GRASS-FED BULLS
Our bulls are bred specifically for regenerative, pasture-based systems.
Raised entirely on grass, without grain or concentrates, and selected for traits that will work for you: easy calving, fertility, good temperament, and efficient performance on forage alone.
Phepson Angus bulls
Our Breeding Principles
We aim to farm in nature's image. We select for profitable cattle that help us to acheive this goal. Our breeding programme is built around one simple principle: the cow drives profitability.
The greatest cost in a suckler system is the cow and her ability to produce a strong, marketable calf every year with minimal input. Our herd is therefore selected first and foremost for fertility, maternal ability and efficiency in a forage-based system.
Our cows must calve within a tight calving block, rear their calf successfully and maintain themselves on a forage-only winter system. Any cow that cannot do this leaves the herd.
The bulls we offer for sale are the result of this selection pressure. They are bred to deliver fertility, calving ease, efficiency and longevity in commercial herds.
Fertility comes first
Many herds calve over three months or more. A calf born 90 days after the first calves are already on the ground can be over 100kg behind before it even begins to grow.
Tight calving improves profitability by:
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Increasing uniformity of calves
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Reducing labour
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Lowering input costs
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Simplifying herd management
For this reason, fertility is the number one selection trait at Phepson Angus.
Our cows must conceive within 42 days without the crutches of winter housing or high-energy feed. If they fail to do so, they leave the herd.
Efficient forage converters
Our herd is run on a 100% forage-based system.
Cows gain condition on spring and summer grass and must maintain themselves through winter while suckling a calf on forage alone.
We select for:
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Moderate frame size
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Large rumen capacity
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Strong maternal instinct
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Performance from low cost forage
This produces cows that are productive, hardy and economically sustainable.
Easy calving, functional cows
Phepson cows calve outside with no assistance. They provide enough milk to raise a strong calf but not so much that it compromises their own condition.
The result is a balanced cow that:
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Breeds regularly
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Maintains body condition
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Raises a good calf every year
These are the genetics our bulls carry into commercial herds.
Why buy a Phepson Bull?
Our bulls are bred from cows that must perform under real commercial conditions.
Key traits in the herd include:
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Fertility and tight calving patterns
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Moderate mature cow size
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Efficient forage conversion
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Functional structure and longevity
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Calm, manageable temperaments
By selecting bulls from cows that work in this system, we aim to produce genetics that improve profitability in practical farming systems.
Buying information
Bulls are available for private sale directly from the farm.
Prospective buyers are very welcome to visit the herd and view bulls in person by appointment.
We are always happy to discuss your system and help identify a bull that will best suit your herd and breeding objectives.
WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY
For people used to buying bulls that are fed grain, it can be difficult to picture what a 2-year old will look like when he's all grown up.
Hopefully this video helps!
Phepson Elite T008
Focus on the Feminine
Why for us it's all about the cow
By looking at the calving record of each cow, we can see which animals bred in the first or second cycle each year.
We can also see if any animals gain time through their breeding life. For example, if they have their first calf in July, subsequent calf in June and then are first cycle breeders in May from then on, it shows that the animal is inherently fertile in our grass-fed production system.
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We send out a newsletter every few months with updates on breeding cattle for fertility, longevity and to be excellent forage converters. It's also the first place we list available livestock, so sign up to avoid missing out!