For three decades the Brangus has been the fulcrum which drives Colin and Trina Hoy's commercial cattle operation at Green Valley, situated 100km west of Emerald at Bogantungan.
Colin and Trina are the fourth generation of the Hoy family on the 8030 acre property, which is predominantly comprised of ridgy, Ironbark country which leads down onto good flood out country populated with eucalypts, tea trees, box trees and more Ironbark.
"We have some mountainous country running through the property, which can get pretty rough in some places, but overall it's good breeder country," Colin said.
The Hoys run a 500 head pure Brangus breeding herd at Green Valley alongside their daughters Ashleigh and Kimberly, and Kimberly's partner Tim.
"Brangus are very well suited to our country. They also appeal to us due to their ease of calving, excellent temperament, their attractive shiny coat and their excellent weight gain ability," he said.
Colin said the overarching goal within the operation is to breed consistent lines of cattle that are suitable for the feed on market.
"Our joining period usually begins in December and ends in April, at which point we fatten the progeny to 300kg to 350kg to be sold into the feedlot or feed on markets, depending on which sector has the better prices at the time."
The Hoy's frequently attend the Rockhampton ABCA Sale, the Central Highlands Angus, Emerald's Brangus and Ultrablack Sale and private and/or property when they're looking to diversify and strengthen the genetics running through their herd.
"We've purchased a total of seven bulls from Michael and Kellie Silvester's, Forest Hills Brangus, in Capella over the past two years, including four from the Rockhampton ABCA Sale and the other three from out of the paddock at Forest Hills.
"The bulls we've purchased from the Silvester's have excellent temperaments and are very well structured. Being bred locally they've also adapted very well to our country, and are ideally suited to our needs."
Colin said when it comes to evaluating bulls and females for purchase at sale time, a quiet temperament is their number one priority.
"We then also look for good length, good hindquarters, tidy underneath, and a nice polled head. We've found that these traits consistently give us a nice line of weaners."
Colin said when the family aren't working the cattle, they enjoy spending time together completing other jobs on the property.
"We're constantly improving the fences and water infrastructure to make running the property easier and more efficient."
