Clunie Range Angus: A brand to be most proud of

The Guest family are proud of their business growth, and how the quality of their Clunie Range Angus genetics has improved in the past decade alone. Picture supplied

THIS IS BRANDED CONTENT FOR CLUNIE RANGE ANGUS

Clunie Range Angus has stamped its brand into the Queensland marketplace and owners the Guest family feel that this "brand" is everything.

Hugh and Hazel Guest's respective families both started breeding commercial Angus cattle on the Qld border between Killarney and Woodenbong under Mount Clunie in the 1950's.

This picturesque country, with high rainfall but relatively low nutrition, was almost entirely suited for weaner production requiring cows with good foraging ability to work the hills and rainforest country.

The Clunie cow herd were naturally selected for their ability to handle these tougher conditions and the Guest family feel that the selection criteria used back in those early days shaped the cow herd as it stands today.

Clunie Range Angus cattle have strong support across Queensland and the Northern Territory. Picture supplied

Despite those limiting factors, females still calved as two-year-olds and were expected to go back into calf.

In the early 1990s the herd was relocated to Northwest New South Wales around Coolatai, where the cow herd is still run in hills, rocks, and natural grasses.

Brett Guest said the same selection pressure is placed on the cow herd now as it was in the early days.

"We're passionate believers in the need for a balanced breeding program, and it's the selection pressure over so many years that is seeing the Clunie Range brand reap rewards for producing cattle that survive in some tough environments," Mr Guest said.

Clunie Range has sold to every state in the country including Tasmania, but most bulls are sold into central and north of Qld to an impressive client list of who's who in the cattle industry.

"We're very proud of our brand and even more proud of the breeders that support our breeding program."

Brett Guest said the same selection pressure is placed on the Clunie Range Angus cow herd now as it was in the early days. Picture supplied

He said the Clunie Range 'type' is structurally sound, slick skinned, deep bodied and with plenty of shape and is the perfect phenotype to maximise hybrid vigour when mating with a Bos indicus or Euro-infused cow.

"When Angus first started heading north there was a belief that bulls from the breed had to be big. In many cases all this did was change the coat colour but not the type. Our feedback is that the best results come from a middle of the road frame size, but importantly a deep and wide article with plenty of shape.

"The first-cross progeny often surprise on how square they are, and most breeders are impressed with how well Angus-cross cattle weigh in comparison to other breeds that can often be much taller."

Mr Guest said the family is proud of the following Clunie Range has built across Qld and the Northern Territory.

"We're proud of our business growth, and how the quality of their genetics has improved in the past decade alone. We are lucky enough to have the fourth generation of our family working full time with our business and we also have several key staff that are an integral part of what we do.

"Despite droughts and trying to strike a balance between work and free time our staff have really bought into concept of "riding for the brand". We take enormous pride when staff call Clunie Range cattle "our cows or our bulls". Nothing is more satisfying then them feeling proud of being involved with the brand and the program."

THIS IS BRANDED CONTENT FOR CLUNIE RANGE ANGUS