Glenavon Angus – Autumn 2025 Newsletter
Opportunity – Trump & interest rates?
Recent market volatility driven partly by war, political instability and Trump’s tariffs, have created dislocation in asset and commodity markets and open up opportunities for beef producers in my view. Interest rate markets are now pricing in some recession risk which we acted on in April to lock in debt on a 2year view given the sharp fall in forward interest rate expectations. I don’t expect this opportunity to last long and see the current instability to be inflationary medium term (higher rates). For our beef, thanks to a Trump/US own goal, we are seeing more overseas markets open up, and an acceleration in export volume. This is likely to continue in coming years.
Domestically, contrasting seasons between QLD & southern NSW/VIC is driving big numbers north. This has underpinned cattle markets despite the large volumes coming out of the south. Feeder steers around $4.50 as I write underpin good returns and if Simon Quilty’s forecast of $5.50 in Nov 2025 & $7.50 in Oct 2026 (Angus World Forum May 2025) is even partly correct, then we have an outstanding tailwind short-medium of rising prices, lower interest rates and a stable/weaker AUD. It’s time to push stocking rate if you have the grass.
2025 Sale – Mon 4th Aug
We will offer 150 Bulls (100 2yo + 50 Yearlings) again this year. Our Open Day will be 2 days prior on Sat Aug 2nd where all bulls will be on display, and we welcome private inspections anytime. All bulls are fully performance recorded, carcass scanned, independently structurally scored & fertility‑verified, including crush‑side semen and morphology tested. Lincoln McKinlay will once again auctioneer, the sale is interfaced with Auctions Plus, and all lots will be filmed and available online prior to sale day.
Most of the opening 30 2yo lots were used as yearlings last spring. Key Sirelines include 316 son RR Endeavour, Tehama Patriach, Clunie Range Plantation, Dunoon R760, Dunoon R788 and Glenavon Enhance Q42. The first drop of our Sterling Pacific sons, a standout at weaning and an outcross for our clients , will be offered as yearlings.
Whilst each sireline brings their own unique genetic strengths, the common denominator is structure, having been inspected in person during our US & domestic trips with an sharp eye on selection for longevity & our clients commercial profitability.
Due to recent expansion, we will not offer heifers this year, opting to retain & join all in spring. This will allow us to offer larger lines of pure Glenavon blood heifers from 2026 onwards.
Benchmarking insights 2023-2024
Our Commercial beef herd CoP (Cost of Production) was $2.17 kg/beef/liveweight in 2023/24. The group average was $2.40. Our $2.17 was a good improvement from the prior year ($2.40) due to more production (kg/beef/ha) by putting more kg on our growing cattle and lifting stocking rate. We aim to drive this below $2/kg by lifting production via pushing stocking rate with some assistance from new pastures kicking in.
Our Prime Lamb enterprise performed poorly. Our CoP jumped to $7.39 (kg/lamb/carcass wgt – group ave $7.27) from $5.10 the prior year. This was not helped by scaling down this enterprise in recent years, and in Feb 2025 all ewes and Rams were sold and we are currently finishing our last drop of lambs. Our Prime Lamb enterprise (historically 10,000 dse) has been replaced by growth in our Stud and commercial cattle herds and some cattle trading opportunistically when the season allows.
Stud Female Assessment
All stud females rising 3yo and older were thoroughly assessed in April independently by Dick Whale. Many hours of work in the office prior allows us to assess each dam’s history of progeny performance and whether they are worthy of staying in the stud herd. Dick then scores each dam structurally, scrutinising Phenotype with zero tolerance for poor structure, just as we do the bulls each year for the sale. This selection pressure allows us to continually evolve and identify our most elite cows for donor duties in our Spring ET program, whilst also removing underperforming cows from the stud herd.
ET Program & upcoming genetics
Our Spring ET program was our most successful and largest to date. We trialled a combination of fresh MOET, Frozen MOET & Frozen IVF. In short we had a success rate of 77% in fresh MOET and 67% in Frozen MOET & Frozen IVF. Of our 550 Stud Pregnancies (July/Aug Calving) 100 are ET – feature sires of these ET Calves are US$525,000 T/D Doc Ryan (A standout from our 2023 US trip) and the $240,000 Landfall Signature S1755.
We have been following the New Ground genetic line for some time and purchased a New Ground Son from Booroomooka at their 2024 Sale for $40,000. A slick coated standout in terms of eye appeal, growth and carcass, we look forward to around 100 of his first calves in July. We are happy to share our research and conviction on what genetics we think are suited for commercial producers AI programs each year.
