Karen Howe has been producing Santa Gertrudis cattle all her life with the breed being a major factor in the growth of her business.
Ms Howe runs 3000 head of Santa and Santa-cross breeding and fattening operation over three land holdings, Hillside at Wallumbilla, Dawson Lea at Theodore, and Mayfield at Dingo (purchased in 2001, 2015 and 2017 respectively), with the article produced targeted to the grassfed, EU, MSA and organic markets.
Each property is a standalone operation, due to the distance between them and the costs of cartage.
"I like to keep our cattle are on a rising plain of nutrition gaining at least 0.6kg per day throughout their lives. We aim for as much weight as we can with bullocks from Hillside, which in previous years have averaged 340kg dressed, while cull heifers have averaged 270kg dressed," Ms Howe said.
"Each property has a core breeder herd, with cows mated in October each year. Weaners are handled and tailed for a couple of weeks midyear. All progeny are retained. Steers and cull heifers are grown out on developed brigalow and softwood scrub country and buffel pastures. Santa replacement heifers are carefully chosen."
"We sell finished bullocks and cull heifers at two and half years old. Cast for age cows are drafted from the herd at 10 years and any cow not bringing a calf to the yard at branding is culled."
Her country is mainly buffel grass pastures, and soils range from brigalow, bauhinia and softwood scrub to creek flats, broken scrub/forest and heavy chocolate soils on the Dawson River.
"We're lucky to have been able to buy blocks in relatively safe rainfall areas (610mm to 660mm annually). All of our land has the ability to fatten, so we are able to breed the type cattle we choose.
"Land management and development is high on the priority list with a program each year to regenerate country though either blade ploughing, pulling, raking or pelleting. We're using plenty of legume these days with butterfly pea, clover, medics and stylos being planted when we renovate country."
Kelvin Hahn looks after the day to day running of Hillside and feeds salt and sulphur to the cattle weekly.
"We believe it helps keep the gut healthy and the sulphur helps with internal and external parasites. Clean water and plenty of feed is also our priority. We don't overstock our country and try to burn every five years."
It was after buying Mayfield, that Ms Howes' partner, and fellow beef producer, Gavin McKenzie, suggested she attend the Cardona/Jamar sale, from where she has been buying bulls since 2017.
"We were looking for an "old style' Santa stud. Square and upstanding beef bulls with good bone to join with our cows. We fatten bullocks and cull heifers; so we look for weight for age.
"The Atkinsons at Cardona have been breeding good bulls for many years. Craig Atkinson is great to deal with and they run an excellent sale with well-presented big, strong, ready to work bulls.
"While we would rather buy poly bulls, the horned bulls have qualities we also like and Cardona has a good line of each, to choose from. Each year Craig delivers our new bulls to the yards at Hillside, which is a bonus for us."
She said the Cardona bulls are throwing cherry red calves with strong attributes, suitable for her operation.
"Heifers are drafted, and a large portion are retained as breeders. Temperament, bone, carcase, doing ability and fertility are considered. We mainly keep Santas as our core breeder herd.
"While most of our bulls are red, a few Angus and Charolais are sourced for a cross breeding program on Hillside and Dawson Lea.
"Hillside is an organic certified property and we're currently selling our Santa Gertrudis-cross cattle through Arcadian Meats. We consistently present an even line of well-finished cattle."
2019 was one of the worst years in history as Hillside recorded 229mm of rain. However even with the tough seasons in recent years Ms Howe said the fertility of their herd has shone through.
"This year over half our calves have hit the ground and its only September. This means our cows cycled and went in calf in November last year, during the height of the drought. We normally sit on an average of 90 per cent calving at Hillside."
The cattle at Mayfield require a bit more Brahman content as they require a smoother coat to better tolerate the CQ heat and ticks.
"We've been buying bulls with a bit more content to put over our Santa cows. So far, this has been an effective cross that we're happy with."
Ms Howe is looking forward to her children, Amy (who chose to live and work on Mayfield while she studies externally) and Mitchell, involved in the business in the years to come.
"I have a lot of faith in their ability to contribute. I also believe a business is only as good as the team involved, and we work with an excellent group on a daily basis."
