The following examples illustrate how some commercial cattle producers have higher returns using Angus cattle:

Ken McLennan, Quirindi, NSW
Ken McLennan manages a 1,000 cow crossbreeding herd on the northern slopes of NSW. Depending on seasons and market prices, Ken targets the feeder steer market or the Woolworths feedlot market. " The Angus cross steers have the flexibility to meet either market as well as giving better growth through hybrid vigour. The uniformity of these crosses gives me bigger lines of more uniform steers in colour and type" says Ken. "In addition, I get higher fertility and mothering ability from the Angus cross females."

Andrew Cameron, The Falls Pastoral Co., Euroa, VIC
Andrew runs 150 Angus cows on light gravel loam country running into the hills on the edge of the Strathbogie Ranges in northeast Victoria. He established his herd in 1952 and put great emphasis on return per hectare. He believes Angus cows are clear leaders in that regard, putting everything into their calves whatever the season but especially when conditions are tough. Andrew says that conception rates are consistently high even when the cows are low in condition.

Lawson Geddes, Couti Outi, Kunwarra, QLD
Lawson and his family run Angus X Brahman crossbred cows on 16,000 ha of mixed coastal plain and poor, coastal, tea tree country in northern Qld. Lawson says "In this country, I need Brahman content in my cattle. The Angus content allows me to turn off grass finished bullocks at younger ages with good meat quality. The fertility and milking ability of the Angus cross cows is important and shows in the calves."

Robert Payne, Wangaru, King Island, TAS
Wangaru Angus run approximately 600 Angus breeders (mostly APR and ACR) under high stocking rates over 20 DSE/Ha. “The ability of Angus cows to work off their body reserves over the winter and then capitalise on the spring feed to rear a calf and rejoin is insurpassed” says Robert. “The depth of genetics and E.B.V.s available enables the selection for progeny to be flexible enough to meet upper end domestic weights off grass with sufficient fat cover and also market to the feedlots and have the capacity to grow and convert for short and long feeding regimes. This market suitability across the full spectrum as well as maintaining an efficient female is what sets the breed apart from other breeds and cross-breeding programs.”

Fuller Family, De Rose Hill Station, SA
The Fuller family graze approximately 2,000 Angus females on 700 square miles (181,370 ha) of tough cattle country 350 km south of Alice Springs. The Fullers buy registered low to moderate birth weight Angus bulls with moderate to high milk and above average growth. The Angus cows’ ability to handle these harsh conditions, combined with high fertility and milk have enabled the Fullers to achieve more kgs of beef per hectare, and to capitalise on the higher prices for Angus weaners and replacement females.

Michael Parish, Old Turee Station, Coolah, NSW
Mike manages 1000 cows on a Certified "A" Organic property in the central tablelands of NSW owned by John and Annette Spinks. For many years they have supplied steers for the Japanese high quality B3 market with great success. Now that they are organic they are focusing on supplying the highest quality organic beef and they now sell at a premium into Japanese, EU and Domestic organic markets. So they need cattle that suit a wide range of markets and Angus fit the bill perfectly. "Because we don't rely on chemicals we need cattle that have good doing ability, as well as having high eating quality traits. EBV'S have allowed us to select the superior bulls that have a good balance of these traits" says Mike.

John Locke, Adina Grazing, Esperance, WA
John, Val and Rod Locke run 1500 Angus breeders on their 3,200 ha grazing and cropping properties east of Esperance, W.A. Yearling steers are sold to feedlotters for the local market and mated heifers are sold PTIC. A nucleus herd of Angus breeding cows, recorded on Breedplan and AI mated produces 15-20 bull replacements each year. “We concentrate on calves with low-medium birthweights with the ability to achieve high weaning weights at 12 months of age. Angus genetics enable us to achieve those objectives.”

Richard and Keith McFarlane, Wellington Lodge, Tailem Bend, SA
Keith and Richard McFarlane run 700 Breedplan recorded commercial Angus breeders on their South Australian properties with an annual rainfall of 375 mm. The McFarlanes have been producing Angus cattle since 1945. Angus were initially chosen because of their ability to handle all seasons and still remain fertile. The breed’s versatility to supply both the longfed Japanese B3 market or domestic markets such as Certified Australian Angus Beef is also valued by the McFarlanes. “Performance recording of the cow herd has facilitated specific decisions when selecting bulls. Feeder steers have grown very well under feedlot conditions without laying down excess fat. And the breed’s inherent propensity to marble allows us to produce the finest quality meat possible.”

James and Tom Robertson, “Moyne Falls”, Macarthur, VIC
The Robertsons have been running Angus cattle for four generations at Moyne Falls, western Victoria. They are currently running 2500 cows. That they successfully market their weaners at two annual on property sales reflects the demand for their cattle. James and Tom say “We have no thoughts of changing breeds due to the fertility, productivity, and calving ease of Angus.”

Susie Cay, Warrembool Pastoral Co, Corowa, NSW
For more than fifty years and three generations Angus cattle have been bred at Warrembool, in the Southern Riverina. Currently the Cay family run 600 breeding cows, turning off steers for the domestic trade and females at the Albury Wodonga Angus Breeders Sale. Steers are finished at an opportunity feedlot on the property to an average of 240 kgs HCW for supermarkets. Susie Cay says, “Over the years we have taken advantage of the toughness of the breed, running them hard and to a strict fertility program. The steers meet strict carcase specifications after short feeding programs.