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AAP
AAP
Sophia McCaughan

Women leading the herd in agriculture business

Dubbo farmer Rachael Wheeler is among exhibitors in Sydney for the Royal Easter Show. (Sophia McCaughan/AAP PHOTOS)

Rachael Wheeler once sold one of her bulls for almost $40,000, but it wasn't the payday some might consider.  

While Angus bulls can ring up big money at the sale lot, much of the profit goes straight back into the farm.

"Just the day-to-day general running of a farm, animal health treatments, it all adds into it. Agriculture is expensive," Ms Wheeler told AAP.

The Dubbo farmer is one of thousands of exhibitors who have travelled to Sydney for the Royal Easter Show, where she is showcasing her top-earning Angus cattle's genetics.

The fifth-generation farmer said agriculture was in her blood.

"I've always been passionate about agriculture and working with cattle," she said.

Angus cattle
Ms Wheeler says Canadian genetics is behind the success of her top-selling Angus cattle business. (Sophia McCaughan/AAP PHOTOS)

But breeding was unchartered territory for the cattle farmer until a decade ago. That was when she travelled to Canada and fell in love with her highly specialised line of work. 

After buying her first lot of cattle Ms Wheeler began using artificial insemination to grow the herd.

"Because of that one bull, that's where we got our breeding program from and we've been developing that since," she said.

"Everything on our farm goes straight back to Canadian genetics, all of it has been imported over here, which goes into our breeding program and then onto sale."

In what's been traditionally considered a male-dominated industry, Ms Wheeler would like to see more females working in cattle.

"If you work hard and do what you do and you love it, there's nothing stopping you whether you're male or female," she said. 

And things are already changing according to Cattle Australia boss Chris Parker, who said recent data showed women made up a third of the beef sector workforce. 

"We believe this diversity should be represented at all levels in the grass-fed beef supply chain, women bring a wealth of knowledge and experience," Dr Parker said. 

The Royal Easter Show runs until Tuesday.

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