Why Brangus?

Cross breeding is the basis of all beef production. Using a Brangus bull is giving the widest possible genetic cross ensuring vigorous growth. You are also getting some valuable traits from the Brahman, small calves, resistance to Pihu eye, largely bloat resistant, heat tolerant, good forages and hard doing cattle. These are traits that ensure that these cattle will often survive where others fall apart in tough going. Superior carcass traits from the Angus complete the package.

Breeding History of the Kimberley Downs Herd

Apart from starting with Brahman and Angus we were fortunate to get a lot of assistance from Grant Briant of “Bri Brangus” with the use of some of his bulls through the 1970s. In the early 1980s we obtained shares in the number of bulls purchased in Queensland from “Royston Park” and “Punchagin”. This gave us a good base to work from. From 1987-1994 the herd progressed down to basically two lines:

1. We bred an A1 bull in 1987 from an American Brangus RBR Perfecto. This line is particularly strong growing, well boned, early maturing and fertile. We are now many generations removed from that bull. We call this our “Jake” line.

2. We bred extensively from another A1 bull “Weona Cochisse” who sold in the 1990 Rockhampton Gracemere Brangus for $21,000 still an Australasian record. This line is largely represented through our bull Kimberley Downs Ace. He was A1 and from Weona Cochisse to a dam with Queensland origins (Duckworth). This bull has given us well fleshed cattle and ensures that our prodigy remains true to a good Brangus type. There is also great depth of breeding represented in this bull derived from some of the toughest parts of Queensland and contributing to our cattle having a genetic strong constitution. We call this our “Cochisse” line.