For the Renner family of Northumberland, choosing Aberdeen-Angus cattle was a straightforward decision driven by a desire for easy-calving, efficient beef cattle that fit perfectly into their sustainable, profit-focused farming system.

John Renner, who farms with his wife Helen and their three children Charlie, Alice, and Sarah, runs Renner Farming across 500 acres at North Bellshill and Amerside Farms.

Home to nearly 110 home-bred Aberdeen-Angus cross cows, John says the enterprise has become one of the region’s most environmentally responsible and commercially successful beef herds.

“We’re a disease-free herd and we’re achieving some really strong gross margins,” he adds.

“Running a profitable business that works in harmony with the environment is important to us, and the Aberdeen-Angus breed has been key to that success.”

A decade of strategic breed choice

About 10 years ago, anticipating the reduction or removal of direct subsidies, the Renners reviewed their farm enterprises.

This review led to a pivotal decision to phase out sheep and focus solely on cattle.

 “At that stage, we knew we had to choose between sheep or cattle,” says John.

“We realised the cows could be more profitable, so we got rid of the sheep and now manage the land entirely with cattle in mind.”

Aberdeen-Angus cattle were introduced in 2010, starting with the purchase of Aln Elite from the Burrell family’s renowned Aln herd in Alnwick.

The Burrell’s herd is well respected, now managed by Duff Burrell’s sons, and their genetics have been the basis of the Renners’ success.

“There are plenty of breeds out there, but to us it was glaringly obvious Aberdeen-Angus was the right choice,” John says.

“The breed carries a premium, and there’s a wealth of knowledge and monitoring about the breed that has been going on for decades.”

Aln Elite was selected specifically for his Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) related to calving ease -a critical trait for the Renners.

The result is no assisted calvings in the past 10 years.

Following Elite, another Aln bull, Aln Black Boy, was brought in to further improve maternal calving ease.

“My understanding is Elite gave us a lighter calf, while Black Boy’s daughters have a larger pelvis, helping with ease of calving,” explains John.

“Later, wanting to boost growth rates, we introduced Aln Patriot, who’s still with us today.”

Most recently, the family has incorporated genetics from Australia’s Te Mania herd via imported semen, aiming to improve forage-to-beef conversion.

EBVs drive decisions

For the Renners, EBVs are the cornerstone of bull selection.

“We’d never consider a bull without the right EBVs,” John states.

“We always look at the figures first, and if the bull’s performance fits our criteria, then we go and see him.”

This data-led approach has paid off, with 100% of cows getting in-calf each year and 90% calving within the first 80 days of the calving season, which begins in March.

Tracking performance to maintain profitability

Alongside careful bull selection, the Renners keep meticulous records on their cattle.

“We have an extensive spreadsheet tracking every cow that’s calved and which bulls have been used since 2013,” John says.

“Calving ease is no longer a worry, so now we focus on growth rates and monitor offspring performance closely. For example, Aln Patriot’s calves are achieving average daily liveweight gains of up to 1.5kg.”

John also points to the cost-efficiency of their breeding strategy and says: “Black Boy has sired around 300 calves over 10 years.

“When you factor in his purchase price, that equates to just £6.60 per calf born, which is well below industry averages.”

Data is vital not only to improve, but to also maintain, herd performance over time, John adds.

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,” he explains.

“We collect data on everything all the time, and it informs every decision. We don’t operate on a whim.”

This precise management aligns with the farm’s wider environmental commitments – Renner Farming is a LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) demonstration farm and participates in research projects such as a trial with Aberystwyth University examining nitrogen use efficiency in legume pastures.

Innovative grazing cuts costs

The Renners operate a rotational grazing system designed to improve soil and pasture health while reducing inputs.

Their rotation includes two years of perennial ryegrass with clover, followed by two years of herbal leys, then a low-input spring barley or whole-crop silage.

Explaining this grazing approach, John says: “We have paddocks around six hectares each, and groups of 30 cows and 30 calves graze each paddock for about 15 days before moving on.

“The grass response has been amazing, and our fertiliser costs have dropped by two-thirds in the last three years.”

All cattle are housed from November to March, but the Renners are considering outwintering youngstock in the future as they are confident that Aberdeen-Angus cattle are well suited to this type of system.

Calves not kept for breeding are sold as yearling stores directly to cattle dealers.

Looking ahead, the Renners aim to expand by acquiring more land and increasing cattle numbers – all while maintaining the performance and profitability their data-driven approach has delivered.