Pharo Bulls was born out of a need for better fertility, calving ease, functionality and longevity in the genetics used in our commercial herd. We were frustrated with the lack of profitability—largely driven by the high costs of maintaining animals that weren’t meeting our expectations. After analysing the numbers, several key insights became clear:

• A live calf on the ground is the first step to profitability
• A calf every year from every breeding-age female is essential
• Heifers must be bred at 12-14 months to calve at two years
• A tight 42-day joining window maximises Fertility and Efficiency
• Moderating frame score (not weight) created a substantial increase in carrying capacity

To transform our herd into a more profitable enterprise, we shifted our approach. We stopped expecting our cows to be reliant on external inputs and interventions. We also began focusing on dollars or kilograms produced per hectare, not per animal. This shift in thinking changed the way we evaluated every aspect of the business: Could we use our pasture more efficiently? Could we increase profitability by improving how we utilised it?

Herd Sire R253

A Focus on Profitability and Efficiency

The cost of rearing heifers through to joining is significant, and the sooner a heifer has a live calf, the quicker she starts contributing to covering her costs. Also pulling calves isn’t enjoyable, and when many of our cows calved easily on their own, we started questioning: why can’t all of them do this? Without hesitation, we culled any females that required assistance at calving, and we did the same for any calves that needed help. This way, we avoided breeding calving difficulties back into our herd.

Carrying a cow through the year can be costly, and the only way to cover those costs is to ensure every cow has a live calf on the ground annually. To remain in the herd, all females had to calve every year.

Moving all females into a 42-day joining window saved time at multiple points in the production system. Fewer yarding sessions were required, marketing became more streamlined since all calves reached selling weight and age as a uniform group, and only the most fertile females stayed in the herd.

Sourcing the Right Genetics

We quickly realised that for these changes to be sustainable, we needed to source genetics from a breeder who shared our expectations. We needed someone who prioritised Fertility, Calving Ease and Low input costs Continuing to purchase bulls from programs that didn’t align with these objectives would only remove the ability to transform our business.

To meet our goals, we initially purchased bulls from Pharo Cattle Company in the USA. Their breeding program had been under pressure for over 30 years, producing fertile, easy calving, low-maintenance cattle. These genetics helped us rapidly improve our herd, resulting in more fertile, productive, cost-effective and Functional cattle. Time spent checking heifers and cows at calving was eliminated. Expenses on drench and supplemental feed were also eliminated.

Bridging the Gap in the Australian Seedstock Market

Through our efforts, we realized there was a gap in the Australian seedstock market for the kind of genetics we were seeking. As other commercial breeders began reaching out to us for similar bulls to improve their herds, we began marketing commercial bulls ourselves.

Each bull we sell undergoes a thorough visual assessment (A day that beef producers and members of the public are invited to attend) and is scored for the following characteristics:

• Muscling
• Masculinity
• Thickness
• Fleshing
• Hair quality
• Preputial prolapse
• Foot angle and toe structure
• Temperament

In addition to the visual evaluation, all bulls are vet-checked and must pass a Vet Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluation (we don’t sell “Qualify or Fail” bulls). A DNA profile is collected from each bull, which includes parent verification to provide insight into the bull’s sire and dam lines and genetic performance data.

We use 17 different DNA traits to calculate three key indexes:

• Calving ease
• Low maintenance
• Carcase traits

Additionally, a grass efficiency score is calculated based on each animal’s raw data.

Calving Ease Guarantee

Pharo Bulls guarantees the Calving Ease of certain bulls in the upcoming catalogue. If any calving issues arise, we’ll compensate the buyer—ensuring peace of mind and confidence in the genetics they are purchasing.

Our 7th Annual Bull Sale

Pharo Bulls will be selling approximately 70 Angus and Angus Heat Tolerant bulls at our 7th Annual Bull Sale on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at Glen Innes NSW.

We’re excited to continue improving the industry with our high-performing, low-maintenance genetics and providing commercial breeders with the bulls that meet their needs for profitability and ease of management.

Click here to request a sale catalogue or visit www.pcabulls.com.au for further information.