Tenterfield High School’s Angus stud is selling registered bulls over AuctionsPlus for the first time this year, as numbers increase beyond the scope of the paddock sales conducted to date.
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Ag coordinator Phil Jones said the move also lifted the profile of the stud, and increased its reach.
The school is offering six 20-month-old bulls from the stud established around 12 years ago. The school began with Murray Greys but found them hard to offload despite the quality, even after winning the North Coast National show.
It was decided to move into Angus instead, alongside the school’s Poll Dorset sheep stud and around 30 led steers which compete at the Ekka and other events.
The Angus stud was established with South Pioneer cows whose bloodlines go back to Bald Blair. The cows have been joined to Alumy Creek Goliath, whom Mr Jones described as a beautiful and quiet bull.
As can be expected, good temperament is a major requirement and each bull has been led and shown at two to three shows. Mr Jones said they carry plenty of weight.
Along with temperament the bulls have been bred for structural soundness, fertility and to be true-to-type. Each has been recently examined by local vet Dr Luke Annetts for breeding soundness, and most come with EBVs (estimated breeding values).
Mr Jones said they’d would be well-suited to a feed cattle operation, for trade and export.
“We don’t aim for extreme types. You close yourself out of too many markets.”
Among the bulls offered for sale is M8 who was named grand champion bull at the Tenterfield Show, where Tenterfield High School also won the interbreed competition and was named most successful exhibitor.
The heifer component of the drop will also be soon offered for sale. Earlier heifers were added to the school’s breeding herd, but with numbers reaching capacity a market will be sought for them.
The cattle and sheep get plenty of attention with a third of students taking up an ag elective. With the addition of Olivia Parker and Tim Clay to the junior ag teaching staff, the elective is now offered from Year 8 with a 50:50 split between theory and practical.
Those in Years 11 and 12 can choose the primary industries elective, where the focus is more on practical skills.
The school invited prospective buyers to inspect the bulls at its ag farm on Monday afternoon, with several cattle breeders taking up the offer.
The sale will be conducted online on AuctionsPlus at 10am on Friday, June 8 as part of ‘Seedstock Cattle’. Ray White Rural Tenterfield is the school’s selling agent.
