Maternal strength is the focus of the Macka's Angus breeding strategy

A multi-generational approach across a 3500-head commercial herd, has underpinned the maternal strength created at the Gloucester-based Macka's Angus program.

By focusing on the maternal strength in their herd, based on the breeding philosophy of pedigree, performance, and phenotype, the team at Macka's Angus has consistently produced a line of Angus females that are highly sought after across the country, at their annual Macka's Angus commercial female sale, to be held on March 20.

The 2024 draft sold to three states, providing great buying and an opportunity to secure large lines of vendor-bred females, while delivering great value for money. At the 2024 sale, a record was set for commercial Angus heifers preg tested in calf for that year to Texas Iceman R725. These heifers sold to a top of $4300.

The Macka's Pastoral arm of the business has a strategic plan to design and continue to build an elite female herd that meets the needs of the commercial beef industry.

This has allowed buyers to introduce high-performance females into their programs quickly and efficiently, and produce a highly desirable end product at the consumer level, while underpinned by a carbon-neutral and highly sustainable farming operation.

The pastoral operation is divided into three main areas, being seedstock, commercial, and sustainable farming. The seedstock arm aligns perfectly with their commercial herd. Lines of genetically-like sires are used to breed large lines of cattle, to ensure consistency of type, performance, and carcase. The commercial Angus herd consists of 3500 females, which utilises the lines of sires, produced by the seedstock herd.

The program's aim, and the investment in genetics from all over the world, is to produce female lines that are consistent in pedigree, performance, and phenotype, to be in line with Macka's breeding philosophy.

Robert Mackenzie, Macka's Angus, said the key traits of fertility and longevity in their females are paramount.

"One of our focuses is breeding females emphasising the traditional Angus cow, whilst enhancing the end product's eating quality," Mr Mackenzie said.

He said they sourced unique genetics, domestically and from around the world, noting the partnership formed with Rawburn Aberdeen Angus in Scotland, which has further focused on feed efficiency while maintaining strong maternal characteristics.

"Another focus of our female production system is to breed cows that can thrive and survive in our environment, get in calf, have that calf at two years of age, and get back in calf again, without compromise.

Macka's Pastoral was the first carbon-neutral farm of its kind and the Mackenzies hang their hat on being able to service the beef industry with cattle through the whole paddock-to-plate experience that was designed, bred, produced, and grown to be eaten from a carbon-neutral footprint as an industry leader.

For this year's sale the first Macka's PTIC heifers, joined to the Australian record-priced bull Texas Thunderstruck, secured for $360,000, will be offered along with lines of heifers joined to Texas Iceman.

Other joining sires include the first embryo transfer sons of Te Mania Reno, sires from Knowla Angus, and a great lineup of Macka's bred sires.

The third annual Macka's Angus commercial Angus female sale will be held at Gloucester saleyards on Thursday, March 20, 2025, from 11am and will be interfaced with Auctionsplus.

There will be more than 500 elite commercial Angus females to be offered in large lines of single vendor-bred females.

The offering will be made up of cows with calves at foot and preg tested back in calf (3 in 1), PTIC cows, PTIC heifers, unjoined heifers, and weaner heifers.