THE Lucock family’s Ennerdale Hereford stud will hold its annual bull sale at 12pm next Wednesday, 12 February, with 38 outstanding bulls in the offering. The Luckock association with Herefords goes back long before the Ennerdale Herd and Stud were founded in 1939 and 1943, respectively.
Ennerdale today operates as a family unit with Kate, James and nephew Tom running the property, with sister Jane and her daughter Sophie assist during the holidays.
The aim at Ennerdale is to keep all operations as simple as possible and livestock must be easy-care with low-maintenance requirements.
Ennerdale is currently operating with 350 cows plus heifers, 11,000 fine wool Merinos, 300 acres of hay production and an Arabian horse stud consisting of 35 horses on 4250 acres.
Thus, the cattle have to perform under competition and are widely regarded for their constitution when seasons are tough.
In maintaining a commercially-focused and competitive operation, the stud breeds for structure, performance, temperament and constitution.
Over the years the stud has invested heavily in stud sires from South Boorook, Ardno, Lowanna, Hobartville and Yarram Park, followed by semen shares in sires from the Rocky Haven Hereford Ranch in Canada and the Smithston Stud in NSW.
More recently sires have been introduced from Quamby Plains in Tasmania with the latest introduction being the $56,000 Cascade Roman and his first sons will appear in this sale.
The Poll Stud commenced in 2001 via embryo transfer programmes utilising top horn cows as donors.
The purchase of Wiranya Princess U71 with the Charnock stud proved to be a valuable addition to the development of the Poll Stud.
Over the years Ennerdale has enjoyed successful associations with client’s calves topping the Hamilton and Birregurra weaner sales and appreciated and enjoyed a long association with clients including its longest standing client, the Kenna family from Cliffney Park, which has been purchasing bulls from Ennerdale for 63 years.