Su and Bob McCluskey have been running CLUSKERS SQUARE MEATERS STUD just outside Canberra since 1996. Through talking to many people who are interested in Square Meaters at field days and shows and also to clients, the McCluskeys find that many people are attracted to the breed for their compact size and easy handling, with a lot of them having smaller acreage and eager to take advantage of the opportunity to run more cattle than the standard size breeds.

Many clients looking to buy are new to cattle, with some new to farming itself. The McCluskeys also find that a large number of clients are like themselves – having very busy schedules and are trying to organise a breeding and management program around working off-farm. And there are aspects to looking after cattle and general animal husbandry that can prove pretty daunting to the new cattle owner. There is also a whole lot of information that the person new to farming may not know about.

Recognising this as a common need, the McCluskeys have come up with several strategies to help. Firstly, they encourage anyone thinking of buying cattle to come out and have a look at the cattle and talk through different options. For example, is it breeding or fattening that the person is looking to do? Are they interested in stud or commercial cattle? What sort of country do they have? How much time do they have to put into the enterprise?

The McCluskeys find that quite often talking through different factors with prospective clients can provide them with options they may not have even considered. “We believe that it is very important that people looking to start with cattle are aware of what’s involved with different enterprises,” says Bob “and we are happy to provide some tips and suggestions where we can."

The McCluskeys also offer an after-sales service, where if you buy cattle from them, they are happy to help with advice and assistance to ensure that both you and your new purchases can enjoy a long and happy life together. No question is considered too silly or too simple. “We didn’t know the difference between a heifer or a steer when we first came here 14 years ago,” Su says “and if we can share some of the lessons we have learned with others, it can only help them."

Things such as why and when to drench and what to use. Although your local rural supplier will be willing to help, generally you need to know what you are looking for in the first place. If you are starting off your herd with a couple of cows and calves then maybe you don’t need a 5 litre container of drench with a fancy drench gun - perhaps a squeeze pack of backline may do. On the other hand, if you are needing to orally drench larger numbers of cattle, then a hook can make life so much quicker an easier.

Some people are keen to breed cattle but are uncertain about having a bull on the property all year. CLUSKERS SQUARE MEATERS STUD provides a bull leasing service for this very reason and if transport is a problem, where possible, the McCluskeys will deliver a bull for the service period then go back and pick him up.

CLUSKERS SQUARE MEATERS STUD also conducts on-farm field days and information sessions where participants can gather a wealth of practical information about how to manage and assess their cattle, receive tips on cattle handling and contacts for where to go for other information.

In keeping with providing this type of service, CLUSKERS SQUARE MEATERS STUD has now launched their website, www.cluskers.com.au. The Cluskers website will provide you with the very latest information on what’s happening at the stud, including information on upcoming field days, on-farm information days and what is available for sale at any particular time. The website also provides useful contacts and links to relevant information.

The McCluskeys encourage you to visit CLUSKERS SQUARE MEATERS STUD to view the cattle and talk about what you may be interested in. You can contact Su and Bob on 02 6227 5420, 0438 123 137 or through the website.