In 2012 the estate changed its breeding policy. Stabiliser bulls were purchased to put over the mixed cross type cows to improve performance and profitability. Stabiliser cows and heifers were also bought to increase the size of the herd. This has succeeded very well as we now have a herd that is easy calving, very mild mannered and easy to work with, milky and maternal that utilises grass extremely well.
We currently run approximately 500 Stabiliser cows and in calf heifers that are all spring calving over about 10 weeks. All cows and heifers are calved inside and then turned out as the weather and grass allows in April and May. A lot of the bulling heifers and younger cows are inseminated to the best genetics we can source, the bulls are then turned out for 8-9 weeks. They then spend the summer at grass until late October or early November when they are weaned and housed.
The best young pure Stabiliser bulls are either sold or kept on farm to improve our genetics and performance. The remainder of the young bulls are finished and sent to slaughter at 12 – 15 months at approx. 380kgs deadweight, U and R grades.
The highest performing Stabiliser heifer calves are carefully selected for breeding purposes, we will keep our requirement and then offer for sale the remainder at about 14-15 months of age at 400 kgs. These can all be put to the bull to calve down at approx... 2 years of age. The remainder of the heifers are turned out for the summer and brought back inside in October to quickly finish at about 20 months old.
