NEWS.

Business of beef continues with confidence at Quarterway

Confidence in both the beef industry and their own genetics is as strong as ever at Quarterway Angus.

Breeding strong, sound and structurally correct bulls for more than six decades, principals Trevor and Teresa Hall will host their third annual spring sale in September offering up yet another impressive lineup of bulls.

According to Trevor, the group of bulls by Merridale Port P105 – a son of Milwillah Krakatoa K92 – were particularly strong.

“They are just good easy-doing bulls, with good frame, plenty of length and depth,” he said.

“We are very hard on structure in our country, as we have a lot of wet areas, so we have to be particularly good in that area”.

Merridale Port P105 has estimated breeding values in the top 10 per cent of the breed for growth, carcase weight and eye muscle area, which clearly demonstrates Quarterway’s focus on commercial traits within their breeding program.

Among the 50 rising two-year-old and 12 yearling bulls to be offered at Quarterway’s sale complex on-property at “Lyndhurst” in the northeast of Tasmania via Waterhouse will also be sons from prominent New Zealand sires.

These include Taimate Lazarus L12, outcross genetics for Quarterway and described as “real grass cattle genetics that will add meat to calves”.

Turiroa Ragnar 18P224, is a $104,000 bull with impressive phenotype and spread of birth to growth EBVs.

Trevor has regularly used New Zealand sires at Quarterway, as they were well suited to conditions in Tasmania.

“NZ sires bring structural correctness – you have to find sires that suit your country, and we want cows with a bit of size, easy doing and positive fat,” Trevor said.

“It is easier to find bulls in New Zealand with positive fat, and I believe the easiest way to conserve fodder is by putting it on a cow’s back – cattle out of NZ will lay down fat when the season is with them.”

The Halls have achieved solid clearances and commercially correct averages in the past two sales, hitting a top of $21,000 and a sale average of $9339, at their autumn sale in March of this year, and a top of $15,000, averaging $9793, in the spring of 2022.

And while the domestic cattle market has lowered in recent months, Trevor is confident in where the beef industry is heading.

“Cattle are at record prices currently in USA and while their total herd size is still in decline, their female kill rate still up at 54% – it needs to get down to about 47% to be at a herd rebuilding stage – so in time there will be global shortage of beef when the US starts to rebuild.

“We are in a bit of a trough now but the outlook for Australian beef, and world beef, is really very good when you look at the demand and need for beef – we just have a slight glut at the moment from cows being killed in the US and Canada.

“If you are in the beef industry, you are in the beef industry.  You got cows – you need bulls to get them in calf.”

The bulls being offered at Quarterway this spring will be a “strong group and ready to go to work with a great dataset” according to Trevor.

The Spring Bull Sale will kick off at 1pm on Thursday 14 September 2023 at “Lyndhurst”, 2235 Waterhouse Road, Waterhouse, Tasmania and will be integrated with AuctionsPlus.

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