Soil Carbon and Pastures
Our soil carbon project journey continues. A huge focus has been on a neighbouring block that has a history of tillage, set stocking, poor soil fertility and water infiltration. Horizontal compaction is proving to be our biggest challenge, so we doubled down on adding many deep/tap rooted species to our core permanent pasture mix.
Having installed significant water infrastructure (pumps, tanks, poly & troughs), we have moved toward running much larger mobs, when we can. This more intense short graze & longer paddock rest, has noticeably boosted our production and topsoil profile. Our first retest for our soil carbon project is due by Nov 2027. We plan on spreading non synthetic fertiliser over winter, despite no plans of weaning ourself off synthetic super anytime soon. If anyone has trialled both we would love to compare notes. Hamish Webb and the Precision Pastures team we could not recommend more highly for those looking at the carbon space.
In Feb at Tara and Carawatha we sowed several paddocks of oats, rye & brassica to rejuvenate and clean up native underperforming paddocks. Our Optiweigh data of livestock performance drove our decision making. This will boost our winter feed gap for finishing steers, and drive long‑term productivity and production (kg/beef/ha). Despite less‑than‑ideal preparation (1st spray late Jan & sow dry in Feb) a favourable season (luck) delivered a great outcome —setting us up for winter performance of growing stock. We spread urea in early May on these paddocks in addition to permanent pastures sown in the last few years in order to further boost winter production & support a higher mid winter stocking rate. See Pre & Post sowing photos below.
We monitor progress for our carbon project via annual soil sampling at consistent sites where we have implemented significant change to their landscape. These results also guide bigger decisions on fertiliser planning for example.
World Angus Expo, Forum & Teys Shoot-out Feedlot Trial
In early May, Prue and I attended the World Angus Expo in Tamworth and Forum in Brisbane, a tremendous event bringing together cattle breeders from across the globe. The Board, Organising committee and Angus Australia team are to be thoroughly commended for delivering such an exceptional event. Glenavon proudly participated in the Tamworth Expo entering four steer teams in the TEYS Shoot-Out Steer Trial.
We were thrilled to take 1st place in the Individual Animal Performance category, with the winning steer being the 4th calf of a Glenavon (P) Commercial Dam sired by Glenavon Intensity Q99. We had 2 teams place in the top 10 out of 64 teams for Overall Team Performance. Long-term client James & Georgie Knight of The Sisters Pastoral secured 2nd place in the Feedlot Team Performance category.
Highlights from the World Angus Forum, Brisbane
Expert speakers covered the big issues shaping today’s beef sector, and the atmosphere was unmistakably upbeat about where the industry is headed. Our key takeaways:
- Global beef market outlook: experts painted a very positive picture as Australia looks to fill demand in other countries after the US Tariff disruption. Simon Quilty is forecasting Angus Feeders at $5.50 in Nov 2025 & $7.50 in Oct 2026
- Genetics into the future: genomics will see improved actual data and traceability of progeny through the whole industry network. Giving valuable feedback to producers to continue to improve on their product.
- Marketing opportunities: Niche brands that link quality, sustainability and animal welfare are commanding serious premiums.
- Methane mitigation: New feed additives and low‑emission breeding values could turn compliance costs into competitive advantage. An ongoing discussion point that needs further compliance was our take away.
- John Eales – quoting advertising guru John Singleton regarding selling a product or service
1. Take the complex and make it simple.
2. Make the simple compelling
Queensland Tour Highlights
Fresh from the forum, I joined the week long Queensland tour that kicked off in Longreach—made even more spectacular by the outstanding season many locals are calling the best of their lifetime.
- CPC’s Isis Downs Station (246,057 ha): Managers Mick & Treena and their 15 staff gave a great presentation of this historic property, and it’s role within the larger CPC operation. Angus bulls are used successfully over Charolais–Brahman females with progeny generally making their way south to feedlots. Brahman progeny types head North to CPC feedlots in Indonesia.
- Islay Plains Station, Alpha (240,000): Fred and Anna Appleton—among Australia’s largest organic beef producers. Selecting Angus Bulls for growth & Carcass qualities. Amazing story of growth in their business and I could have chatted with Fred’s father Dale all day.
- Roma Saleyards: Australia’s largest cattle selling complex and great tour. As we continue to grow, I wonder if we should consider a spring sale in Roma – I’d welcome your thoughts on that one.
- Kerwee Feedlot: A great tour by Marcus and Ben. Specialists in premium Angus and Wagyu branded product, a lot sourced from the New England. Ave marble Score 3.2. Simple yet immaculate operation.
