We take this job very seriously.
It is our job as a seedstock producer to breed genetics that will make commercial producers more profitable. We must prioritise this by working out what factors influence profitability in commercial herds.
At Coota Park Blue-E our goal is to get you as many calves as possible for as many years as possible
Fertility is the number 1 profit driver. We have to supply you with a bull or female that has been raised under commercial conditions. Our whole herd is run under commercial conditions, no fluff, no trim and no deception. If we are not running our cattle under these circumstances, we cannot test our cattle for fertility under commercial conditions.
We run our cows very hard, in big mobs in a rotational grazing system.
Cows eat a lot for not much gain.
We try to restrict that intake by selecting for feed efficiency and implement management strategies to reduce intake. A 600kg cow after weaning will eat up to 18 kg a day if you let her, she will maintain herself and her pregnancy for nearly half that.
We have to try to reduce her intake. This is an area that needs a lot more research. This will not only affect profitability but also reduce total methane produced by your herd whilst increasing carbon sequestration in line with the principles of regenerative agriculture.