Creating high performance cross bred beef cattle has been an important objective for Blackall cattle producers Jason and Anne Sprague.
The family run beef operation has 1000 head of Hereford/Droughtmaster-cross cows, which according to Mrs Sprague is delivering excellent results for their feeder cattle turn-off business.
“My father originally owned this 16,200 hectare property called Neverfail and he ran a Hereford based breeder herd,” Mrs Sprague said.
“We have started crossbreeding with Droughtmaster and Charolais cattle to increase our performance, but it was very important to maintain the Hereford genetics because of their naturally high fertility traits.
“Up to 95 per cent of Hereford/Droughtmaster-cross cows can deliver a calf every year, even in dry weather conditions, with our use of the Hereford breed to keep good fertility in our breeders, which is very important when we’re facing the present drought conditions.”
The Sprague family also have three other cattle fattening properties totaling 5700 hectares to grow out their weaner steers and heifers to feeder weight cattle.
The beef operation aims at producing a line of 420kg Hereford-cross feeder weight cattle for sales to Darling Downs feedlots.
“I don't think people stick with Herefords to be traditional, I think they stick with them because the breed is performing well in a feedlot situation by going onto feed quickly, plus from the feedlots we sell to they are also reporting less problems with our cattle getting sick while on feed,” Mrs Sprague said.
I don't think people stick with Herefords to be traditional, I think they stick with them because the breed is performing well in a feedlot situation.
- Anne Sprague, Neverfail, Blackall
They wean at 250kg and grow cattle out for eight to nine months.
“We recently sent 200 head of Hereford-cross feeder cattle from Blackall to a Darling Downs feedlot and none of them have become sick while on feed,” she said.
Mrs Sprague added the Hereford’s calm temperament was important in producing cattle that would perform in a feedlot.
“We find this really important with selling feeder cattle because calm cattle settle in and eat quickly, which results in faster weight gain.”
