WHEN it comes to managing a large beef breeding herd Kevin Owen believes you can't beat blacks.
Owned by Frank Tomasi and trading as Frank Tomasi Nominees, Kevin together with his wife Tracy have been managers of the Glenview operation in Karridale over the past few years.
The operation previously bought and sold trade steers but today Kevin and Tracy calve down 380 Angus females on 607 hectares of land from Karridale to Alexandra Bridge.
"Our initial purchase of 70 springing Angus heifers were from friend Peter Johnston in 2007," Kevin said.
"This was the start of the breeding herd and in 2008 we purchased a further 75 mature cows from Paul Torrisi and an additional 125 three-year-old calvers in the Pinjarra district."
From here the Owens built the herd up by predominantly using replacement females by Monterey Angus sires.
The Owens currently have 13 well-grown, stylish Monterey bulls in the paddock.
When selecting sires Kevin said it was important to buy moderate framed bulls.
"We don't purchase big framed bulls as they produce large framed females that are high maintenance," Kevin said.
"I'm a big believer that you get what you pay for.
"You can't expect to pay $1000 for a bull and get $1000 for your weaners."
Kevin and owner Frank Tomasi have not held back when it comes to purchasing a bull that suits the operation's needs.
Last year they paid $9000 and took home the top priced Monterey Angus bull, Monterey Ace.
"The purchase of quality genetics is certainly starting to shine through in our young replacement females," Kevin said.
Over the last three years the Owens have been keeping 45 to 50 replacement heifers with a goal over the next few years to build the number up to 420 Angus females.
When selecting for replacements, Kevin sources young heifers that have new genetics and are structurally sound.
"More often than not the replacement heifers will usually pick themselves," Kevin said.
"Despite weaning all our calves at once, the thick but feminine young females seem to always stand out from the rest."
Kevin and Tracy have been forming the base of the herd from two main sires, Monterey Expert and Lawsons New Design.
"When selecting sires to join to our females, we often draft out the cows that best suit each individual sire," Kevin said.
"The young heifers are always joined to low birthweight bulls while the larger more mature females are joined to moderate- framed bulls."
The operation has a tight mating period of nine weeks starting in mid May and often one bull will be given 40 to 45 females.
Over the last two years the Owens have been pregnancy scanning all the females and have been extremely pleased with the results.
"We have been achieving 90pc conception rates and we have been able to detect very quickly what is and isn't in calf," Kevin said.
"With cull cows making $1000 a head we have been able to get a good cash flow and tidy up the herd."
Due to the good start to the season, last year the Owens mated two weeks earlier which enabled them to recently sell a small proportion of their calves as baby beef to Harvey Beef.
The steer calves averaged 420kg to 430kg liveweight and returned $960 a head on the hook.
They often only produce calves for the weaner market but have held onto the majority of their weaners this selling season as there is still plenty of pasture around.
"We have just weaned them and they are doing extremely well on the green pasture and hay," Kevin said.
"Rather than losing weight they are actually putting it on, therefore we will hold onto them a little longer and keep an eye on the market prices before selling them."
Not only did they sell baby beef this season but two weeks ago the Owens sold their initial offering of 42 Angus weaner heifers at the Landmark Boyanup unmated first cross and purebred heifer sale.
The top priced line of 10 sold for $1000 a head while the 42 heifers offered averaged $923 when purchased by KD Power, Busselton.
"We were extremely happy with the price we received," Kevin said.
"We would like to sell 50 breeding heifers annually as we have a surplus of replacement females coming through that suit the needs of many commercial producers wishing to increase their herd numbers or are chasing new genetics."
With the good season upon many producers including the Owens, they have been able to cut 1300 rolls of hay which has given them the opportunity to keep increasing their stock numbers.
Kevin said the majority of the land on the Karridale home property is low lying country that acts as a good feed buffer for the cattle.
"We are fortunate to be in safe country where there is often some green grass around for the breeders as well as our weaners," he said.
Kevin really enjoys what he does and wouldn't work with another breed.
"Angus females are fantastic mothers and their calves are always very marketable," Kevin said.
"I have seen a lot of good coloured herds around but there is something about looking over a large paddock full of just blacks."
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