The Forres Angus Stud was founded in Karara Queensland in 1965 by David Raff, who is without doubt one of the most outstanding cattle breeders in Australia. The stud’s original prefix was Warahgai which was changed to Forres in 1974. Under his expert guidance during the next 25 years the stud developed a pre-eminent reputation within the breed.

Foundation stock included four aged cows from the famous Sarum Stud and two additional females from the Currajong and Wallah Studs. In 1982 two sires, VPI Lord Patriot (Imp USA) and Premier Commodore (Imp USA) were introduced. By 1990 the breeding herd of over one hundred cows were all descendants of these foundation females. All were big framed, good milking females rich in Mulben Embassy (Imp) blood.

Between 1977 and 1990, Forres bred twelve Royal Show Grand Champions and three National Junior Heifer Show Champions.

The famous Burnette, Doris, Ninah and Quail cow families all had their beginnings during this period with the best known cow of them all being Forres Burnette A22. Other famous cows that made a significant contribution to the genetic strength and balance of the herd were Forres Burnette C60, Forres Doris C80, Forres Doris F36, Forres Doris D45 and Forres Ninah C48.

In 1987 the Raff family had moved to Pittsworth in Queensland and employed Brett Thomson, a young Farrer graduate, to assist with the herd’s development.

An emotional decision was made in 1990 to sell and Jon and Chris Erby purchased the entire Forres stud herd together with the stud name and prefix and relocated the base to Wycombe Park in Dungog, NSW. Brett Thomson and his family also relocated to Dungog and he has been the Stud Manager ever since.

Today the herd is run under strict commercial conditions with a strong emphasis on maternal characteristics. Performance orientated, the stud herd boasts an excellent mix of modern and traditional genetics,

To diversify and bolster the genetic pool of our herd, a policy to secure females from families that have had a significant impact in the Angus breed was implemented. In 1994, we purchased Te Mania Jedda J49 (a Burthlene Patriot daughter) with a bull calf at foot at the Abbaringa Dispersal Sale held at Taminick via Glenrowan, Victoria. At the late Barry Marshall’s Calleen Angus Dispersal Sale held in Tamworth in 1995, Calleen Abigail K64 with Calleen Abigail P86 at foot was purchased together with an embryo package of the mating of Te Mania Dandloo G4 with Summitcrest Power Play M032. The Merrigrange “Mother of All Sales” held at Tennyson, Victoria in 1996 saw the introduction of the Ester family to our herd, with the purchase of Merrigrange Ester M232 (who is in the sale) with Merrigrange Ester R287 at foot. We also acquired a share in Merrigrange Jane L23 at this sale.

In 1997 we were fortunate enough to secure a package of embryos out of two Jet Pagent females (P10 and P14) by three different sires, TC Stockman, New Design 036 and GAR Traveler 1489. At the NEAB Female Sale in 2001 we purchased the founder of our family known as Royal-Line, with the purchase of Waitara Tootsie T1 (a VDAR New Trend 315 daughter out of VRLN32 Royal Line Dandloo) with her calf Waitara Ex Tootsie W25 (an early LB Exacto daughter) at foot.

Since the move to Wycombe Park, sires such as New Trend 315, Ranui All Black who was imported in 1991 as a calf from New Zealand (freshly weaned from his mother), and Burthlene Patriot 47M have made a valuable contribution to the breeding herd. Subsequently New Design 036, New Design 323, Butchs Maximum, CA Future Direction, Scotch Cap OB45, were introduced and most recently BT Ultravox, Vermillion Yellowstone, Baldridge Nebraska, Connealy Lead On have continued to value add to the genetic base.

Homebred sires used as back-up bulls in the AI program are selected on visual appraisal, structural soundness and comprehensive performance data.

An extensive embryo transfer program is conducted utilizing the high performing females to make optimum and rapid genetic progress in the herd.

The herd maintains MN3 status under the National Johne’s Disease Market Assurance Program.