Boulia-based organic beef producers the Wells family are receiving outstanding returns for the Ultrablack x Brahman cross progeny they began producing four years ago.
The business is managed by Grant and Rebecka Wells, though his parents Adrian and Vicki, and his sisters Renee Campbell, and Megan Girdler (along with her husband Dewayne) are all heavily involved in the day-to-day running.
The Wells breeding herd is currently comprised of close to 6000 females, and close to 10,000 head in all, with various breeds used in separate programs.
Their operations are conducted over seven properties and a total of 206,920ha on Elrose, Cazna, Granton, Laurallan and Warenda (all owned since 1918), Macxland (2010), and Westward Ho (2016).
All the properties are connected with Westward Ho situated south of the Boulia/Winton Road, while the rest of their country is north of the road.
Grant Wells, who with his sisters represents the fourth generation of the family on the their country, said it was in 2016 that the family shifted towards organic production.
"Westward Ho was already organically certified when we purchased it. It was just a matter of filling out the paperwork to get the rest of our country certified as well, which we completed in 2017," he said.
While the family has been utilising Palgrove Charolais bulls over their Santa Gertrudis breeding herd since 1985, it was four years ago that Mr Wells decided to trial Ultrablack bulls over Brahman breeders when he was working out what program to put in place on the then recently purchased Westward Ho.
"We've always had a great relationship with Prue and David Bondfield at Palgrove. I knew him through dad when I was a kid, when I was at boarding school I showed their cattle at the Ekka, and when I finished I spent a lot of time at their stud."
To source breeders for Westward Ho, Mr Wells bought a line of about 900 Brahman females which had been joined with Palgrove Charolais. He remembered Mr Bondfield telling him that high content Brahmans are ideal for putting Ultrablacks over and it went from there. The family now runs between 30 to 40 Ultrablack bulls in total.
"In the first two years, when conditions were tougher, we had to sell the progeny straight off their mothers so we're only now starting to see the benefits of the breed. We still love Charolais, but the Ultrablacks bring a lot of depth to the herd and the fertility and weight gains are unbelievable.
"We're about to start another crossbreeding program with Palgrove Ultrablack bulls over Charolais/Santa Gertrudis heifers. It's great to be able to have a yarn with David to see if we're going down the right track."
Mr Wells said they're very choosy these days with female selection.
"We've gotten to the point where we have so many cattle that we can afford to be very strict on culling now. Even if a cow has a dot we don't like we sell them on, we only want good, even lines now."
The Wells target the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) and the Good Animal Practice (GAP) markets with the Ultrablack x Brahman progeny they produce.
"We can only get to Mackay within our time limit for the GAP market. We've also sold into the southern markets around Roma and to other organic producers
"We try to take the progeny through to 600kg for a 300kg kill as milk and two-tooth's at between 16-20 months, though that sometimes stretches to 24 months.
The family are usually able to sell the progeny at 30 per cent above the average market price.
"Recently we've been seeing particularly great returns, peaking at $7.10/kg."
He said in regards to rainfall, they work on a 10-year outlook, in which they historically have seven tough years and three really good years.
"We're currently in the middle of our good years. We've had 312mm for the year to date, with our average being 200mm per year. The country is unbelievable at the moment. For the first time in our history we were able to bale hay from our natural grasses at the end of last year.
"The great thing about having the chance to cut our own hay is that to buy in organic hay and have it sent to us is very expensive, so it has been a great money-saver."
Mr Wells said the family is very passionate about what they do, especially in relation to their breeding programs.
"To see our business go from where it was when it was first established in 1918 to where it is now has been very fulfilling."
