Episode Details

Episode Summary:

In this episode of The Angus Table, Scott Wright sits down with Ben and Olivia Wright, managers of Munda Reds Droughtmaster Stud, for a conversation about their established Droughtmaster breeding operation and ambitious new Ultrablack program.

Ben and Olivia share how Munda Reds operates from Gingin (1 hour north of Perth) and Munda Station near Port Hedland (17 hours north) with 7,000 Droughtmaster breeders. Their five-year-old stud sells 100+ bulls annually, built on genetic testing at Munda Station identifying which bloodlines work in harsh conditions.

Two years ago, conversations about Angus eating quality reputation sparked the decision to trial Ultrablack genetics. This season, 180 black embryo calves are hitting the ground, and they’re recording detailed data across Droughtmaster, Brangus, and Ultrablack programs.

Scott, Ben and Olivia discuss what harsh Munda conditions demand: 48-degree temperatures, 2.5-5km water walks, extended poor-nutrition periods requiring absolutely sound, compact, tough cattle.

Oliva explains how female performance decides success, and Ben explains why Ultrablack genetics work where purebred Angus won’t. They’re prioritising proof over profit, comparing genetics through backgrounding, feedlotting, and carcass data rather than rushing bulls to market.

Scott and Ben finish their conversation discussing the economic opportunity of reduced herd numbers with higher productivity if Ultra Blacks do produce more kilos per animal, and their five-year vision for 300 Ultrablack females and 300 Droughtmaster females producing 150 of each sex annually.

So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for this conversation about breeding black cattle in the tropics, genetic innovation, and the importance of proof before profit.

Key topics covered:

• How Munda Reds operates from Gingin WA (8,000 acres, 500-700mm rainfall, 1 hour north of Perth) and Munda Station (under 1 million acres, 7,000 Droughtmaster breeders, 17 hours north near Port Hedland)
• The Droughtmaster stud operation selling 100+ bulls annually through an established sale, built on five years of testing genetics at Munda Station to identify working bloodlines and eliminate unsuitable genetics quickly
• The challenge of tropical adaptation with eating quality drove the decision to trial Ultrablack genetics, seeking to breed black cattle suited to northern stations while maintaining Angus eating quality, fertility, and survivability
• How Ben and Olivia sourced Palgrove Ultrablack donor dams and semen shares two years ago, with 180 black embryo calves hitting the ground this season across rigorous data-recording programs.
• The importance of crawl, walk, run approach: proving the concept through data rather than rushing to market, following calves through backgrounding, feedlotting, and carcass evaluation before selling bulls.
• What harsh Munda Station conditions demand (48-degree temperatures, 2.5-5km walks for water, extended poor-nutrition periods) and the need for absolutely sound, compact, tough cattle structurally adapted for survival.
• How female performance will decide success, proving the Ultrablack female's survival, growth, fertility, and eating quality comes before bull sales would naturally follow.
• Ben and Olivia’s aggressive temperament culling standard, with zero tolerance for attitude in weaning yards.
• Why Ultrablack genetics work where purebred Angus won't: tropical adaptation of bulls for station conditions plus fertility and durability of females, while keeping Brahman content under 25% to maintain Angus identity.
• The economic opportunity of reduced herd numbers with higher productivity if Ultrablacks produce more kilos per animal, potentially justifying premium pricing through superior feedlot performance and eating quality.
• How AI (50% conception) and embr