The Nixon family from iconic Queensland Hereford stud, Devon Court situated on the Western Downs near Drillham, is celebrating 85 years of association with the breed this year.
Alexander Nixon purchased the property in 1910 and after its beginnings as a commercial operation, he founded the stud enterprise in 1932, with the first Hereford calf registered in 1933.
Heifers and bulls were bought from well-known studs including Ennisview, Tocal, Mascotte, Golf Hill, Bexley and Hobartville.
Alexander’s son Arch took the stud to new heights with a succession of show ring champions including, Atherton, Shakespeare, Emperor 72, Oxley, and Musbury.
The 21,000 acre Devon Court is now run by Tom and Alex Nixon (Arch’s sons), with Alex tending to the farming interests comprising 6,500 acres of wheat, chickpeas and sorghum, while Tom looks after the cattle side of the business with stud cows running on 5000 acres, with the remaining land used for commercial cattle.
The focus at Devon Court was to produce commercially affordable cattle with traits suited to the feedlot and finishing markets while sourcing the best genetics available which is what Tom still strives for today.
“I’ve had a passion for bull breeding since I was a kid, and loved parading at the junior Hereford shows,” he said.
“It’s not an easy profession to learn, but I was bred into the job I think.”
He said Devon Court was purpose built for feedlot cattle.
“The feedlots have been the backbone of our cattle operations since we began, we buy and sell steers through the trade market to match weaners at around 300kg, we then sell-on 80 to 90 per cent of the steers to the Lloyd family at Wieambilla Feedlot when they hit 400kg.”
Tom said the family has always leaned on the Hereford breed due to their “temperament, ease of doing, weight gain of grass, and their fantastic mothering ability”.
“These are the same traits we look for when making purchases at stud sales, though we can now also narrow down our selection based on carcass quality, EMA, scrotal circumference and IMF advancements.”
The Nixon’s topped the bidding at the 2016 Wodonga National Show and Sale, buying Minlacowie Jubilant J123 for $95,000 from Tom Honner, Minlacowie Stud, Brentwood.
“He’s doing a fantastic job, and his first calves are now on the ground, he’s showing all the promise we hoped for.”
He said buying a bull and later seeing the success the progeny have when sold to other studs “is very gratifying”, and partly why he gets fulfillment out of the job.
To celebrate the 85 year anniversary, Devon Court will hold their first on-property sale in close to 20 years on Tuesday, September 12 with 45 bulls and 10 unjoined heifers being offered.
To prepare for the sale major upgrades to the selling ring, pens, and yards were completed last week after 18 months of work.
