How this stud sold a six figure draft a few years into selling seedstock

After only six years of selling at the Droughtmaster National Sale, Shane and Sarah Hauschildt have achieved what many stud principals try to achieve in a lifetime.

The couple sold a draft of four bulls for a $25,250 average and $101,000 gross on day two after sparking plenty of attention.

The Mindon district couple described the result as a reflection of family legacy and a clear focus on bloodlines.

"My family has owned the same property for 160 years, since settlement," Mr Hauschildt said.

"My forebears originally cleared the block we now live on, started dairying, and they did it all by hand with nothing but their backs and axes at the time."

He traced the stud's foundation back to his great-great-grandfather August Hauschildt, who began the View Field stud.

"At the time, everybody in the district had Herefords, and they were full of ticks, dipping every three weeks," he said.

"My grandfather asked a local agent what bull he should put with his cows, and Jeff Nutley told him to buy a Droughtmaster bull.

"From then on, that's what we've run."

The change saw the family move away from dipping, with Mr Hauschildt noting that the dip yard had fallen into disrepair through lack of use.

In 2016, the couple launched View Field Droughtmasters with guidance from long-time family friend, Bruce Wilson.

"Bruce worked for the vet school in Brisbane; he was there when the tick fever vaccine was developed, and he helped a lot of studs get started," Mr Hauschildt said.

"He taught us a lot about stud cattle, bloodlines, how to show, how to select breeding stock, what to cull, and what to look for.

"We've only been in it nine years, and we just sold a bull for $55,000 - what's that tell you?"

Mr Wilson, who passed away last year, was credited for instilling the couple's focus on female lines.

"Bruce always emphasised the importance of female bloodlines, because without good fertile females there's no breed," Mr Hauschildt said.

"We trace our cow families back - dam, granddad, great granddad - because it you're paying $10,000 to $15,000 for a female, you want consistency behind her."

Mrs Hauschildt's judgement had been pivotal in selecting both their leading sire Billabong Cosmo and the female behind him.

"She actually selected Cosmo, I just paid for him," Mr Hauschildt said.

The couple run 30 registered Droughtmaster females with their sale draft, including sons of Billabong Cosmo and Hamadra Kenworth.

"This was our sixth year selling at the national, and the best draft we've brought," he said.

"We were so wrapped in how it worked out.

He said their future focus was preserving their proven female lines through a small IVF program.

"Issac, who sold for $55,000, his dam has a very good weaner at home," he said.

"If she has another good calf, we plan to use some of the money we made to invest in a small IVF program.

"Not big, maybe five cows, but enough to preserve her genetics."