15/09/2025
V130. What does that even mean?
V130 is a bull calf born on the 1st of December 2024. To be shown as a calf at foot for the 2025 show season, he needed to be calf recorded within the Australian Lowline Cattle Association, V130 is the year born (V) and the number calf that has been bred under our stud name Ebony (130). When V130 was born, he was given a couple of months to prove himself to be kept a bull. He succeeded. He ticked the boxes for Australian Lowline breed standard. And his temperament was beautiful. He was calf recorded as Ebony In-VINCE-a-bull. He was always going to be known as Vinnie for short.
At the Toowoomba Royal Show 2025, his Dam Ebony Tanami was awarded Supreme Small Breeds champion with V130 or Vinnie at foot.
Vinnie continued to grow and look to be growing into an outstanding bull who I would have been happy to have in my herd as a breeder. Vinnie looked like a bull. He is long in the body, has good depth, walks well, covering the ground easily and tracks well, has excellent growth for age, and has the most amazing temperament. He is perfect.
And then the imperfection was noticed right before our next main stage, Ekka. This is when the decision was made that Vinnie would become a steer. It was a tough decision, but one that was necessary.
So, at just under 9 months of age and weighing 262kg, Vinnie became a steer.
We see many bulls being kept a bull that should not be, both commercial and stud. Being sold for top dollar or being collected for semen sales. There are breed standards for a reason, and we as breeders are meant to be breeding for the better of the breed, not just because. They do, however, produce delicious beef. And that is what Vinnie will do. Delicious beef for someone. No longer In-VINCE-a-bull.
What is Vinnie's fault?
