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<pstyle:2 – Body Text>Monday was hot but it didn’t deter beef farmers from visiting cattle studs across East Gippsland as part of the sixth day of the Stock and Land’s annual Beef Week.
At Buchan it was 37 degrees at Valley Vista Herefords, run by Rick and Leanne Hodge, who had their 23 sale bulls on display, aged 16 months to two years.
They saw a dozen people by lunchtime and more than 30 overall, with some from as far as Goondiwindi, Queensland, Bathurst, New South Wales and more locally, Leongatha, Club Terrace, Omeo and Benambra.
“I’m happy with the consistency of these bulls,” Rick said.
“What you see in the paddock is what you get, and we didn’t have to cull anything on temperament.
“They’re quiet and good to handle, they’re educated well so that the people who take them home don’t have trouble.”
As they were leaving, a couple who had looked at all the bulls commented “they’re a credit to you, they’re beautiful and quiet”.
Rick said taking some of the bulls to display at the Omeo Show last November had been a big effort but a good marketing exercise.
“There’s a lot of Hereford cattle in that area, the people up there are old families who know what they want in their bulls.
“Our bulls have good coats that are soft and dark, so they do well in the cold.
“They’re structurally balanced and we put as much meat as we can on there.”
Valley Vista reference sires include AI sires Injemira Anzac K220, Cascade Anzac P162 and Glenwarrah Men at Work, as well as sires in the paddock like Mountain Valley Pickle and Mountain Valley Perth, the latter Rick believes is the most ‘true to type bull we’ve ever owned’.
“We couldn’t do all the stud paperwork without the help of our two girls, Kristy and Stevie, they do all the office work and marketing,” he said.
“The rule is ‘no over-the-top BS’ in the marketing though.”
At the end of the day Rick said participating in their first Beef Week was well worth it as they had many people attend who they had never seen before.
“We received a lot of good feedback which is nice to hear when you make decisions with a vision of what you think should or might work,” Rick said.
“Jim Gunn from Seven Bar Dot stud in Northern NSW said he really liked the cattle which was a good shot for us.”
The Hodge’s Valley Vista Hereford bull sale will take place on AuctionsPlus only, at 1pm on Friday, March 7.
The bull sale is one of several in March including Newcomen and Nunniong at Ensay, Karoonda at Gelantipy and Mawarra at Longford.
There were five East Gippsland Hereford studs open on Day 6 of Beef Week – Warringa, Mundook, Valley Vista, Karoonda, Newcomen and Nunniong.
