Yeoval's Royalla Shorthorn Stud to compete at Sydney Royal Easter Show 2023

Fourth-generation Royalla Shorthorn Stud cattle farmer, Nicholas Job, said it had been "all consuming" growing up on a cattle farm - but he wouldn't have it any other way.

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"You came home from school and went to work with cattle. On weekends you'd go to cattle shows, and on holidays you were doing that, too," Mr Job told the Daily Liberal.

"It was so much better than being in town - there was always something to do, working with animals and being outside all the time. We got to meet people all over the world through cattle."

Mr Job will be heading to the Sydney Royal (April 5-17) with five bulls, a cow and calf, and a heifer.

He recalls having won the grand champion title at the Sydney Royal approximately 10 times, but "couldn't" say "how many ribbons" they've won all up during the family's long career breeding and showing shorthorns.

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The Job family, consisting of Mr Job along with his parents, Neilson and Sue Job, have been competing in the shorthorn section of the Sydney Royal since 1985.

Before that, Mr Job's grandfather was a judge in the merino section.

"Our family first operated the farm in 1899. I still operate the farm with my parents and we run 9000 acres," Mr Job said.

"We have 500 breeding cows. We nearly have our numbers built back up from the drought - not quite, but nearly."

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During the drought, the family cut "a couple of hundred breeders" from their stock.

"In a normal commercial situation we would have unloaded a lot more. But once those genetics are gone, they are gone forever," Mr Job said.

"We import and export genetics from around the world to try to get the cattle the best there is. We have won two champion of the world [Shorthorn Miss World] awards, in 2016 and 2021."

The Job family will head to the show with an entourage - approximately one person for every three or four head of cattle. Then on show day, more help will be enlisted.

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But preparing the cattle begins years ahead of showing them.

"It starts three years out, trying to get your breeding decision right, so you've got animals with good confirmation and balance and muscle structure," Mr Job said.

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"They've got to be fed appropriately so they're in good enough conditions to show their potential about how much weight they can gain without over-feeding them, and they've got to be clipped and broken in."

Mr Job likes showing his cattle ahead of winter so they don't have as much hair on them.

"You've got to be confident you have the animals looking good to potential clients, so it's more important that they look good than win - but you still want to win," he said.

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The cattle are sold for beef and therefore the judges at the Royal will be looking for the amount of meat on the animals, as well as their structure and function - or "how well they can walk and get around".

"For the cow they'll want to see a good calf on it, a good udder, and good feet to help them have good longevity to get around well and eat and graze and drink efficiently," Mr Job said.

"With bulls, they want more power and masculinity and they want to see more muscle on them than the female, but to still have good confirmation and structure."