First they established their Beefmark artificial breeding business, converting the “Ardleigh” woolshed into an integrated embryo-transfer facility with space for up to 50 donor females.

Two years later they established their Eaglehawk Angus stud, using foundation females from Te Mania and elsewhere and top-ranked North American genetics.

The present-day Angus herd of around 700 to 800 breeders includes about 400 registered females, from which 80 to 100 bulls are sold each year to NSW and interstate buyers.

A more recent development has been the establishment in 2005 of a 1000-head feedlot, where home-bred cattle are finished for the European Union market and clients’ cattle custom-fed.

Now the Vivers want to move on and pursue a more intensive business model in a central location incorporating the Eaglehawk stud and the Beefmark artificial breeding enterprise.

That leaves the way open for new ownership of a prized

Northern New England grazing property with proven performance, first-class infrastructure and lifestyle features.

Situated 35 kilometres west of Glen Innes, the property comprises level to undulating country of rich basalt soils, variously cropped or pasture improved.

“Weean”, at 755ha the larger of the two portions, occupies a rich valley with extensive farming flats of black basalt, where up to 300ha of corn has been grown in past years.

The 537ha “Ardleigh” is further down the valley and mostly undulating basalt pasture country, topdressed regularly (as is “Weean”) with composted natural fertiliser from the feedlot.

Up to 160ha of “Weean” is usually sown to oats for winter grazing, hay and grain, and corn is grown when needed to replenish the stocks of silage that underpin the feedlot.

About 6000 tonnes of corn silage is now on-hand, and included in the sale of the property.

Feed yards with reticulated water adjacent to the feedlot enable all cows to be held close at hand if necessary for drought feeding.

The feed pads are also used for calving heifers.