Dunbeacon is now selling QUALITY SHORTHORN BULLS
out of the paddock.
The status quo is still the same at Dunbeacon:
Breeding quality genetics for the beef industry.
2018 Bulls are ready for sale
For further information
CONTACT - IAN & ALI
Dunbeacon Shorthorns – Consistent Quality
through Five Generations
through Five Generations
PROFIT drives production at Dunbeacon Poll Shorthorns where the McDouall family’s passion for the breed - which has lasted 175 years - is second to none.
Dunbeacon, nestled in the valley floor at Upper Horton, has run Shorthorn cattle continuously for five generations, since 1843. David and Joan McDouall made the swap to polled shorthorns in 1971 and, with their son Ian, established the stud in 1989 and now continues the family business with his wife Ali and two children. The 2,631 hectare property, Dunbeacon, runs 700 stud and commercial Poll Shorthorn cows and Ian McDouall said in the past, the family ran a mixed cropping and beef enterprise, but now focuses exclusively on stud and commercial cattle. Their commitment to quality, detail and improving carcase traits is impressive, with the stud recently celebrating 28 years of continuous sire trials at Beef City (Toowoomba) and Rockdale Feedlots. "This information continues to be imperative in selecting genetics that suits the Australian cattle market," Mr McDouall said. "Our focus is to produce strong, functional females that will survive in the extremes of Australia’s climate. "As production costs continually increase, our cattle need to be even more low maintenance, easy calving, long living, quiet and be able to raise a high growth rate calf every year. “We focus 100 per cent on commercial cattle attributes, hardiness, mothering ability, growth rates, meat quality and marbling.” Mr McDouall said the JBS Thousand Guineas program - a premium brand for the breed - which feedlots cattle to produce restaurant quality meat with an Aus-Meat marble score of two and plenty of flavour, had proven that Shorthorn meat was second to none. In the 2015 RAS Beef Challenge Dunbeacon Shorthorns took out first place in the pen of six carcase judging export class and also placed third in the taste test, thus earning a silver medal for the second year in a row. The marbling of the steers was exceptionally good with three steers exceeding the maximum points available with a marble score of four. “Everything we do here is profit based; if animals don’t perform, they don’t survive," he said. “We have been single sire and progeny testing every animal on the place for the past 28 years. We follow the progeny through the whole production system, through feed lots and abattoirs, looking at all their carcass information. This year’s on-property bull sale will be held at Dunbeacon, on Monday, September 5, with 40 quality bulls on offer. Mr McDouall said he was particularly pleased with Dunbeacon Newman G083, a bull with high marbling, fat cover and excellent carcase trait EBVs. "With cattle prices at record highs, it is time to produce as many kilograms of beef per hectare at the least cost," he said. - Courtesy of the Country Leader, Stephanie van Eyk |