ANGUS breeders have a big opportunity to access top-quality genetics with Mootatunga Angus' stud and commercial herd dispersal sale on Monday, November 25.
Stud principals Merilyn Paxton and John Brook, who have operated the South East-based stud for the past 16 years, say the timing is right.
"We had to retire at some stage and we didn't want to continue until we were too old and tired," Mr Brook said.
Ms Paxton said that although it was hard to sell their "beloved" herd of Angus cattle, it was better to do it while they were both healthy.
"We want to be able to spend time with our family and travel more in the next few years," she said.
On offer at their Mount Benson sale complex will be 67 Herd Book Recorded & Angus Performance Recorded spring calving females with calves at foot; 21 HBR and APR pregnancy tested in calf autumn calving females; 24 HBR&APR 2012-drop unjoined heifers; 18 ET calves to be sold with their recipient dams; 34 spring 2012-drop bulls; and 65 commercial females.
All of the spring-calving females will be rejoined, with a proportion already artificially inseminated earlier this month.
The couple started the Mootatunga stud to make the most of their small property, and have gradually increased the proportion of stud females.
They have held six successful on-property bull and female sales.
The foundation females comprised three from the Glen Bold dispersal, plus a New Trend 933 daughter from Mount Hunter and three females from Te Mania.
In ensuing years, the couple started the Mootatunga stud to make the most of their small property, and have gradually increased the proportion of stud females.
The young bulls and unjoined heifers are sons and daughters of AI sires Rennylea C574, Rito D47, Te Mania Africa, Te Mania Berkeley B1, Thomas Grade Up 68949, Sitz Jackson 421T, Right Time 24J and SAV Pioneer 7301, plus home-bred sires including Mootatunga Ferdinand F007 which topped their sale in 2011
The couple is pleased with the latest drop of two to three-month-old calves which will be sold with their dams.
Included in the sire list are a number of bulls from Angus Australia's Young Sire Program; Aberdeen Excite; Dunoon Evident, Aryvale Bartel E7, Bald Blair Debonair D34, Booroomooka So You Think E184 and Cherylton Stewie D19.
"They are a terrific drop of calves. I hope people don't overlook them because they are young but recognise they are buying very productive breeding packages with some great three-month-old bulls and heifers which are the breeding future," Ms Paxton said.
One of the feature female lots will be their great ET donor cow Mootatunga Dawning C124 which has six bulls and two unjoined heifers all from the same flush in the sale.
The couple say the stud's focus has always been breeding moderate-framed, structurally sound cattle with calving ease, good fertility and well-balanced Breedplan figures.
Emphasis has also been placed on good carcase attributes with their eye muscle area and intramuscular fat figures well above breed average and positive fat figures.
They have culled heavily for these traits, and in recent years have used respected former Angus breeder Joe Grieve to class their bulls and females each year.
* Full report in Stock Journal, October 17 issue, 2013.
