Great growth rates with Charolais-cross

Pointon Pastoral Company manager Clint Gollan has achieved sterling results with a Charolais/Brahman-cross article across three Queensland properties.

For 11 years Mr Gollan has managed the company’s properties, which include Gobongo, at Manumbar, Riverslea, south of Roma, and Basin Downs, south of Surat.

The combined 2428ha of land, situated on the Balonne River, is split evenly between grazing land and cropping country, which is currently sewn to oats.

This country received a large drenching in November 2023, which has the cropping land and cattle in good shape.

The Pointon Pastoral Company herd has always consisted primarily of Brahman breeders.

Nine years ago, Charolais bulls, purchased from Ascot Cattle Company, went in with the Brahman females.

“The thickness of the Ascot Charolais bulls has given the first-cross progeny plenty of punch. We receive an early maturing calf that reaches 480 to 500kg as a milk or two-tooth,” Mr Gollan said.

“The bulls have handled the ticky, coastal conditions in the Burnett well,” he said.

The Charolais bulls are joined to the Brahman females from October for three months.

“Our fertility rate is around 90 per cent and our calving rate has been good. We’ve continued to cull cows at 10-years-old.”

The first-cross steers produced in the Pointon Pastoral Company operation are purchased by Morgan Pastoral, Quinalow, near Dalby, for entry into its feedlot program.

“They offer fair prices and keep everyone honest. They buy a lot of our first-cross heifers as well.”

Mr Gollan said there are currently 56 Ascot bulls in their program.

“Their temperament is great, their quality is brilliant, they travel well, and their weight for age growths are outstanding. They’ve been handled well. When we put a dog in front of them they’re easy to muster. The Ascot bulls keep getting better and better.”

He succinctly described Ascot stud principals Jim and Jackie Wedge as “the best”.

“We’re always in touch with the Wedges pre-sale to go through their lineup and their after-sale service is first-rate if we ever have any issues and they always help us out with freight. They’re as interested in finding out what’s going on with our program as we are.”

Mr Gollan bought eight Ascot bulls in 2023 and will be attending this year’s sale to source thicker, early maturing growthy-type bulls.

“We’ve also started leaning more towards purchasing homozygous polled bulls to keep the herd tidy. It has been pleasing to see that we aren’t losing out on weight gains by using polls. Their performance has been equal to horned bulls.”

Story by Matt Sherrington for Queensland Country Life