Quarterway breeds bulls for any season

THE Hall family of Quarterway Angus is proving both the stud and the bulls it is breeding have plenty of longevity, regardless of what the weather gods bring. 

And the stud, which will soon celebrate its 70th year, is also challenging the adage about not being able to learn new tricks if you are of a certain age. 

Running about 350 stud Angus cows, the entirety of their annual drop is now genomics tested at weaning. 

Principal Trevor Hall says this allows them to do a first cull on phenotype traits such as structure and frame size before collecting DNA from everything that will remain in the herd or be sold for breeding to clients. 

“Everything is now genomics tested and parent verified, but we also continue to muscle scan to ensure continued accuracy of data,” Trevor said. 

A long proponent of using New Zealand genetics to complement the stand-out traits of the Australian Angus, Trevor said introducing new bulls with little to no linkage to the herd can impact data outcomes. 

“This has happened at Quarterway as we have used New Zealand genetics for 15 years - on the flipside of that it has allowed us to make impressive achievements in other areas,” he added. 

“Our structure is second to none, especially when it comes to the feet and jaw, we still maintain a length of body, a proper Angus hindquarter and maintain positive fat on the animals as well, which has really been evident in the past three years of tough seasons.”

The New Zealand genetics have also enabled Quarterway to maintain frame size, Trevor said, something he’s passionate about carrying on. 

“The breed has been trending down in frame size, and I want to buck that trend so that when our steers and our clients’ steers go into feedlots, they still have the frame there to be able to reach required carcase weights.” he said. 

Quarterway also runs a 1500 head commercial Angus cow herd themselves, and this gives Trevor the opportunity to monitor the traits of the Quarterway bulls in a similar environment to that of his clients. 

“We have been noticing that the emphasis placed on structure really shines through in the bulls in our commercial herd; they are lasting for four years or more, which is when they are cast for age to allow for new genetics coming in,” he said. 

“I believe the average longevity for bulls in the Angus breed is about two and a third years.”

As always, this year’s spring bull offering from Quarterway will offer buyers a good cross section of genetics. 

They will include sons of Turiroa Hank 20R439, which topped that New Zealand stud’s sale in 2022 for $50,000. 

Turiroa held its 2026 bull sale in June, selling all 58 bulls for an average of $18,000 and an impressive top price of $122,000. 

Lots from sires Kaharau Classman 444 and Mandayen Quixote S462 will also feature, as will what Trevor describes as “ever reliable heifer bulls” from the Texas Bonus line. 

“Those are some slightly older genetics, but they’ve been a real winner in the heifer department,” he said. 

“Plus, we will have a strong run of bulls by our own Quarterway S86 who is still in use and breeding really well.”

Seasonally the Scottsdale, Tasmania, stud has finally received some relief in the way of winter rainfall after three very tough seasons.

Trevor said winter was “doing what it was meant to”, and restocker activity was evident in the cattle market already. 

Producers looking for Angus bulls - and breeders - with plenty of longevity can bid for the 50 lots to be offered by Quarterway at their Waterhouse sale complex on Thursday 17th September17. 

The Hall family offer free delivery right across Tasmania, including King and Flinders Islands, and to Melbourne interstate clients. 

All clients new and returning can be confident in the continuation of the Quarterway program. 

“We are approaching our 70th year of breeding and there are two more generations behind me to carry on, so the Quarterway stud is here for the long haul,” Trevor said. 

Visit www.quarterwayangus.com.au or Quarterway Angus Facebook & Instagram Page.