Welcome to Grey Gum

Females who cannot calf unassisted cull themselves from the breeding herd. It's a feature of the breed and you need to know that the Grey Gum Droughtmasters live up to it.

Droughtmasters have inherited the physical traits necessary from their Bos Indicus roots. This can be used to great advantage in crossbreeding programs, when joining heifers or if using high growth sires.
These breed characteristics are recorded at every calving event and is generally passed on by the bulls.

We look for evidence of fertility in the maternal line when selecting our sires. As well as considering the relatable EBV measurements.

The best way to remain profitable is to produce and wean a calf every year. We push that principle in our herd so clients can infuse that into theirs.

We aim to select seedstock with correct structure and relevant carcasse traits. The bulls we select must show this and our dams must be able to milk well enough to look after their calves AND also themselves up to weaning.

Their Shorthorn component has allowed them an ability for high milk production. This has allowed the Droughtmaster cow to produce heavy weaners, despite low birth weights.

We want our cattle to go anywhere you ask them and to thrive. Most breeders reside on coastal forest country. They have to protect calves from wild dogs, tolerate buffalo fly, are bred in the ticks  and lantana and have to traverse hills and gullies to get to water. Our sub-tropical climate puts their hardiness to the test in the spring and summer.

This versatility is another reason we have chosen to be Droughtmaster breeders. Droughtmasters are known to have lower nutritional requirements combined with high feed conversion rates while also carrying a strong tolerance to hot and harsh environments. They will consistently retain condition and continue to breed.

The correlation between temperament and the quality and quantity of meat on a carcasse has been proven. If an animal is easily stressed or flighty, it's culled. We select sires who portray the right temperament so we can handle the animal with ease and you can to. Droughtmaster dams are known for their mothering instinct and we hold them to that.

Selection for docility has occurred from the beginning a premium is placed upon it. The pioneer breeders selected bulls for this combined with high libido. These characteristics shine through today, as a result the good bulls are easy handling and hard workers.

For more information, visit the society's own website. Visit the breed section for more detailed information about the strengths and characteristics of the Droughtmaster.

https://www.droughtmaster.com.au