Hearing how our bulls perform once they leave Wattlewood is incredibly important to us. We’re pleased to share this producer story from Max Beecher of Buneep Park, who has been purchasing Wattlewood Angus bulls since 2021. His experience highlights the fertility, docility and performance traits we aim to deliver to our commercial clients.
– Fiona & John Glover
Strong fertility, quiet temperament and reliable performance are essential traits for commercial Angus producers — and for Gippsland cattleman Max Beecher, Wattlewood Angus bulls are delivering on all fronts.
Max manages the Angus herd at Buneep Park, a 405-hectare property at Bunyip North in Victoria, running around 330 cows. While Angus cattle have been part of the operation for two decades, production has ramped up in recent years in response to growing consumer demand for Angus beef.
“From a mouth of grass to a mouth of meat, the dollars per kilo for Angus are aligned with what buyers want,” Max said.
The herd is joined from mid-November for nine weeks, with heifers joined at 16 months of age — a strategy designed to maximise efficiency and lifetime productivity. At pregnancy testing in 2024, 93 per cent of the herd tested in-calf, a result Max considers non-negotiable.
“We’ve always had strong conception rates here, and it’s a standard we work hard to maintain. If a cow isn’t in-calf, she doesn’t stay.”
Temperament is equally important in the Buneep Park system, and Max says the Wattlewood Angus bulls purchased from Fiona and John Glover have made a noticeable contribution to herd docility.
“Angus is an easy-doing breed, and temperament is a big thing for us. The Wattlewood bulls are good, quiet bulls — their temperament stays consistent from sale day to when we get them home. They settle in quickly, go out and perform, and continue to grow.”
Max has been sourcing bulls from Wattlewood Angus since the Glovers’ first on-farm sale in 2021 and currently runs eight Wattlewood bulls across the program.
“We bought three bulls at that first sale and have added one or two each year since. Fiona and John are extremely easy to deal with and genuinely interested in how their bulls are performing for us.”
The benefits are now flowing through the next generation, with promising Wattlewood-sired heifers retained or rejoined as future breeders within the herd.
Looking ahead, Max plans to attend the upcoming Wattlewood Angus sale, targeting bulls with moderate birthweights, strong growth, solid milk figures and positive fat traits — genetics that support both performance today and flexibility for future markets.
“If we can keep improving our pastures and infrastructure, the goal is to keep lifting productivity and growing steers out further,” he said.
The full story can be accessed here (note, it is subscriber access): https://www.theland.com.au/story/9151925/success-with-angus-beef-production-on-buneep-park-in-gippsland/