponsored the reserve senior champion bull at Wodonga in 2022 in Clinton’s memory.
“We have a good client base at home and I select bulls to suit them but we also need sires for those Wodonga clients, and this bull will do both jobs,” Tom said.
“He will be joined to heifers in June for a March calving, and to mature cows in July, and we will also market the semen.”
Tom conceded it was nerve wracking bidding over the phone for such a high-priced bull.
“I knew I would have to dig in a little if I was going to be the successful bidder – I’m definitely glad we got him. I rang mum straight away and she was happy. My uncle Dale Baulch helps us out and is very supportive as well.”
Tom said the value-added beef brand had been on hold for the past 18 months with their steers sold as yearlings off grass at Mortlake or Hamilton saleyards but he plans to revive the brand this year. He is also aiming to sell steer weaners at the 2025 Hamilton Blue Ribbon weaner sale.
“Trump Card has a great eye muscle and intramuscular fat, and he should add that into our calves so we can go down that line again of selling beef direct.”
He is juggling his apprenticeship with work on the farm and selling bulls.
“I’m very fortunate work is close to the farm and my boss supports me in that aspect. We also have Ted who gives a lot of his time a week helping me on the farm.
“Dad’s dream was to grow the stud and unfortunately he passed away but I’m sure he would be pretty proud and happy.”
Tom is keeping true to his father’s breeding philosophy and objectives.
“We are still selling the same amount of bulls each year with the same clients remaining supportive of me and the family.”
Jaclinton’s local clients are mainly purebred Hereford breeders within 150km from Hamilton, Dartmoor, and Colac.
“We do sell some bulls to dairy farmers who are willing to buy the good bulls to get good calves out of the dairy cows. They do an AI program on heifers and then the following year use a Hereford bull for a beef calf to either grow out or sell through the saleyards,” Tom said.
“Dad was always big on taking bulls to Wodonga every year so we have still been doing that and will take another couple up this year. I’m definitely running the stud very similar to how he did and the cow lines are exactly the same with a few add ons.”
Tom said the stud had not bought any sires in 2023 but had invested in a Mawarra sire at Wodonga in 2022 and an Injemira sire several years ago.
“I held off last year as the Mawarra and Injemira bulls were doing a good job and this year I was looking for a high-end bull and Trump Card stood out.
“Often it is hard to find complete outcross genetics and Trump Card goes back to a New Zealand bull making him fresh blood on the market.”
Tom Baulch, with Jaclinton Poll Hereford females during Beef Week, is staying true to his father’s dream to expand the herd.
