Built for the north; sought after in the south

Perceived as a Queensland cattle breed, the big, versatile Droughtmaster is finding her place in plenty of paddocks in New South Wales.

By Stuart Davies , McGrath Rural

“Droughties”, as they are fondly known, have a terrific following right through Queensland and the Territory thanks to their ability to thrive in adverse environments.

Developed 60 years ago, the red breed with its extended dewlap and strong head is a common site on vast stations throughout Queensland and the Northern Territory but traditionally less so in the southern states.?

Their renowned history actually dates back to 1910 when three Zebu bulls from Melbourne Zoo were made available to some graziers in Queensland.? The trio of bulls survived so well that in the 1930s those Bos Indicus lines were joined with Shorthorn and Shorthorn-Devon cross females to provide resistance to the myriad challenges of the north (drought, bloat, ticks, heat, and eye cancer) whilst retaining the attractive elements of British breeds.

Almost a century later, their appeal in southern cattle operations is on the rise both in areas where grasses are greener and softer, as well as in the more arid parts of the state. While Todd Heyman runs his Droughtmaster bloodlines on lush, high rainfall Clarence Valley properties, eleven hours away, Phillip Bell, in the state’s more testing western terrain, fell into the breed however says he hasn’t looked back.

“I bought the first lot of cattle about five years ago from up at Richmond off the Power Family. They performed very well. Some more came up for sale and I just kept buying more until we've got the place fully stocked now with Droughtmaster cows.”

“The property we initially put them on near Mount Hope is red and flat with a bit of mallee in parts. It's low rainfall and gets very hot there through the summer.”

Phillip has been putting Angus bulls across the Droughtmaster cows producing a soft crossbred calf with no hump.?

“We've been getting some nice crossbred cattle, which are black, and we're getting that bit of hybrid vigor. They do fit into that supermarket criteria as well, so they’re suitable for the likes of Woolworths and Coles.”

“We are finding with the Droughtmaster mother, they put a lot into the calf so the calves get a good start. They just keep growing and can handle those periods where it doesn't rain. They can walk out, they forage well. They don't just hang around under the trees waiting for it to cool down.

“I can see them really taking over like the Angus have taken over the eastern seaboard of New South Wales, particularly in the extreme temperatures of the Western areas where the black cattle don't perform as well under such intense heat.”

Head some six hours south-east of Phillip Bell and you’ll find Phillip’s son, young cattle producer Digby Bell near Gunning in the colder climates of the Southern Tablelands. He found Droughtmasters to be a successful addition to their family’s herd.?

“Dad always had different types of cattle here, just all bits and pieces. We wanted to get a good line of cattle, and that's when we came across the Droughtmasters; they seemed to suit everything that we wanted for here.”

“Now that they've made their way down into New South Wales, I think they're going to be very sought after. I just think that they're accepted now in New South Wales.”

The Droughtmaster female is the cornerstone of the breed. She is being brought into herds from Cobar, to Tamworth, from Forbes to Leongatha in Victoria. As a very soft, feminine animal, one thing the Droughtmaster breed can hang their hat on is producing a top-quality female adaptable to many markets.

During times of drought in NSW the aptly named Droughtmaster has proven resilient even in the most horrendous of conditions. On dry grass or on the road, the Droughtmaster female has proven she can survive, produce a calf and keep the momentum of the business rolling. After all, in the cattle game, you can’t achieve much without a cow capable of producing calves year in, year out whether it’s raining or you're in drought.?

With a growing number of producers in the south chasing Droughtmaster females as repeat buyers, and climate variability becoming a bigger and bigger feature of farming, the Droughtie is certainly a breed to watch. How prolific the breed can become down here - and whether it can follow the trajectory of the Angus breed - remains to be seen.?