Exemplary draft for Belmont Red Association of Australia Bull and Female Sale

THIS IS BRANDED CONTENT FOR WAHROONGA BELMONT REDS

The Wahroonga and Greenhills Belmont Reds studs will again unite to offer 46 lots, which underline what can be achieved with the breed, at the annual Belmont Red Association of Australia Bull and Female Sale.

For this year's sale, 37 bulls and nine heifers will be offered at Gracemere on Monday, September 1, from 11am.

Wahroonga stud principals Rob and Jane Sherry decided to give the Belmont Red a try in 2008 as they were trying to find a breed that would provide them with an efficient breeder that would produce a calf annually, while contending with the unpredictable nature of Central Queensland seasons.

"We wanted a breed that would give us a more consistent article when it came time to sell, whether it be through saleyards, feedlots or direct to processors.

"A breed that would stay calm and be easy to handle in all situations, with three young children wanting to help, their safety was important.

"We found the complete package, the Belmont Red, the most underrated breed available to beef producers on the market, in our opinion."

Today, the Sherrys are preparing their tenth offering of Belmont Red bulls to the market, and their ninth draft for the Belmont Red Association of Australia Bull and Female Sale.

"We are hoping that someone who is looking for the same complete package solution for their herd finds it in the Belmont Red at the sale in September."

Wahroonga will offer 31, 21 to 22-month-old bulls at this year's sale. Mr Sherry hopes that buyers at the sale will look back years later and say, "he was a good buy; he made a difference to our herd", every time they handle their daughters or sell their steers.

"Half of this year's sale draft is ranked in the top 25 per cent of the breed on the Self-Replacing Index. This index combines all EBV traits weighted differently to give you one number to rank their genetic merit.

"In all, 22 of the 31 bulls are better than the breed average for days to calving, and some high growth and low birthweight bulls for heifer matings will be available.

"For this year's draft, 13 bulls are homozygous polled, and most are polled with a few scurred. All are quiet, easy to handle, fully vaccinated, and sound structurally and fertility-wise, having passed a semen morphology test."

The Sherrys ask purchasers of Wahroonga bulls for feedback on how they have progressed through the years.

"With one or two exceptions, this feedback has been positive. We stand by our product and have quickly resolved those one or two issues. We believe our bulls are prepared for a long working life, not just for sale day."

Wahroonga will also offer nine PTIC yearling mated heifers at the sale.

"These heifers will calve out during December and early January. All are polled with five being homozygous polled, and all are vaccinated against botulism, pestigard and 7 in 1.

"The heifers will be presented in paddock condition and will have a few months at their new home before they calve.

The bulls and females in the sale draft will be available for inspection on Monday, August 18, at Wahroonga's on-property open day. For further information, please call Rob Sherry on 0407 589 453.

Greenhills stud principals Paul and Julie Watson will return to the sale as vendors for the fifth time.

Mrs Watson has been around the Belmont Red for much of her life as her parents had a stud Belmont Red herd from the early 1980s.

"Dad was a dairy farmer, but back in the 80s he saw a story in the Queensland Country Life about a commercial producer in Mundubberra who was having success with Belmont Reds in his commercial herd.

"This spurred him on to then attend a field day in Dayboro where the Belmont Red was featured, and this was where he saw the potential in the breed.

"We had good country at Kilcoy for the dairy cattle, but our leased country in Jimna was rougher, and this is where the survivability of the Belmont Red came to the fore.

"Paul and I acquired our first Belmont Red cattle in 2008, but got serious about the breed in 2015 due to its tick resistance, fertility, ease of calving and temperament.

The Watsons will offer six high-growth bulls for this year's sale.

"These bulls were excellent calves, which all weighed 280kg on average, with a heaviest of 324kg, coming off their mothers at seven-and-a-half-months-old. We think this is a really good line of bulls with great eye appeal.

"There is something in each of these bulls that will interest all producers. There are a couple of potential heifer bulls, and the other four are excellent terminal sires that will produce a carcase."

Five bulls in the Greenhills draft are by Mt Eugene 200398, which has been recognised for his superior carcase traits. Lot 8, Greenhills 240004, is a standout Mt Eugene 200398 son, out of Greenhills 110023, who, at 15-years-old, is now springing her 13^th calf.

"This sale provides us with an outlet to sell our bulls. We've had bulls go to as far from us as Monto and Charters Towers, where they've proven themselves. We're hoping for a good result this year."

All lots catalogued for this year's sale will be available to inspect at CQLX from Friday, August 29.

Those unable to attend the sale in person can bid online through the Stocklive platform.

For enquiries, please call GDL sale agents Josh Heck, 0409 732 676 or Georgie Connor, 0428 347 550.

THIS IS BRANDED CONTENT FOR WAHROONGA BELMONT REDS