Superior Hereford animals identified through performance recording and genomics are being used to build a unique stabilised herd of tropically adapted flatbacks by a central Queensland family.
The tick resistance and heat tolerance from the Bos indicus combines with the temperament, grass conversion and carcase quality of the Hereford to give a productive herd with market flexibility and Meat Standards Australia compliance for the Marks family, of Winvic Pastoral, Clermont.
Darren and Alice Marks, and their daughter Olivia, operate four properties, Winvic Pastoral, comprising 10,074ha of open black soil downs to red gidgee and brigalow melon hole country and sitting in a 560-1000mm rainfall zone.
The family joins 1000 commercial breeders and 160 seedstock females producing performance recorded progeny through the Tropical Composite Group BREEDPLAN, which evaluates and compares sires and dams for docility, fertility, growth and carcase traits.
Elite females identified using genomic breeding values, estimated breeding values (EBVs) and phenotype are used as donors in IVF programs.
The cattle graze pastures of buffel grass, native blue grass over sown with legumes and bambatsi, forage crops and 885ha of luecaena.
Cow body condition determines weaning with the calves yard weaned in June/July for 7-10 days on hay, and educated to horses and dogs.
The available feed resources are monitored and evaluated to determine the length of time sale cattle are finished. The system has transitioned from weaner and feeder production back to bullock production with steers and cull heifers turned off at 650kg liveweight heifers to 500kg plus. The heifers are supplied to the grass fed, free range, antibiotic and hormone free programs, including Teys Grasslands and JBS Right to Roam.
The crossbred sale cattle range from 7/8ths Hereford content to almost pure Bos indicus.
Winvic Pastoral is using Black Box Co to link lifetime data to carcase data, identifying high and low performing animals by average daily gain and carcase performance to inform management and genetic decisions.
“We are just starting to gain insights of what the performance is like – the early data is telling us about a variance with marbling. Lifting marbling scores and eating quality is a focus of our breeding program,” Mrs Marks said.
“We scan our heifers and bulls as yearlings to select for high marbling and correlate that with weight and eye muscle area. Those traits can be antagonistic so it’s about finding that middle ground within the phenotype we like.
“The Bos Indicus and the Hereford are a perfect match with the environmental adaptability of the Bos Indicus and the temperament, grass conversion and performance from the Hereford.
“For me, docility is the number one advantages of the breed – they are a pleasure to work with. The objective measurement provided by Hereford stud breeders helps to inform purchase selection, especially fertility, days to calving, and carcase traits.”
Winvic Pastoral uses Australian and US Hereford sires via natural joinings and artificial insemination.
Young Hereford infused bulls are from a tight joining window and performance measured since birth including yearling scanning for intramuscular fat and eye muscle area.
“It is a crossbreeding system that has been delivering improved productivity and efficiency within our herd for the past 12 years.
A draft of 90 Winvic commercial Hereford infused heifers are part of a research project evaluating herd/flock measurement technologies and culling decisions of breeding stock.
The 18-month Decide and Thrive project is being delivered by the University of New England, Central Queensland University and CSIRO to help graziers develop innovative and regionally relevant livestock ranking strategies to secure farm businesses into, during and out of drought.
Two cohorts of Winvic heifers have participated in the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation’s Northern Genomics Project to generate genomic breeding values with one of them also involved in the Decide and Thrive project.
“The yearling mated females are fitted with GPS trackers, have calved and been rejoined to Hereford cross bulls. An Optiweigh in-paddock weighing system is being used in the paddock to collect real time data on average daily gain with the aim of identifying which females are the most productive as far as adaptation goes. The GPS collars monitor where they are utilising the grass, grazing patterns and their reproductive performance,” Mrs Marks said.
“This will give us insights into heifer performance and the most productive females within that cohort.”
1. A homozygous polled Hereford bull with Braford females at Winvic Pastoral, Clermont. Image Georgie Connor.
2. A Braford donor dam and her calves on Winvic Pastoral – two of the calves will be on display at Beef Australia 2024. Image Olivia Marks.
