Serial Winner’s Success Comes In All Colours

By Karolin Macgregor
Courtesy Tasmanian Country

WHEN it comes to producing top quality bullocks, few do it better than Philip Hughes – and he has the ribbons to prove it.

Mr Hughes has won the annual Quoiba bullock competition nine times, including this year when his pen of four Murray Grey steers got the top award.

In 2008 and 2009 his cattle won top pen, the runner-up pen and the best single bullock awards.

“I had to go back and count because I couldn’t remember how many times I’d won it,” Mr Hughes said.

He said a lot of credit went to his Roberts stock agent Rodney Miles, who helped him select the cattle.

“He buys cattle for me a lot of the time because I can’t be bothered going to the sales and he does a good job,” Mr Hughes said.

He and his wife Gaylene run a mixed operation at Kindred. Cattle fit in well with their cropping and they run about 80 at a time.

Mr Hughes said he was not fussy about any particular breed.

“Angus, Hereford, Murray Greys, I even had some Red Angus one year,” he said. “I don’t think it really matters as long as you feed them well.”

Mr Hughes likes to get the cattle settled in quickly when they first arrive.

He said winter shelter was essential to ensure the cattle kept gaining weight.

Most of the cattle arrive at the property weighing 250-300kg and Mr Hughes said he liked to finish them at 650-700kg.

“I don’t worry too much about how long I keep them, I just send them off when they’re ready,” he said.

This year’s winning pen were bought from Bentall Family Trust at Rowella.

“I remember when I bought them a few people were stirring me up saying I changed my colour scheme,” he said. Competition this year was tough. “There were some beautiful cattle there,” Mr Hughes said.