HEREFORD breeders have the rare opportunity to purchase tried and tested genetics from one of South Australia’s influential beef studs, with the offering of 15 ‘Oak Downs’ sires at Karingal, Sandford, this month.
When the 44-year-old stud held its dispersal sale in 2023, Clyde and Fiona Lawrence initially intended to purchase sires to enhance their own commercial herd, but after careful consideration, took on the ‘Oak Downs’ stud name and prefix.
Securing 40 cows with calves at foot and 30 heifers, PTIC to Injemira Robert Redford which was, at the time, the $160,000 Australian record-priced Poll Hereford Bull, they are now preparing to sell eight Autumn-drop and seven Spring-drop bulls as rising two-year-olds, with reference sires including Mawarra Terminator Q274 (AI) (PP), Wirruna Milage M336 (AI) (PP) and Kidman Genius P126 (PP).
“Oak Downs and the Hereford breed are low-maintenance, easy-care and good doing cattle,” Mr Lawrence said.
“They have got great temperament, really easy handling.
“We’re really confident in the decision to take on the stud name and provide quality genetics to other beef producers.
“We recently also purchased several PTIC cows and heifers from the Yarram Park Dispersal sale with the intention of continuing to breed quality bulls into the future.”
All bulls in the Beef Week offering were inspected for structure and reproductive soundness and were semen tested on 24 December, 2024, by Nationwide Artificial Breeders and deemed sound.
They are performance-recorded with EBVs available on all animals and the Autumn drop bulls have been genome tested.