Bellaspur Angus in Balmattum opened its doors for Beef Week last Thursday, showcasing 100 stud females.Owner Brenton Sessions said he looked for calving ease, growth and saleable carcase in his herd.
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“We're a firm believer in early weaning so at three to five months of age they're weaned, otherwise they really struggle,” he said.
Mr Sessions said he would wean bulls at more than 400 kg by 12 months old and heifers at 370 kg by joining time.
Stock at Bellaspur Angus are fed hay silage and mineral and protein supplement SweetPro, with one kilogram of grain in the tougher months.
“By doing that, the bulls are a lot healthier when they go out to work at 18 months of age,” Mr Sessions said.
The 245 ha farm, between Euroa and Violet Town, is a family business and Mr Sessions’ parents have been in the area for 22 years.
His parents own half the herd, while Mr Sessions owns the other half and runs the farm.
He said he would do more intensive work if he weren't often travelling.
“I'm AI pregnancy testing as far as the Queensland border and south to Gippsland so Mum (Kim Sessions) holds the ship while I'm away,” he said.
Mr Sessions works with Profit Plus Genetics to market his product domestically and internationally.
“We import and export semen from America and New Zealand and it's really lifted our profile,” he said.
In the past 18 months, Mr Sessions sold two bulls to New Zealand and one to the United States.
When asked what advice Mr Sessions had for other breeders, he said to stick to one thing.
“A lot of people jump from bloodline to bloodline,” he said.“Have a breeding objective and stick to it.”
A visitor to Bellaspur Angus on the Beef Week open day, Charles Smith from St Germains, said his family was interested in Angus cattle.
“We're looking to get out of the dairy industry due to water policy and staffing issues,” Mr Smith said.“We're just looking at sires of progeny that we will use in our own programs.”
Beef Week was an opportunity for Mr Sessions to exhibit the program of bulls that will go to auction through agents GDSM and Rodwells Euroa in the second week of March.
