About Knowla Livestock
Knowla Livestock is a family owned and operated livestock company situated on the headwaters of the Barrington River at Moppy, west of Gloucester. Run by James and Annie, alongside Ted and Alison, Knowla Livestock is very much a family affair, with the next generation, Sandy, Doug, Rob, Jack, & Georgia, all sharing a passion for the land. The Moppy valley, whilst it is undulating to steep grazing country, it is ideal for cow calf production. The focal point is the annual production sale held on the last Friday in July. 85 bulls are offered, as well as a selection of stud heifers and 100 ready to join EU accredited Angus commercial females.
The family manages 280 registered females and approx. 500 commercial cows and progeny. Our commercial breeding program drives the selection pressures that shape our seedstock herd, with all selection decisions based on proven commercial attributes. All walking sires used within our seedstock herd, are also exposed to equal numbers of commercial cows, ensuring our genetics remains directly aligned with the requirements of commercial producers.
We are firm believers in the importance of recording every measurable trait, and we actively participate in recording traits for research breeding values, like mature cow body composition. As early adopters of genomic testing, our entire seedstock herd is sire verified with genomic enhanced breeding values. In addition to this, all animals are independently structurally evaluated.
At Knowla Livestock, we aim to provide a balanced blend of phenotype and genotype in a functional package, ensuring consistent quality and reliability for our clients.
Left to right; Annie, James, Rob, Sandy & Doug
Left to right; Jack, Georgia, Alison & Ted
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The Devon Years
Ted and Cliff, 1992
Ted and James, 1988
During the 1960s and 1970s, we ran a Devon-Shorthorn rotation crossbreeding system aimed at producing heavy, grass-fattened Jap ox. All bulls were purebreds of either breed, and the cow herd was crossbred and grouped according to age. Fifty percent of our turn-off went through the saleyard system, with the remainder consigned directly to abattoirs. Without a doubt, in 1979, we were very much production-oriented and price takers in an era when “the biggest and fattest was best.”
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The Kholwha Devon stud was established in 1978, predominantly based on Wombramurra bloodlines, to supply this commercial herd. A record price of $3100 was paid at the 1978 Wombramurra sale for Wombramurra Zero 81st, who became the stud’s foundation sire. The stud was soon active in the show ring, winning our first Sydney Royal Best Exhibit ribbon in 1982 with Kholwha Nobleman 3rd. Zero 81 went on to produce three separate Sydney Grand Champion females. In 1984, Westcout Baron 4th was purchased, and he bred exceptionally well with these Zero 81 females.
Through the late 1980s, Kholwha Devon bloodlines were major influencers in the Devon breed, with the stud exhibiting annually at the Sydney Royal Show and winning the Most Successful Exhibitor and Best Exhibit awards on numerous occasions. At the largest led showing of Devon cattle seen in Australia, the 1988 Devon World Conference held at the Sydney Show, Kholwha exhibited the Grand Champion female and Junior Champion bull. At the 1990 Sydney Show, all four champions were Kholwha exhibits. While utilizing the show ring, performance recording was not ignored, and Kholwha participated in the inaugural Devon Group Breedplan sire summaries produced in the late 1980s.
The stud sold bulls at the annual all-breeds Gloucester bull sale, which, in those days, was a three-day event with up to 500 lots catalogued, with Herefords being the main contributors. A son of Zero 81, Kholwha Cavalier 3rd, was Grand Champion at the 1986 Gloucester NSW Devon Show and Sale, setting an all-breeds Gloucester record by selling for $7400. Baron 4th sons were the top sellers at five successive Gloucester NSW Devon Show and Sales, including Kholwha Buster, who set another all-breeds record by selling for $12,500 at the 1988 sale. This record stood for 24 years, until it was challenged in 2006 by the Angus bull Knowla Zodiac Z38, who established a new event record by selling for $11,500.
