THE Moran family, Double D Station, Clermont were counting their lucky stars after tropical cyclone Debbie came through the region dumping much-needed rain.
Shontae and Brendan Moran operate alongside Brendan’s father Dan, with four young children Isleigh, Brody, Nate and Elsi.
Double D Station is the home of some “chubby bubbies” this spring – with the weaners looking better than ever.
Shontae and Brendan Moran, alongside Brendan’s father Dan, operate the property focusing on breeding cattle for the MSA and European Union markets.
Operating on 10,660 hectares with a European-based herd, the Morans said the 120 millimeters of rain from Debbie in March doubled the rain they had seen in the previous four months over summer.
Ms Moran said until the rain came, things were “getting a bit nervous”.
“Things are looking amazing at the moment. You don’t like to be the one to say that the cyclone was really good, but for us the steady, beautiful soaking rain that came with it you couldn’t have asked for anything better,” Ms Moran said.
“It has really put us into a good position to go into winter and then winter hasn’t really happened, so it’s been a lovely, long growing season.
“It has definitely been reflected in the condition of the weaners we’ve just pulled off and their mothers going back out into the paddock.”
The herd was initially Hereford based with Brahmans introduced alongside Red Polls and Droughtmasters.
“We are sticking with the European to keep the softness with the Bos Indicus,” Ms Moran said.
“We do treat for ticks and that’s one of the things we’re looking at managing with rotating through paddocks, spreading waters and break cycles.”
The family currently have 670 breeders, down from the 800 it usually runs, due to destocking about a year ago.
The cattle are all 100 per cent grass fed at the property, but are sold to feedlots.
Ms Moran said in recent months, they have been focusing on trade-sized animals because of the exceptional market.
In the past they have “dabbled” in the live export trade and Ms Moran said they were flexible in their options.
With weaning underway, she said both cows and calves were looking great.
“Weaning is happening now, our chubby little bubbies are down in the yards at the moment,” she said.
”They’ve not got much excuse to be unhappy - they’re pretty impressive.”
Mr Moran said he generally puts bulls out in January, in the hope it will line-up with the wet season.
“I know people around here put their bulls in around mid-October, but they’ll still then leave them in until the wet season starts and for two months afterwards,” he said.
“You’ll always get cows that will cycle early, so then you’re still getting a spread out mating season.”
At the moment Double D is doing a four month mating period, but Mr Moran said he hoped to bring that back to three months and gradually continue to decrease the time as improvements are made with management and genetics.
The Morans have no preferred supplier of bulls, but buy in the paddock as opposed to sales.
“In the last two years we bought out of the yards and ended up with one bull in particular who we lost 30 heifers to because he was having 50kg calves,” Mr Moran said.
Last year the family saw 84 per cent fertility; a figure Mr Moran is hoping to raise this year.
The family has recently been involved in the Grazing for Profit program and is now completing the Next Steps and Executive Links processes.
Ms Moran said the decision to become involved stemmed from the business being in a “holding pattern” for a few years.
“This was an opportunity to take action on a few things we knew needed to happen to get the business moving forward again,” she said.
The Moran family has been at Double D since 1973 when Brendan’s parents drew the block.