About Bannaby Angus
The Bannaby Angus operation covers over 4,500ha around Taralga in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales and 600ha at Bendick Murrell, near Young, in the South West Slopes of New South Wales. The cattle herd currently comprises over 1200 Angus commercial females and in excess of 450 stud females and recipients.
Initially, the focus of the operation was to produce premium quality Angus genetics for use across our commercial herd. Over time the stud operation grew to the extent that in August 2011 we held our first on-site bull sale.
The priority in our breeding programme has always been to produce highly profitable cattle. We focus on positive calving ease, strong growth, superior carcase performance, quiet temperament, and most importantly structural correctness.
Leading Female Genetics
In establishing the stud herd we began from the position that to produce top quality bulls you must have a top quality female herd. To that end for the last 20 years or so we have sought to acquire the best available females at leading herd dispersal sales and at major herd reductions.
Our first major purchase was Vermont Dream B227 for $45,000 at the Vermont dispersal in 2010, which was the record price paid for an Angus cow at that time. Since that time we have made significant purchases of top priced cows at the Anvil, Banquet, Wattletop and Witherswood sales. This has included Banquet Champagne C154 for $30,000, Wattletop J464 for $38,000, Witherswood Abigail M0003 also for $38,000, Witherswood Ela K0183 for $22,000 and Witherwood Wilcoola L0339 also for $22,000, and Anvil Lowan H126 for $52,000 (in conjunction with Banquet Angus).
This has given us a stake in some of the Angus breeds leading families, including Dream, Champagne, Jestress, Lowan, Barunah, Wilcoola, Kite, Edwina, Queenie, Ela, Brenda and Abigail.
More recently in October 2024, we purchased three top females at the Yallambee Angus dispersal, including Baynes Prue R7 for $28,000 (who goes back to Millah Murrah Prue C48) and Yallambee Abigail T147 for $22,000.
Then in April 2025 we purchased the three top priced cows with calves at foot at the JT Angus female sale. All were Dream family females going back to the great Vermont Dream Y301, the dam of our initial Dream cow, Vermont Dream B227. The cows included Clift Dream U88 ($32,000) and Clift Dream U143 ($31,000). These Dream females make an exciting addition to our stud female herd.
Focus on Structure
We are passionate about producing strong and functional cattle that are phenotypically correct and structurally sound. We will not be moved by the increasing pressure in the Angus breed to increase genetic gain and carcase qualities at the cost of the structural basics.
A big part of this commitment is to independently assess all our cattle. All weaner cattle are independently assessed annually and bulls are assessed just prior to the annual sale.
Focus on Feed Efficiency
Since feed efficiency ebv’s have became widely available a couple of years ago we have actively focussed on feed efficiency. It is obviously very beneficial to gain more kilograms of beef from less feed to the economics of a cattle business.
We believe the industry will increasingly focus on how we can increase feed efficiency, in much the same way of the pork and poultry industries do. We have been focussing on selecting beef sires with favourable feed efficiency ebv’s.
100% Pasture Fed
Bannaby bulls are pasture and hay fed only, and on our own properties. We do not lot feed bulls. No grain or pellets are fed to bulls.
Occasionally, in very poor seasons we may have to supplementary feed with high protein products, but we will always tell our clients before purchase.
This makes our bulls immediately ready to work on purchase after settling in.
Strong Commercial Herd Backing
We run a commercial herd of over 1200 cows and have exclusively used Bannaby Angus bulls over almost 20 years. Our weaners regularly top saleyard prices and are eagerly sought.
We run the stud herd the same way we run the commercial herd. All heifers are required to calve at 2 years of age. First calvers are expected to fall pregnant to AI or the cover bull within 6 weeks. All females are constantly assessed for structural correctness, and if found wanting are culled. No importance is given to genetics in the culling process, no matter how good the animal looks on paper. Essentially, it is strict natural selection for fertility, temperament and structural correctness.