Riverlea Livestock
Beef
We are very proud of our commercial Angus herd. This herd was built from acquiring heifers and cows from the respected herds of Bell Vue and Forton in Epping Forest. Replacement heifers sired by Landfall and Cluden Newry Angus bulls. A portion of the herd are joined to Wagyu and go on to be feedlot finished for a Japanese market. The rest of the straight Angus progeny are grassfed and grown out to slaughter weights on pivot irrigated pasture. Beef cows and calves are a great class of livestock to run during the summer on our marshland floodplain along the South Esk river. Calves are weaned onto irrigated ryegrass in the autumn are then wintered on fodder beet. The calves are always in great condition going back onto ryegrass pasture in the spring. Good climate and good genetics backed up with good feed seem to be a successful combination for our newest enterprise.
Sheep
Our ewe flock are composite type with Cashmore Oaklea bloodlines, the flock has been built from two local reputable breeders who sell ewe lambs. Cashmore Oaklea composites are maternal sheep with good frame size and when we use terminal sire like the poll dorset, the progeny are a magnificent prime lamb for our domestic market. Lambs are slaughtered with a carcass weights between 26 and 30 kg. Our first draft of these lambs is when they are only 150 days old in January in their wool. The weight gain possible on clover, lucerne and chicory with these genetics in this climate is impressive. The balance of the lambs are shorn in January/Feb and all are up to weight and gone by June. This leaves feed for the breeders for the winter.
