Garry and Leanne Hall set clear objectives in their cattle production system at The Mole, based on the western edge of the NSW Macquarie Marshes at Warren.
The way they manage their Angus cattle, and how many breeders they join, is heavily reliant on water availability and environmental flows held in upstream Burrendong Dam, writes Nicola Bell, Weekly Times.
Garry’s breeding objectives include selecting for a short gestation length, which helps with calving ease because the calf is smaller and heifers have longer to recover before getting back in calf.
Meat-eating quality is also important to the Halls.
“We are food producers. If we want to achieve a premium we have to produce a high-quality product,” Garry said.
“We choose moderate carcass traits, but we still want them to perform above average for eating quality, so it is about finding the balance.”
Garry said they were not only conscious of improving the quality of their cattle, but also the quality of the landscape, soil and ecosystem.
