ADVERTISER CONTENT: THE Ascot advantage is built around breeding high performing genetics, targeting MSA-premium rewarded production for clients.
"We believe in a breeding program balancing good carcass EBVs with structurally correct, fertile, quiet cattle," stud principal Jim Wedge said.
Jim and Jackie Wedge operate Angus and Charolais studs, to meet the needs of their customers' own breeding strategies.
The Angus stud includes more than 320 registered Angus breeding cows.
"We have progressively bred in some Millah Murrah bloodlines by buying heifers, cows and bulls along with genetics purchased at herd dispersals of other studs," Mr Wedge said.
"We've used some imported and top-end Australian bulls through artificial insemination and embryo transfer, to fast-track our herd to high performing genetics.
"We are breeding powerful, thick, medium maturity Angus cattle balanced with carcass attributes to suit the modern market."
He demonstrates his faith by using Ascot-bred sires to join stud cows in the herd and using outside genetics to keep the gene pool as wide possible.
Bulls are bred at Ascot's headquarters at North Toolburra, Warwick, Queensland, and on the Glen Innes, NSW property, Khancoban. Bulls bred at Khancoban are generally transferred to North Toolburra at weaning, to grow out with the bulls bred at the Warwick property.
The two properties span about 5000 acres, dryland grazing country at Glen Innes with some irrigation at Warwick which is used to grow crops.
Five centre pivots, a combination of bore delivery and flows from the nearby Condamine River, enable hay and silage production at the Warwick farm.
"There's a lot of improved pasture at Warwick and we've grown forage sorghum, barley and wheat, lucerne, ryegrass and winter oats," Mr Wedge said.
Bulls are sold from the Warwick farm at two on-property auctions each year - 60 are prepared for the Autumn sale, along with PTIC heifers; 130 bulls are prepared for the spring sale in September.
The couple diversified with the Ascot Charolais stud a decade ago, initially sourcing Palgrove, Gobongo, Moongool and Paringa genetics. They now breed from 280 registered Charolais cows.
"We think the Charolais breed has a lot of potential because they can handle hot weather and are ideal for crossbreeding with Brahman and Brahman-infused cattle such as Droughtmasters and Santa Gertrudis breeds," Mr Wedge said.
"We've done a lot of AI and ET work, using overseas and Australian bulls and have developed an 'Ascot' type of Charolais. It is generally early maturing and easy finishing.
"Nearly all Charolais bulls sold by Ascot are polled. Due to our extensive breeding and testing programs, a lot of our Charolais bulls are homozygous polled. Very importantly, even though we breed for the polled gene, we do not lose focus on retaining all the important carcase traits of good weight for age, muscle and bone that Charolais cattle are renowned for. The return on homozygous Charolais bulls nearly doubles the average of the non-homozygous polled bulls, which goes to show that the market is waking up to the benefit of this."
Mr Wedge views their approach as a reflection of future industry and community expectations.
"By breeding polled cattle, we're trying to stay ahead of animal welfare standards and supermarket trends," he said.
Clients who buy Ascot Angus and Charolais bulls are generally breeding cattle for the feeder and supermarket trade, Mr Wedge said.
"Our whole breeding program is targeted for the MSA grading program. We expect progeny from our bulls to achieve good weight for age earlier so people can turn them off quicker and increase their profitability. We try to monitor what our clients are doing and get as much feedback as we can, as far as carcase traits are concerned, to ensure our breeding program is market focused."
Most of the Angus and Charolais bulls are bred for and purchased by owners of commercial beef herds, ranging from straight Angus herds to Bos Indicus based herds. Mr Wedge views the 10 per cent of bulls sold to studs, as a by-product of his breeding program.
"We're not trying to breed stud bulls but we have many that suit stud duties due to our strict breeding parameters," he said.
Mr Wedge uses Breedplan to record the information about every calf bred at both properties. The calves are weighed and tagged within 24 hours of birth.
"Each bull calf is DNA tested, to verify his sire before being sold. This assures clients that the EBVs and performance data they are relying on can be traced to the sire and his progeny's performance.
"We rigorously collect data for both breeds and are five star Breedplan conformists for Angus and Charolais."
Regular weigh-ins are held at 200-day, 400-day and 600-day intervals and the young bulls are scanned for eye muscle area and marbling. Scrotal measurements are recorded for every bull and they are tested for fertility.
"In addition to weight, growth and fertility, we select for quiet temperament and calving ease," Mr Wedge said.
All bulls are independently assessed for structure and temperament by Jim Green and all bulls are vet and semen checked and vaccinated for tick fever, three-day sickness, pestivirus and 7-in-1, prior to sale.
"Independent structural assessment allows buyers to have greater confidence in buying Ascot bulls, even if they cannot be present at the sale," Mr Wedge said.
Bulls aged 20 to 21 months are sold at the autumn on-property sale. In spring, two-year-old and 18 to 22-month-old bulls are available at the on-property sale.
"Sometimes we have a sprinkling of 14-month-old bulls in spring. Some of our Queensland and NSW customers are looking for young bulls because they want to park them to acclimate before they begin working six months later."
Ascot Angus sold its highest grossing bull in 2016, at a final bid of $70,000; the same year Ascot Angus set the Queensland record for the highest average for an Angus bull sale, at $12,600.