ZinMet 100 Fuels The Genetics of Hicks Beef Composite Bulls in Holbrook
ZinMet 100 Fuels The Genetics of Hicks Beef Composite Bulls in Holbrook
In the undulating, mixed grazing country of Holbrook, southern New South Wales, the Hicks family have spent more than 70 years setting the standard for commercially-focused cattle breeding.
Over that time, they’ve earned a reputation for producing cattle that combine robust genetic performance with real-world commercial appeal. Today, Hicks Beef continues to have a strong focus on delivering profitable performance through the power of hybrid vigour. This philosophy has established them as a premium seedstock operation, selling over 200 Composite and Red Angus bulls annually.
For the past five years, Stud Manager Tom Hicks has incorporated ZinMet 100 into the sale bulls’ feed mix to optimally support their genetic development. ZinMet 100 is a liquid specific organic trace mineral supplement that works to strengthen the Hicks Beef bulls’ durability in a diverse range of commercial cattle operations.
“The bulls need to perform for many years after they leave our property, so they need to have good feet,” says Tom. “The minerals in ZinMet assist with the overall hoof health, mobility and longevity of our bulls.”
The structural soundness of bulls is essential for long-term performance and success. Bulls need to have strong feet and good mobility to effectively mate cows each year and avoid costly breakdowns. Structural soundness is largely determined by genetics, but it can be further enhanced through quality nutrition.
“It’s our job to set the cattle up genetically to perform,” says Tom. “But we also want to give them the best chance to perform with the nutrition that goes into their bodies.”
ZinMet 100 is an effective nutritional solution that enables the bulls’ genetic potential to be fully expressed. Through increasing the mineral availability during key growth phases, ZinMet 100 assists the superior development of key structural, immune and digestive traits.
“We want to breed bulls that are healthy and have minimal breakdowns for our clients,” says Tom. “If the bulls can stay in the herd for longer, they are more productive for our clients and create a better return on investment for them.”
Hicks Beef has two annual Autumn and Spring bull sales on their property in Holbrook, NSW. The main goal of Hicks’ Beef is to improve the profitability per hectare for commercial cattle producers.
“I find a lot of our clients are economic rationalists,” says Tom. “They have a very good idea of costs and the type of bull they need to be successful.
“Our bulls tend to perform more reliably for them and have a longer working life. Which ultimately makes them more profitable for our clients.”
The bulls are sold to clients all over Australia - from The Gulf all the way down to Launceston. To succeed across Australia’s challenging environments, the bulls need to be able to adapt and remain strong and healthy.
“Getting ZinMet into our bulls’ system from a young age really sets them up for a good innings,” says Tom. “We know they have the essential minerals to go the distance in various environments.”
Hicks Beef bulls experience vastly different environments, depending on the destination they’re sold to. In Tasmania, they encounter extremely wet conditions that increase the risk of foot rot. Whereas in the Northern Territory, they face hard and rough terrain that can lead to cracked hooves. ZinMet 100 helps develop stronger feet, which reduces the risk of both of these issues arising.
“Our bulls need to be able to thrive in different real world conditions,” says Tom. “We are a stud operation but ultimately we’re breeding bulls to perform for commercial producers.
“We’re confident that ZinMet plays a key role in the durability and longevity of our bulls.”
Hicks Beef has been using ZinMet 100 for over five years. It’s a product that they trust and have found straightforward to incorporate into their operation.
“We already included molasses in our feed mixes,” says Tom. “So adding the ZinMet liquid as well was seamless.
“We know it works and are really happy with the whole package.”
Tom has worked closely with Liam from Austasia and Steve Bonner from the Integrated Animal Production (IAP) team. He’s found both to be very knowledgeable and genuinely supportive without being intrusive.
“They call me just the right amount,” says Tom. “We know that ZinMet is a good, reliable product and the support from Austasia and IAP is perfect.”
