North Range Partnership - Farm

03/09/2026

♠️🔷️We made it through our first winter without crop.♠️🔷️

A few lambs are starting to arrive, the stud cows are well into calving, grass is starting to move and we're getting close to having everything set stocked.

Overall, we're pretty happy with where we've landed.

The cows are probably a little lighter than we'd ideally like them to be. Nothing we're worried about, but we certainly wouldn't want to push them any further. On the positive side, we're happy with the covers we've got in front of them and, for our first attempt at wintering everything on grass, there are plenty of positives.

Probably the biggest lesson is that some of the decisions we made well before winter made the job harder than it needed to be.

We kept a mob of 130 store heifer a month longer than we should have. We also took a bit of weight of the ewes in march cleaning up blocks and we should have just left them.

Neither seemed like a huge decision at the time, but you certainly notice them when you're trying to make every blade of grass count through winter!

That's probably what gives us the most confidence going forward. There isn't one big thing we need to fix — there's plenty of room to simply manage the system better and go into next winter in a stronger position.

Halter is already starting to help with that. We're able to put cows into some of our lambing hill blocks and contain them to areas that wouldn't normally be used for lambing, picking up feed that would otherwise be difficult to utilise. Having the collars in full swing from the start next winter should give us another big step forward.

So, year one: not perfect, plenty learnt, but we've made it through without winter crop and we're pretty happy with the result.

Now the challenge is to do it better next year.

30/08/2026

We are looking for a couple of casual staff to help us with tailing. 19th October to 31st October. We have shared accommodation if needed.
Pm North Range Partnership - Farm

24/08/2026

These Jerseys are awesome. We have the whole crew in them. Cant rate them enough.

14/08/2026

Here is a good post from PJ Budler who will be hosting a field day here at North Range on the 8th of October.

Structural Integrity
By PJ Budler

With the Pharo Cattle Company® Bull Workdays just around the corner, here are some reasons as to why this is such an important exercise and service to PCC® customers.

A bull should be able to lift his head and see into the next county.

Skeletal structure is paramount to functionality and longevity. The skeleton starts at the nose and ends at the tail switch. Understanding skeletal structure is key to selecting profitable cattle. A strong jaw and wide muzzle are essential for foraging and also an indication of overall skeletal width and strength.

The angle at which the neck escalates out of the top of the shoulder is governed by the angle of the scapula. A well-angled shoulder allows an animal to lift its head with ease. Too high an angle can result in a narrower chest floor and less heart girth, so balance is key.

A straight shoulder restricts an animal’s ability to naturally lift its head. This also causes less flexibility at the knee and less cushion in the pasterns, which will compromise foot shape and structure.

Many educators and cattle consultants love a dead-level top line. That is only good if the spine is relaxed while the animal is on the move. A tighter spine will cause an animal to arch up on the move, and this limits longevity and athleticism.

Some angle from hip to pin is vital for a couple of reasons. Firstly, that angle opens up the birth canal and allows for a far greater pelvic opening for calving ease purposes. Secondly, correct hip to pin angle allows for good angles on the hock joint and pastern. This allows for flexibility on the move. This will also govern foot shape and structure.

Base width and chest floor are an indication of true skeletal width. This is important to allow for rib shape and rumen function. An opened up fore-rib in ruminants allows for additional organ capacity.

Width between the pins and wide hips in females illustrates hormonal balance, as does length of body relative to height.

In bulls, the width at the thighs and stifle joint indicates hormonal balance. Wide hips are a feminine trait. Width over the chine bone and top of the shoulders is a masculine trait.

Excessive bone is antagonistic to fertility. Extremely fine bone is antagonistic to longevity. Balance is key. Excessive length of the long bones indicates late maturity and leanness. Short cannon bones indicate high inherent body condition and early maturity.

Softness and cleanness of joints is essential. Avoid round bone and big, coarse joints.

An animal that appears comfortable, has a loose skeleton, and is flexible on the move will logically be structurally sound with longevity built in.

Don’t compromise on structural soundness, ever. There’s profit in longevity.

Click below to join one of our Bull Workdays.

1-800-311-0995

https://pharocattle.acemlna.com/lt.php?x=4lZy~GE6V6OgDHOs0A9KUeKe2K_WjtL3w~kzYqPHVnOhDH0rzUy7xORx23Up-RVfjDZo3HPEIXjs5XB.z.xGYOJv2H6m

12/08/2026

We are very excited about holding this Day here with PJ

💙 Save the date!

🖤 This will be an epic, informative day so lock it in your calendar now!!

02/08/2026

🔷️With the hills nearly grazed off for another winter, it's rewarding to see 10–15 years of breeding and selection really starting to pay off.

♠️Strong, robust sheep and cattle that can maintain condition and keep performing in our environment don't happen by accident.

For years, the easy answer when an animal struggled was to give it preferential treatment.

🔷️Lighter ewes got the best feed and a drench

♠️Thinner cows got put into their own mob.

We decided to ask a different question...

♠️🔷️If this animal can't thrive in our system, should she be breeding the next generation?

More than 13 years ago we stopped routinely drenching our mature ewes. Those that consistently struggled or needed extra help were identified and culled. Our B mob goes to a terminal sire, so none of those daughters are retained as replacements.

Our Angus cows are managed the same way. Every year we body condition score the herd at the end of winter, and cows that can't consistently hold condition simply don't fit the system we're trying to build.

It isn't about being hard on animals.

It's about breeding animals that are naturally suited to our environment.

Generation after generation, we've selected sheep and cattle that can do the job without needing special treatment.

Looking back, those decisions have become a big part of why we're now confident enough to explore wintering entirely on grass while maintaining—or even increasing—our stocking rate.

And if you're going to be ruthless with your own culling, it certainly helps to know a few stud breeders who are just as tough on theirs. Thankfully, our breeding philosophies are well aligned… so there are no excuses! 😉

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24/07/2026

Angus shine on hook and exotics excel on hoof at southern beef cattle competition