Rotherwood Farming

The herd began in the late 1950's with 26 heifers bought from "Glenelg" Gretna. In 1963 we started weighing calves, calculating weight ratios, and culling cows whose calves under-performed- we were probably the first Angus herd in Tasmania to do performance recording. Over the next few years sires were purchased from Tasmania, Victoria and New Zealand with variable results. Some performed well, but others not as well as home-bred sires. Others had to be culled due to their foot problems along with their progeny.

In the early 1970's an Agricultural Officer suggested setting up a nucleus breeding scheme; with 6 breeders suppling their best heifers to the nucleus and receiving a set ratio of bulls in return. Rotherwood was chosen to host the nucleus herd. The aim was to have a regular supply of bulls of the type the members desired-which would improve their herds, at a reasonable cost. The bulls to be used in the nucleus, or supplied, were chosen at a meeting in June, when the new heifers arrived. This worked well for 33 years until it was wound up because of a drop in the number of herds, due to owner retirement, and property or herd sale, when the gene pool became too small. It had initially been 2000 cows.

The herd enrolled in Breedplan from the beginning, as an Angus Performance Register herd. At the time our 200 and 600day weight EBV's were about 20% above breed average until the influence of North American genetics occurred. Our aim is to keep birth weights low, while maximizing 600 day weights with improved muscling and keeping our reputation for docile cattle with good conformation. Surplus cows and heifers (EU accredited) are often sold at the Powranna autumn commercial cattle sale.

After many years selling bulls privately we decided to move to a helmsman auction system in 2012. We felt that it would provide the fairest method of selling bulls by auction. The first sale went well for us and buyers were happy with the type of auction system that we used, as it gave prospective purchasers time to go back and look at the bulls during the auction, and change their preferred animal if so desired.