Gerald Fry School

On the 10th and 11th of February Eddie attended a Gerald Fry Cattle Selection Clinic in Jackson, Mississippi, USA.  Gerald owns a company called Bovine Engineering out of Rosebud, Arkansas.  He runs Devon cattle and makes his selections using linear measurements. This concept was introduced into the USA by South African scientist Dr Jan Bonsma. Eddie found this  very interesting.  Gerald has a website, www.bovineengineering.com which has some interesting reading.

 
Participants at Gerald Fry school, Jackson, Mississippi, USA, 
February, 2005

The school was attended by 35 people from all over the USA and a couple from Canada and two from Mexico.  Eddie said it was a great experience to mix with so many Americans from very small to large scale operations and talk about their experiences with the cattle business, exchange ideas and get an insight into the American way of life. 

 
Gerald Fry and participants.

On the last afternoon of the school the participants attended the Dixie International Show and watched the Brangus judging and took in the Rodeo that night.

Eddie then hired a car and drove up to Little Rock, Arkansas, and visited Winrock Farms at Morrilton, just out of Little Rock.  Winrock is a Santa Gertrudis stud owned by Whinthropp Rockafella 2nd, the present deputy Governor of Arkansas.  The property of about 3000 acres sits on Petite Jean Mountain overlooking the Arkansas River.  It has to be seen to be believed.  The property was selected by Winthropps father, Winthroppe 1st in the 1950's.  The hard rocky tableland was cleared and topsoil was transported up from the fertile Ahkansas riverflats by trucks.  They run a fine herd of Santa cattle and Eddie felt very privileged to have the opportunity to visit the Winrock ranch.

From there Eddie traveled over to Oklahoma and then down to Dallas for the flight home.  He said driving into the middle of Dallas to return the hire car was another experience he won't forget.   

Field Day

16 members of the Biloela Beef Group attended our field day held on 25th February.   

Biloela Beef Group members attending the Fairy Springs 
Field Day, 25 February, 2005.

The day consisted of Eddie giving a talk from his knowledge of flat bone and palatability and how we are using it in our breeding operation.  The group was very interested and a lot of topics were covered in question time.

   
Bridgette Corr and Paul Ross feeling for flat bone

This was followed by a hands-on demonstration of flat bone and palatability with everyone getting a chance to feel the bone and skin of a number of cattle and understand the difference between animals.  

Biloela Beef Group inspecting a group of young 
Fairy Springs bulls

We then provided a bar-b-que lunch with meat that was selected on the hoof by Eddie using the flat bone method.  This meat was both very tender and tasty.  An enjoyable day was had by all.

 
John Williams, David Corr and Wayne Moxham-Price enjoying 
a steak burger

Brian Pastures

On March 19th we attended a field day held at Brian Pastures, Gayndah by CRC (Cooperative Research Centre for Cattle and Beef Quality).

CRC was established in 1993 with a team of geneticists, ruminant nutritionists, meat scientists and economists drawn from CSIRO, UNE, NSW Agriculture and Queensland Department of Primary Industries.

It is the largest integrated beef research project in Australia’s history with scientists contracted to work together to identify the key genetic and non-genetic factors influencing beef eating quality.

The day outlined Brian Pastures’ involvement with CRC research and included much data on breeding programmes and breed differences as a result of testing over 10000 head of cattle.

The day also included demonstrations for ovary and carcass scanning, DNA markers, temperament assessment and net feed efficiency.

Sydney Trip

 
Bernie with his parents John and Claire Schneider at 
their property, Tipperary

March 22nd was quite a milestone for us with Eddie and Debbie's 25th wedding anniversary and Eddie’s 50th birthday.  We celebrated by taking a 10-day trip to Sydney for the Royal Easter Show.  Travelling to Sydney we took time to visit Michael and Elizabeth Fahey and family, Bizzy Stud at Copmanhurst, Glen Pheffer, Mogul Stud, Maclean and Bernie and Jodie-Lee Flanagan-Schneider and family, Firyfly Stud, Tuncurry.  We thank them very much for taking the time to show us their cattle.  It was great to see the countryside looking so lovely and green.  

Eddie with Elizabeth, Margaretta and Michael Fahey and a 
heifer from the Bizzy show team

We managed to fit in a day of sightseeing.  Sydney really must be one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  The harbour is amazing and of course the Opera House is so unique and really must be seen to be appreciated.  

Heifers at Mogul by Mr Fontenot 125

Two days were then spent at the Royal Easter Show where we caught up with Gerald Fry who was over from the USA to judge the Devon cattle.

 
Firefly Oxygen, by JY Jimmie out of 
Fairy Springs Irresponsible

The Brahman breed was well represented by NSW studs and a few studs from Queensland.  

 
ET calf by Fairy Springs Beaumont at Fahey's

Maclean Show

Only a couple of weeks after Sydney show we were back off to NSW with Sarah who judged the stud cattle at Maclean show.  While cattle numbers were down this year the quality was outstanding.  Maclean has very picturesque showgrounds right on the banks on the Clarence River.

 
Sarah at Maclean show with Margaretta Fahey and 
Grand Champion Brahman Bull, Bizzy Monty

Brazil Trip

 
A group of Australians on tour in Brazil

In May, Joe spent 18 days touring Brazil with 30 other Australians on a Brahman Breeders tour.  He was impressed with the quality of the cattle and the abundance of fertile, productive land.  The group attended Expo Zebu where 3000 head of Zebu cattle were on show.  They also visited quite a few artifical breeding centres, many of them privately owned, a hydro electric scheme and the Iguassu Falls. 

   
 Iguassu Falls, Brazil

Gympie Sale

Gympie female sale was held on 4th June with 108 females selling for a strong average of $4595.  We were very pleased with our sale result of six females averaging $7666 giving us the top red average for the sale and top selling red heifer.  This was Fairy Springs Turquoise, a 20 month old unjoined heifer by Fairy Springs Fitzroy selling to Roma Moss, Ngamba Stud, NSW. for $16000.  The heifer was one of three by Fitzroy to averaged $10166.  Thanks also to Diddine Stud, Lismore NSW for purchasing three heifers and one each to Patrick Hartigan, Highfields, Gladstonbury and State Capital Properties Pty. Ltd., St. Helens, NSW.

 
 Debbie with Fairy Springs Turquoise, top selling red female 
at Gympie Female sale

Toowoomba Farmfest

We attended the Brahman Feature show at Toowoomba Farmfest on 8th June.  The show was well supported with around 120 good quality brahmans.

Congratulations to the Fahey family, Bizzy stud, NSW with a great showing of red cattle including Grand Champion Bull, Bizzy Monty.  Also to Norm and Chas Tranberg with their lovely red heifer, Loma Scarlet winning Grand Champion Female.  The judge was Reade Radel from Kandoona Brahman stud and his associate was Letitia Nicolle, Nioka L stud, NSW.

It was a great effort for the South Qld branch of the Brahman Breeders Association to put on such a good show and display of cattle under such adverse conditions.  Some breeders from that region told us they've only had about 45ml (180 points) of rain for the year.  We hope they get some worthwhile rain soon.  

The Weather

Some parts of Qld had good rain the second week of May.  We received 25ml but our irrigation farm at Thangool and grazing property south of Monto only received a few ml.  We feel we can't complain though after seeing so much of the Darling Downs so dry.

Quick calculations have shown we are on track to receive around 500ml for the year July 1 2004 to the end of June 05.  Our average rainfall for this area should be around 675ml.  This is something we have rarely seen over the past 15 years.