We purchased Carabar Gunsmoke J134 from Darren Hegarty in the Spring of 2015 after a thorough pedigree search identified the presence of some real carcase improving individuals. J134’s sire C. Gunsmoke G53 has a double cross to 036. J134’s dam C Blackcap Mary F93 also carries 036 blood, no doubting though the most exciting individual in her pedigree is B Tracy T4, the Summitcrest embryo oozing value determining traits thanks to Sumitcrest Scotch Cap OB45, GT Expo, Premiere Independence – a double cross.
I guess it wasn’t the main reason to be purchasing Gunsmoke J134 but interesting none the less is the fact, that via Te Mania Lowan Z53 and Kennys Creek Sandy S15 the pedigree traces back to Farrer Lady Federation, who was calved in 1975 and the foundation female for the Farrer herd. Yours truly had a bit to do with the Foundation of the Farrer herd as a teaching resource. Interestingly Lady Federation’s Z calf Z3 (by Purston of Eastfields – UK blood) produced 12 calves, (we have been breeding ‘Stayers’ for a long time), including F Federation J40, the maternal grand dam of Kennys Creek Sandy S15, the sire of Berklely B1’s dam. Longevity it’s a valuable trait eh?!
Gunsmoke J134 is breeding really well for us, it is worth noting we put three yearlings in our sale last year and they averaged a very creditable $10,000.
At Dulverton we don’t attempt to AI our two year old first calvers instead we opt for a well grown yearling. This year we had 63 L’s so we used Larry L154 (thanks to James and Ted) and a J134 son M124 to follow for the final ‘cycle’. As was the case with M114, M124 was so ‘attentive’, I have never witnessed two yearlings so actively seeking out cows on heat and keeping the mob ‘together’. These fundamental traits are so important in promoting beef industry efficiency, that is increasing the number of calves born by a sire over his working life and thereby reducing the cost per calf at slaughter attributable to that calves sires purchase price. D. Medaglia M28, by J134 out of K204 (a B Frankel daughter), note M28 is
a heifer’s first calf (yes J134 is heifer safe), performs in the top 5% for all Indexes except Domestic and he is top 10% there. D M28 will sell as one of our feature lots in this year’s bull sale.
Gunsmoke J134 is represented by Lot 2 M237, Lot 7 M244, Lot 8 M024, Lot 16 M202, Lot 24 M279.
