Lowline Journal 2012 - Australian Lowline Cattle Association

COVER STORYD BREED’S SIZE‘We’re lookingforward to showingat the NationalShow in Canberra.’“We’re really looking forwardto showing at theNational Show in Canberra.”The Smith family hasreached a pivotal point intheir Lowline breedingprogram, and are currentlyconsidering whether to increasethe size of their herdthrough agistment or keeptheir breeding numbers atcurrent levels.“At the end of the day, ouraim is to breed top-quality,compact, highly fertile cattlewith good temperamentsand good doing ability,” hesaid. “We still have somesemen stored from somefoundation bulls includingTrangie K208, who was theequal top-price bull at thefinal Trangie dispersal sale in1992, and his half-brother,Trangie K85.“We intend to use thatsemen in our own breedingprogram but we are alsoopen to selling it if we haveinterested parties.”The Smiths are fortunateto be enjoying a good seasonon Grovedale, a propertythat has an annual rainfall ofaround 640mm. With 1kmfrontage to the WollondillyRiver, the property enjoys ahighly secure water supply.However, Mr Smith saidthe drought years were stillchallenging on Grovedale.“We were luckier thanmost because we always hadwater, but it was still a verydifficult time and we arevery pleased to be out of thegrip of drought now.”Margaret Wood and Mary Basily in front of the shed and yards where the Lowline auction took place.Back to where it all beganON a cold and windy dayin August 1992, a smallgroup of buyers andlocal sightseers gathered insidethe cattle shed at the TrangieAgricultural Research Centre.They came from all points of thecompass to attend the first publicauction of Lowline/Angus cattle.After an inspection of the cattle,the group had a welcome cup oftea, then braved the cold outside.Local identity AngusMacDonald was auctioneer.The top-selling bull was boughtby Don Burke and Ian Pullar andDavid Short, owner of the Glenroy Butchery in Trangie (voted bestbutchery in country NSW), showing some Angus Lowline sausagesdonated to the Trangie Lions Club for the town street Christmas party.I equalled top price for females.After the sale, 12 people metunder the proverbial gum treebeside the portable yards, andhad a lively discussion which setin place such important issues asthe name of the breed, size andpedigree information.Lowline breeders with a sense ofhistory are invited to come backto where it all began on August30, 2012, until September 2.Events planned for the weekendinclude bus tours of TrangieResearch Station – it’s a comeclean, go clean area so youcan’t take your own car.In conjunction with the localLions club, Lowline beef will beavailable including medallions(scotch fillet) and butterfly steaksserved with plum sauce andkofta balls.Lowline sausages will be available,prepared by David Short,Glenroy Butchers, Trangie.David’s sausages are renownedfor taste and quality.● Contact Margaret Wood on (02)6888 7026.2012 AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE CATTLE ASSOCIATION JOURNAL 25