Signs of resurgence in the northern cattle industry are emerging as beef producers in some parts of the region start to get back on their feet after the prolonged drought as was evidenced on Wednesday at the Charters Towers weekly store and prime sale.
Teresa and Michael Toohey from Glen Dhu at Mt Garnet were at the sale buying steers and heifers to restock their 4000 head commercial business.
“After a couple of droughted years, we’ve started getting good rain in recent months which has led to good grass regrowth in the paddock,” Teresa said.
“We aren’t out of the woods yet as our dams still aren’t filled, but we’re in a much better position then we were last year,” she said.
Rob Flute from Chatfield at Richmond, set off a chain reaction after his pen of 12 Brahman cows reached 203c/kg which led to some competitive bidding on the next several pens after a slow selling start to the day in the section. His next pen topped the cow section after reaching 205c to weigh 434kg and return $891.
Mr Flute said future prospects are looking better at his 2000 head operation after good late rain helped green up the ground.
“I’ve had them on feed for four years over the course of the drought, so any grass I see coming through is a very welcome sight,” Mr Flute said.
In all total of 1539 head were yarded for the sale, consisting of 1004 prime cattle and 535 store cattle.
The prime cattle section comprised 183 bullocks, 75 heifers, 698 cows and 48 bulls which formed a mixed quality yarding including some larger lines of better cows.
Cattle were drawn from Townsville, Forsayth, Muttaburra, Richmond, Belyando, local and coastal areas. The condition was mostly good. Bullocks were quoted 10c easier, heifers were down 15c and cow values decreased 5c comparative to the last sale.
Heifers to 440kg made 227c to average 186c, while a single heifer over 440kg made 207c.
Cows to 400kg reached 196c to average 146c, while those over 400kg topped at 205c to average 182c.
Steers and bullocks to 500kg peaked at 241c to average 222c, while those over 500kg made 232c to average 220c. Bulls over 450kg hit 224c to average 191c.
Bullocks sold by Pedracini Grazing Trust, Scartwater, Charters Towers, topped at 232c weighing 615kg to return $1,428/head, and Dreghorn Cattle Company, Charters Towers sold the best priced trade heifers for 226c to weigh 356kg and return $805.
Bulls sold by the McCullough family, Bruslee, Charters Towers, topped at 224c and weighed 515kg to return $1,154.
Store Cattle were made up of mostly good lines of Brahman-cross cattle in very good condition with both heifers and steers selling to slightly easier rates than the previous sale. The store yarding comprised 317 steers, 155 heifers, four cows and 59 cows and calves.
Steers to 200kg made 290c to average 261c, 200-320kg steers reached 289c to average 247c, steers 320-400kg hit 266c to average 248c and four steers over 400kg made 229c.
Heifers to 200kg made 238c to average 213c, 200-320kg heifers peaked at 257c to average 214c and heifers 320-370kg topped at 229c to average 208c. No heifers over 370kg yarded.
A pen of 11 steers sold by Pace Farming, Rollingstone, made 290c and weighed 141kg to return $411,and a good pen of 10 heifers sold by Hyden Pastoral Company, Eight Mile Station, Dalbeg made 257c weighing 207kg to return $532.
A total of 42 Cows and 42 Calves sold by TA Priestly, Goldsmith Station, Forsayth returned $1,160/unit.
The next store and prime sale at Charters Towers is booked for Wednesday, May 4.
