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Genetics, performance and fertility have been the key drivers behind the Laycock family's High Country Droughtmasters stud business since its establishment in 2010.
Paul and Lisa Laycock run the business, with their daughter Steph, across five properties (acquired over 15 years, totalling 3237ha) within the Brisbane Valley.
Mr Laycock said their aim has always been to provide a wealth of breed-best genetics to their clients.
"We strive to produce bulls that are commercially relevant, and that will produce offspring with market versatility and impressive performance figures. We ensure our bulls are structurally sound, fertile (including morphology) and have longevity. We believe buying a bull is an investment and we do all we can to ensure our clients get an excellent return on that investment," he said.
The Droughtmasters' versatility is helping the Laycocks achieve these goals.
"Our Droughtmaster females are moderately framed and are an easy to manage breeder herd with strong resistance to ticks, good drought and heat tolerance, are easy calving and excellent mothers and have faced a host of environmental conditions and proven to be fertile and to continue to wean heavy calves."
To maximise the expansion of the top breeders in their herd the Laycocks have done ET work and recently began an IVF program.
"We've utilised what we believe are the best genetics available in the breed, which includes our in-partnership purchase of Rondel Whiskey for $160,000, at the 2020 National Droughtmaster Bull Sale."
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In addition to Rondel Whiskey, they've purchased a strong battery of sires from Glenlands to join with more than 25 unrelated stud sires.
"This will ensure that we have a range of genetics for our clients, while sticking to our goal of using the best genetics available."
He said focusing on the important traits, will allow them to make faster genetic gains.
"Our expansion to 450 commercial breeders, on top of our 250 stud breeders, will provide us with further scope to test our genetics and ensure we remain commercially viable."
These genetics will be offered at their eighth annual on-property sale at Eskdale on Saturday, August 21.
"We expect we'll be offering close to 60 bulls and 20 females at the sale, however we don't set a number, we set a criteria. Animals reaching and exceeding those standards will decide on our final numbers catalogued."
Bulls suited for use in both commercial and stud cattle programs will be drafted for the sale.
"We'll be offering fantastic females based upon some of our latest sires, enabling others to utilise these genetics at the same time as High Country. We're excited to this year also be offering embryo and semen packages."
He said when selecting for the sale they start from the feet and move up.
"We want animals that can walk and reproduce with great fertility. All our bulls are crush side semen tested and also morphology tested. We back all our animals with fertility guarantees as well as a 100 per cent satisfaction guarantee for our buyers.
"Six months insurance also ensures our clients can be comfortable that the product is backed and can go out and do the job for them. We try to make the buying of stock as stress-free as possible and to ensure our clients have confidence in their purchase."
The Laycocks are proud of the entire draft that they produce with standouts dotted throughout the catalogue.
"With over 25 stud sires represented, we have one of the best selections of genetics in the breed. Our clients can have comfort in the fact if the animal has made it into the sale we're confident and impressed with what the sire and the dam has produced and we guarantee they'll go on and produce the goods.
"Our clients will all have different traits or bulls that they'll be looking for, to fit particular requirements within their herds. Therefore, our aim is to produce the best bulls we can, that meet all of our selection criteria, so that we can offer outstanding lots to meet everyone's requirements."
To ensure their clients have the ability to buy over the internet no matter their location the sale will be livestreamed, with live bidding available, through Elite Livestock Auctions.
High Country clients are invited to view the Laycocks cattle in the paddock at any time, with the lots to be penned and again made available for inspection just before the sale.
"The sale provides a comfortable but professional atmosphere for clients. It's important that clients see the best of what we have to offer and our facilities are developed to assist in this."
The catalogue will be available online and in hard copy formats six to eight weeks prior to the sale.
The family will also make their third trip to Beef Australia this year.
"It's the best opportunity to showcase our cattle. It allows us to talk to our existing clients, and to show potential clients our breeding strategy and to discuss our direction into the future. We have great relationships with our clients and we like to interact with them both in business and socially when possible."
They hope to have a team of 25 animals at Beef.
"As well as the Droughtmaster classes, we'll be auctioning a heifer at the Beef Genetics Focus Sale. She's a sister to our multi-champion retained sire High Country Edward and is sired by the $47,500 Glenlands D Whynot."