CATTLE have always played a part in farming life for the Last family, and when dairy cows became an unviable option for them back in 1968, they chose the Angus breed and haven't looked back since.
Brothers Peter and Richard Last, together with their respective wives Pam and Maureen, run a mixed cropping and livestock enterprise over 2348 hectares at Merredin.
Cropping and sheep play a larger role in their overall farm business, but Peter and Richard are still very passionate about their cattle - and the proof is in the porterhouse.
In 1968, Peter and Richard's parents Percy and Joan purchased 18 Angus heifers from Lionel Moore at Boyup Brook, under the influence of Joan, who's grandfather's cousin at the time had a big Angus stud in the eastern states.
"We used to have Jersey cows and Mum would milk them and sell the cream in town," Peter said.
"Then after she'd spent time with them, she'd sell the cows as house cows.
"When pasteurisation came in, she couldn't sell the cream anymore so they went into Angus.
"I'm not sure why they chose that particular breed, I think they'd heard they were pretty good doers, but as it turned out it was a pretty good decision."
At the moment the Lasts run 38 Angus breeders from Cookalabi bloodlines, after halving their numbers three years ago because of the dry conditions.
Peter said they were not likely to increase their numbers again and were happy to run a smaller herd and use their own truck to transport them to market, rather than contend with large freight bills.
Subsequently, they seek out small, niche markets to sell their cattle to but generally sell through the Midland saleyards.
"We breed for any market where there's money," Peter sad.
"This year's steers, which were 340kg dressed, went to a cruise ship who I'm thinking were probably chasing some big fat t-bones.
"When we had big numbers we'd send down a big truck load to Midland but now it's just not worth it."
The closure of the local Eastern Districts abattoir did not help the situation for the Lasts, as Peter said if it were in operation they would be more inclined to send their cattle there.
He said weight specifications had changed considerably over the years, from processors wanting up to 180kg maximum, to the heavier the better, and now to 260kg dressed maximum or face discount penalties.
"I would still rather send my cattle straight to the abattoir, but you can't always do that," he said.
"We know the quality of our meat, you won't get better, it's just a matter of knowing where to send it.
"At the moment in the industry it's like there are too many fingers in the pie, all taking too much out of it.
"I'd like to know where all the money is going though, because you don't see many millionaire butchers or abattoir owners."
Peter said they had been sourcing bulls from the Cookalabi stud, Coomberdale, for the past 20 years and were still very impressed with the quality of cattle, particularly the quiet temperament.
They purchase a bull every two years, which is then put with the heifers in June for three weeks prior to being put with the rest of the cow herd, aiming for a March calving.
The calving percentage sits at around 90 per cent and this year Peter said they had three sets of twins, which was strange considering the tough conditions.
However keeping the cows in top condition prior to calving is something the Lasts place a lot of focus on, a factor which may well explain the increase in multiples.
"Having healthy cattle during calving is the biggest thing, they can be thin but they have to be healthy and not too fat," Peter said.
"If we get a lot of summer rain and there's a lot of feed around, then we can be in strife."
They like to keep control during calving, so all the cows are fed through the yards allowing Peter and Richard to get a good look at them and assess whether they are close to calving.
If they think they are close, they will keep them in the yards overnight.
Peter said one of the best decisions they had made with the cattle was in 2002, a very dry year, when they invested in a feed mixer.
"It's the best thing we've ever done," he said.
"We use a lot less feed now because there is no wastage and the cattle get exactly what you want them to, including minerals.
"We usually make a ration of our own barley, oats, hay and straw - depending on what we have on hand."
The calves are fed a barley/lupin mix through the feedlot, which after weaning and being grazed on stubble for a while, they go into until they are turned off in July.
Overall they spend about 100 days in the feedlot, depending on their weight gain, but 100 days was the period of time suggested to them by Ned Borrello for ultimate meat quality.
After that 100 days, they are sent to market, except for a few of the best calves which are retained.
"We always used to sell old cows as a cow and calf unit, which would get us around $850-$1000 at Brunswick, but this year no one wanted them, which I guess is just the way things are," Peter said.
"So we held on to them and weaned the calves, which worked out better because we sold the cows separately for $600 each and still have the calves."
The Last's future in the cattle industry is uncertain, as even though Peter still has a lot of faith in the Angus breed and believes there is money to be made, he said it was difficult to keep up with marketing in an inconsistent and unreliable environment.
Ultimately, he said he would like to see two-year forward contracts.
"That way you can make a decision before you put the bull with the cows, and it's up to me as the producer to use my expertise to get the product to the specifications required," Peter said.
"I doubt we'll increase our numbers again, not unless there is a very good carrot out there to lure us.
"But I've known no different, we've always had cattle and it's been part and parcel of mixed farming for us."
One thing Peter is certain about, is that Angus will remain their breed of choice.
"Their durability is unequalled," he said.
"They'll graze a paddock as hard as sheep, if not harder, and they are well suited to this environment."
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