The Coulston family has enjoyed sustained success in the show ring and at the saleyards since introducing Charolais into their Monto-based commercial crossbreeding programs.
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Gordon and Wendy Coulston have been joining Charolais bulls with their Brahman and Santa Gertrudis breeder herds for eight years on their mainly Brigalow country. In particular, their Charolais x Santa Gertrudis article has proven to be an excellent option.
"The weight gain, depth in the hindquarter and quietness of the cross progeny has proven to be highly beneficial for us," Mr Coulston said.
"Depending on the season, we usually grow steers through to bullocks, and sell our cull heifers through the local saleyards where they meet with strong demand from buyers," he said.
It was while looking for their first Charolais bull to introduce into their operation that the Coulston's first got in touch with Graham and Katrina Blanch, Charnelle Charolais, at Upper Tenthill in the Lockyer Valley.
"We bought our first bull from Darryl Hughes who works in with Graham Blanch. Darryl's cow and Graham's bull straw combined to produce that bull. We've purchased another two bulls from the Blanch's since. These bulls were purchased via paddock sales."
The Coulston's bull selection process has proven highly fruitful to date.
"We look at all the cattle being offered and pick out what we think is the best looking one in the paddock. We then go through and inspect them all individually. Nine times out of 10 the first one that caught our eye has been the one we bought."
"Length, width across the hips, and straight line across the back is what we look for first and foremost."
The Coulston's run a small family enterprise and occasionally put cattle into the local show and saleyard competitions.
The family took out the Pen of Three Bullocks section in the 2020 Monto District Show Carcase Competition.
"One of those bullocks was a Charolais x Santa Gertrudis beast, which won Highest Grass Fed Carcase and Champion Carcase in that same competition."
"We entered Charolais-infused bullock in the 2021 Monto Show, which won its category but was far too heavy for the carcase comp. We brought him home and sold him to Teys at Biloela, dressed at 518kg. We get bigger progeny with solid bone in the Santa-cross progeny by the Charnelle bull."
The Coulston's also put a pen of heifers in the Eidsvold Livestock & Property Santa Infused Store Sale in February 2021, which won Champion Pen of Santa Infused Heifers, with progeny of the Charnelle Charolais bulls.
"That same pen also took out the Grand Champion Pen of the sale."
