Ben and Alice Roughan achieve their dream of owning a cattle property

Mr Roughan, a qualified chef, and Mrs Roughan, a practising veterinarian, had an unconventional journey to securing their first grazing land in 2008.

Six years earlier, in 2002, the couple bought the Merino Bakery in Longreach, which at the time had a basic offering of bread and pies.

Together they set to work and built the business up, adding an adjoining cafe, and making it one of the most popular bakery/cafe/coffee shops in regional Queensland.

It was due to their healthy cash flow from the bakery that in 2008 a Longreach agri-business banker signed off on a loan to enable the couple to buy their property, Glen View.

Once they secured Glen View, they agisted the country to locals for the next eight years, while their cash flow from the bakery made inroads on their mortgage.

The couple sold the Merino Bakery in 2016 and used the proceeds to buy a second piece of country in the Goomeri district.

The decision to proceed with Wagyu genetics came a year earlier when they tried the product at the Wagyu Conference.

These days they run 250 F1 Angus cross to full blood Wagyu cows under the Wivenhoe Wagyu banner, selling the progeny at 18 months of age with a weight of 400 kilograms to Mort and Co who feed for the Japanese market.

Their livestock agent Tom McLeish of TopX does the marketing with Mort and Co, and they supply 200 steers and heifers taking the grid price negotiated at the time.

They prefer to keep the Wagyus on their home country as it gives them hands-on management and ease in data collection.

All cattle are tissue sampled for DNA and estimated breeding values and sent to Neogen at Bundamba. Neogen also tests for any genetic faults.

The Australian Wagyu Association then provides the Roughans their genomic breeding values after they are processed.

Mrs Roughan said they rely on the genomic testing results when selecting sires and dam, and whether they keep any female progeny for future breeders.

"We are now confident with our breeding herd and have carcase data as well," she said.

The couple also run 300 Droughtmaster and Droughtmaster cross breeders on Cooya at Goomeri.

They sell all their Droughtmaster progeny through the Shepherdson and Boyd weaner sales at Toogoolawah.

Once mustered at Goomeri, the weaners are trucked back to Glen View to be educated with dogs and horses before they are sold.

Ben and Alice's property is 226 hectares and they lease additional neighbouring country of 486ha giving them access to 711ha.

Mr Roughan describes the land as "good scrub country" they have improved.

They have planted improved pasture of green panic and Rhodes grass and manage their herd on a rotational grazing basis giving each paddock a 90 day rest period.

They have 35ha of irrigated country, which they ulitise to keep up a fresh source of feed.

The couple are strong believers in leucaena and have planted 40ha.

He said leucaena thrived in the Brisbane Valley, and the heavy frosts and cattle grazing kept it under control.

They are firm believers in low stress cattle handling and breed for good temperament.

"We like being around our cattle and our cattle like being around us," he said.

"We muster on horses and use dogs to educate them."

Animal welfare and pain relief management is an important part of their operation.

"As a vet I know the importance of both good welfare and pain relief, so if an illness or an accident is detected I am on hand to treat the animal immediately," Mrs Roughan said.

Alice still practises as a veterinarian and works on a casual basis for South East Country Vets owned by her brother in law Bill Roughan.

"I mainly mentor the new veterinary staff, but I do call out jobs when I am needed," she said.