Beef stud owners ready to call it a day
Newcastle Herald
Wednesday March 30, 2011
DUNGOG husband and wife Jon and Chris Erby will close the chapter on one of the oldest Angus beef studs in Australia when Forres Angus Stud goes under the hammer in May.Mr Erby, 72, said it would give the couple an opportunity to spend more time with their seven grandchildren.He hoped the herd would fetch about $1 million.The couple bought the stud from a Queensland owner 20 years ago and is selling off 90 per cent of the herd, which will close the stud, but they are keeping the Dungog property.It will be the first time the Erbys have sold female cattle since 2004 and almost the entire female herd of about 500 prime breeding stock and 200 embryos are up for auction."We've had some wonderful experiences in the cattle industry and made some really close friends up here," Mr Erby said. "But you just know when it's time to move on and now is the time."Stud manager Brett Thomson said the female dispersal sale would be a wonderful opportunity for people wishing to enter the stud industry or for breeders to get some outstanding Angus genetics.
© 2011 Newcastle Herald