Many very fun evenings and lots of laughs with others on the tour from all over the world. Life membership awarded to past AA president Brad Gilmour another highlight.
Client Success
Last October, Georgie and James Knight won Grand Champion pen of the highly regarded Beef Spectacular Feedlot Trial. They are the first to ever win back to back titles. James is fastidious and disciplined in his genetic selection criteria, in particular the art of balancing genotype and phenotype linked to commercial outcomes. Our chats are frequent, intense, educational and thoroughly enjoyable as we strive for high profitability in our respective commercial angus operations, backed by data. They also happen to be tremendous people and we could not be more thrilled for their family’s success with our genetics.
Seasonal Update
Our season whilst erratic in spring and summer, has certainly picked up in autumn with above average rainfall and temperatures, providing a soft start to winter. This has allowed for successful sowing of clean up annual crops (oats, rye, brassica mix) and permanent pasture.
Livestock performance (weight gain) in our trade cattle purchased from southern NSW/VIC has been disappointing due to high humidity in late summer and the wet autumn yet our vendor bred calves are thriving. The dry spring & summer was ideal for Bulls growing out on grass & female joining.
We feel deeply for those down south who are enduring drought, following a poor spring and failed autumn, similar to our 2018/2019.
Marwarra & Trade cattle
Last May, a simple drive around “Mawarra” with Wayne Mills turned into something much bigger: 12months on we are proud to call this property our own. Mawarra adds 12,000 DSE to our operation and fits with our long‑term plan to expand both our seedstock and commercial beef herds. We have the greatest respect for Wayne and his family who over generations have transformed it into one of the most highly improved blocks in our area. It also launched us into a fresh enterprise: backgrounding Angus steers purchased from the south.
The steers have taken longer than expected to perform in our New England conditions, and—as the growing season winds down—we’re tracking short of our initial weight targets. There is plenty of strategic thinking happening in the office, and we’re sure John Francis of Agrista will have lots to unpack at our benchmarking review later this year!
Our goal is to have replace this 12,000 dse of trading in coming years with more of our own commercial females.
Weaning
We weaned our 2024 “V” Bull calf drop, in late Feb (6-7mo of age) into a single contemporary group. In recent weeks we have drafted out 50 for our sale in Aug along the same thinking that we have drafted out 50 to use ourselves this spring. Thanks to the work of Dan, Cody and Harrison the entire drop are extremely quiet and well educated in the yards and in the paddock on dogs, horses and bikes. These skills are a real strength of our team and the same process flows through all our commercial weaning. A standout new sireline Sterling Pacific 904 topped the Bull drop for ADG and are showing great type and temperament at an early age. We inspected this bull in person and his progeny in detail whilst visiting the US in 2023. We will offer several Sterling Pacific sons as yearlings at our Annual Sale on August 4, providing a new outcross option for our clients, and this sireline will feature heavily in our 2026/27 sales.
Engagements
There must be something very special about Cottage 3 at OBB —three of our current team have all popped the question while living here! Harrison and Tegan announced their engagement at the end of March, following Cody and Tegan in 2022 then Dan and Emma NY Eve in 2008.
Anna, getting plenty of encouragement from the guys to move to Cottage 3 soon followed suit with Sam dropping to one knee at the Sunshine Coast in April. We congratulate these outstanding young couples, and integral team members, as they embark on this next chapter of their lives.
Guyra Show
The 117th Guyra Show was an outstanding success, with a record gate, great weather and huge support from the local community. Serving as Show President for the past eight years has been a privilege, and working alongside the hundreds of those that volunteer each year has been a real highlight. Our entire family had a successful show exhibiting in the pavilion and beyond….yet the coveted Men’s Cake Champion Cup still eludes me—but there’s always next year!
UNE Feeder school
I attended the sold out 3 day UNE Feeder School in early Feb which was an outstanding event and something I could not recommend more highly. Industry speakers at the top of their game provided real insight into all things related to those supplying into Feeder markets. The distances attendees travelled is a real credit to the UNE team for organising such a tremendous event. There was a little bit of socialising on the side as well.
UNE Visit
In April, we hosted around 100 UNE second-year Ag students, where we shared the key drivers of our grass production systems, insights and data on genetics, benchmarking, pasture budgeting and our Soil Carbon Project. We discussed the importance of hitting livestock grids, and how benchmarking plays a crucial role in measuring and improving performance across each enterprise. We shared the various types of technology that has become an important part of our business, risk management and decision making. The future of Ag is in safe hands.
GLENAVON ANGUS – SALE DAY 4TH AUGUST 2025
