THE principle itself sounds simple enough, but for Tom and Olivia Lawson, producing bulls that will maximise profits in challenging times is an exact science.
"We aim to provide clients with sires that will keep their systems simple and make them money," Tom said.
- Who: Tom and Olivia Lawson
- What: Beef
- Why: Keep it simple and profitable
- Where: Yea
- Report: GEMMA GADD
By selecting for short gestation, low birth-weight, early growth and high yield, Paringa Charolais, near Yea, has developed what the Lawsons call the "new generation" of Charolais.
"This line does not put pressure on your cows, but out-grows, out-yields, out-marbles and out-converts, like we have never seen before," Tom said.
While a quick survey at any Victorian saleyard will confirm first-cross cattle bring a premium, the Lawsons believe it's the Charolais' feed efficiency and subsequent productivity gains that make it the ideal terminal sire.
"We don't want people to keep their Charolais-cross heifers as replacement breeders," Tom said. "That's not what they are designed for."
Instead, Paringa aims to provide the genetics and support to run calves through to feedlot entry weight (450kg) at 10 to 14 months.
And, since beginning the stud eight years ago, they are now seeing most of their customers turn off their first and second calves with great success.
"Data from our clients consistently shows 15 to 22 per cent greater weight gain (in cross bred calves) over straight Angus contemporaries. These calves are 20 per cent heavier at weaning and make even greater gains over 400 days," Tom said.
In a terminal system, this equates to overall gains in production while maintaining a moderate sized and fertile maternal female base,
Selecting for short gestation and weaning early, three to four months, has also helped Paringa make productivity gains and get the most of their 200ha freehold and 400ha leasehold properties in the Murrindindi Valley.
"Early weaning results have shown we can run 100 per cent more livestock at 30 per cent less cost," Tom said.
He pointed to the hot weather and tough cattle market as reason enough to have weaned early.
"In a traditional system, when the market crashes and you've got a cow with a big calf, you've got to accept what the market's giving," Tom said.
"(Early weaning) means we don't spend as much on the calves and have more options with the empty cows. We can sell them early and reinvest if need be."
And that's exactly what they've done this season, having weaned their calves early and fed them a natural rumen development mix for 30 to 40 days, and then straight on to grass or silage.
Tom said that after trialling early weaning and putting it into practice, it had proven precisely what had been predicted.
He said weaning that early would not suit everyone but he stood by his commitment to work with customers beyond providing the genetics.
"We try to work with our clients to help them produce the ultimate feeder animal that is gentle, able to handle stress and with a fully developed rumen that will perform in any situation," he said.
Although later weaned calves were more visually appealing, they were also more expensive to produce, he said.
"Unless they are slaughtered straight off their dam as true vealers, these calves can crash after weaning with high mortality and sickness rates and a longer delay before positive weight gain is achieved," Tom said.
"It's inefficient to run cows and calves together and we don't see weaner programs, while providing an effective way of marketing cattle, as being profitable long term."
The Lawsons run their 250 registered Charolais breeders alongside 200 registered Red Angus breeders and a small herd of composite females under strict commercial conditions.
Despite this, Paringa cattle have almost double the Charolais breed average for fat cover, marbling and growth. The cattle look softer, smoother and cleaner in the coat than most.
"The extra fat in our Charolais gives more options as you can get them to market sooner and get the right fat cover using less feed, therefore reducing costs," Tom said.
The stud will offer mostly polled, embryo transfer and AI-bred bulls from the LT Western Spur, Bluegrass, Pinay, Rio Bravo and Performer sire lines at its next autumn production sale in March.
All progeny have been weighed at birth, 200 and 400 days and scanned for muscle, fat and marbling, with data submitted to Breedplan.