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​Wombramurra Zero 81st
Ted and Breakout, 1992​
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The Angus Evolution
Knowla Designer V96
Knowla Monty M186
The 9th of March 1995 marked the beginning of a new chapter for us, as Knowla Gold Q1 was born, the first animal tocarry the Knowla prefix. A month later, two more calves arrived, twin ET heifers, Q3 and Q4. These two heifers would goon to establish what became our Sal line of females, a tribute to Sally Chapel of Dulverton Angus, where the embryosoriginated from. On the 1st of May 1995, a full brother to Q3 & Q4 was born, Knowla Just New. Just New was a son of NewTrend 315 out of Dulverton Quinte J11 that went on to win Reserve Senior Champion bull at Sydney Royal. By year’s end,six calves were born and carried the Knowla name, marking the start of our journey into the Angus breed.The same year, Ted and Alison tied theknot, and with their wedding came anunexpected gift, one single embryo fromChris Knox and Helen Alexander of DSKAngus. Against the odds, it took, and inJune 1996, Knowla Panda R1 was born.Sired by Black Velvet Willy Boy J31 out ofTe Mania Panda E12, Knowla Panda R1left a lasting mark, producing 10 calves inthe herd, including influential daughterslike Panda Y29 & A41. She became a truematron of the herd, and today, the Pandaline remains one of our most impactful,producing sale toppers and industry AIsires, like Knowla Monty M186
As the years passed, the herd steadily grew, and by 2000, 26 calves were registered in that year. On October 15,2000, an ET heifer calf was born - one that would go on to become our most prolific and impactful female, Knowla Designer V96. Little did we know then just how influential she would be. V96 was a direct daughter of the prolific donor, Forres Burnette P5, by P A R B Design Plus 97. As of today, a total of 31 progeny have been born, with all 10 daughters retained. Many went on to become influential females and donors such as Designer A55, B14, C16, C19,D19 & E29. V96 consistently stamped her sons with strength and power, producing numerous sale-topping bulls that have gone on to play significant stud roles. Her first standout son, Knowla Zenith Z40, was sold privately as a yearling in 2005 for $15,000 to the Wise family of Glenisa Angus in Queensland.
A flush to Ardrossan Admiral A2 proved to be truly exceptional, producing standout sons such as Crusader C21, Cavalier C17, Dambuster D17,and Expo E30. However, its greatest impact came through the influential females it produced, including Designer C16, D19, and E29, who left a lasting mark on the herd. This influence is evident in a grandson of Designer C16, Knowla So RightS48, who set a stud record when he sold for$190,000 at the 2022 sale to Gerald Spry of Sprys Angus and Tony Rutter of Cottage Creek Angus.So Right S48 now stands as the resident herd sire for the Sykes family at Mawarra Genetics. To this day, Knowla Designer V96 holds the record for producing the most progeny of any female we’ve ever owned or bred. She was truly one of a kind!
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Knowla Anzac A24
Knowla Zenith Z40 as a 13year old bull
The introduction of the Burnette cow family into our herd began in 1996 with the purchase of donor dam Forres Burnette F62. Interestingly, her sire,VPI Lord Patriot 9025, was the first Angus bull imported live from America to Australia in the early 1980s by the Gubbins family of Te ManiaAngus. In 2001, Forres Doris U149 was added to the herd, a daughter of Forres’ leading donor DorisM50, sired by Krugerrand of Donamere 490. U149 became the foundation female of our Kruger line, with her influence most notably carried through her daughter, Knowla Kruger W44. A son of W44, Knowla Anzac A24 was retained for stud duties in 2006. Two other cow families that have made a lasting impact on our herd and are widely recognised within Australian Angus circles, the Jedda and Dandaloo cow lines. In 2004, we purchased Forres JeddaX77, establishing our Jedda cow family and then in 2012, DSK RR Dandaloo F40 was acquired, laying the foundation for our Dandaloo line.
Together, from the birth of our first purebred Angus calf to the introduction of influential cow families, these early foundations have shaped Knowla into what it is today. As we reflect on the past, we are proud of what has been built and excited for the future generations of females that will continue to carry the Knowla name forward.