VALDERMAR - MILLTHORPE, NSW
DUNCAN AND EILLEEN CLOWES

Diversifying into premiums

(Article courtesy The Land, by Richard Fox) 

BY DIVERSIFYING his Poll Merino stud into a commercial Angus property, Central West farmer, Duncan Clowes, "Valdemar", Millthorpe, has been able to progress his business to be at the forefront of the Angus industry.

Mr Clowes, who has been on "Valdemar" since 1982, had been focused on the superfine Merino wool sector before buying Angus cows a decade ago.  And since then, "Valdemar" has flourished.

"Farming is all about risk management and diversification and that's what I've tried to do here," he said.  "Angus is the leading breed in promotion and production, but I may be being biased." 

Mr Clowes, his wife, Eilleen, helped out by farmhand, Josh Lynch, have bought 200 Angus cows, with Te Mania blood, off AuctionsPlus in the past few seasons to beef up his herd.  "We look for a bit of everything when we buy and even though a lot of people are against estimated breeding values (EBV), we look for good EBVs," Mr Clowes said.

"AuctionsPlus is great because we can't always travel to the sale and we are committed to the Te Mania genetics here.  "Angus is a great breed and because of our genetics, we demand a bit more of a premium than the average joe bloke."

Initially running Herefords, Mr Clowes switched to Angus after backgrounding Angus steers for a friend.  "I bought Angus cows and put Angus bulls on the Herefords and gradually moved to Angus," he said.  "But now I'm completely Angus, in the last two years, I have invested $240,000 in Te Mania genetics and I'm happy."   

The "Valdemar" Angus steers are often sold to a feedlot in Glen Innes, while Mr Clowes also sells through his local saleyards, the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange, Carcoar.  "Last year, we didn't get such a great price for some of our calves," Mr Clowes admitted.  "I've got a few mates with cropping places in a warmer climate and I might in the future background the calves there.

"The only way to evaluate what you're doing is at the point of sale.  "We will probably do a lot more artificial insemination to take us further forward."  However, it's not all about Angus for Mr Clowes and the team at "Valdemar".

He is still passionate about Poll Merinos, although increasingly looking to the sheepmeat sector as the next move forward.  "I can't see a real premium in wool at the moment," he said.  "I'm not going to sacrifice wool quality to get good meat, but meat is the way to go."  Mr Clowes secures a clip from 14 to 17 microns on all of his 4000-strong flock and has electronically tagged each of them - a time-consuming effort but one that he thinks the industry should embrace. 

"We've had a bit of a problem with the electronic tagging, it requires a lot of work, but the process as a whole is a lot quicker as a result," he said.  "I think it's good for the industry; it's a lot of extra work and a lot of commercial guys can't be bothered but it's a good thing for the industry."

JOINING a well-known interstate genetics team has helped Duncan Clowes, "Valdemar", Millthorpe, expand his commercial Angus operation.

Becoming a member of Team Te Mania, run by Te Mania Angus, Connewarre, Victoria, a year ago has allowed Mr Clowes to network with other growers in NSW and beyond and gain access to genetics and semen from the Te Mania set up.  "The only way to get the best genetics is to get into the progeny test groups," Mr Clowes said.

"We do a lot of performance testing with our sheep through (artificial insemination) and the Te Mania genetics are all performance tested."  Mr Clowes and his wife, Eilleen, now run about 500 cows with Te Mania genetics on their 1619-hectare Central West property.  And the venture seems to be paying off.

After a few good returns, Mr Clowes sold the top-priced pen of steers, 203 Angus steers, which ranged from $675 and topped at $770, to average $699, at the huge 10,000-plus head Blue Ribbon weaner sale at the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange, Carcoar, in April.  "It gives you a bit more motivation being part of the Te Mania team," Mr Clowes said.

"We get feedback and it keeps us up to speed with what's happening in the industry."

Breedplan recorded, Angus Commercial Register
Calving Period - Spring

   Photo by Richard Fox, The Land