It was all about the girls at this year’s Eidsvold Greenup Santa Infused Show and Store Cattle Sale.
Overall grand champion pen was awarded to the heavy feeder weight heifers presented by Hatton and Sons.
Brett Hatton, Old Rawbelle, Monto said he picked the line of heifers from just 23 head to put in the competition.
“These heifers here today stood out to me for their bone, good top lines, and large structural frame,” Mr Hatton said.
“It’s good to see judges willing to back themselves if the heifers are better than the steers on the day, but generally it’s very hard for heifers to win over a pen of steers.”
The winning show and sale heifers were all bred by Hatton family bulls.
“The heifers were from our forest country at home and are actually some cull heifers we had from the place at Biloela,” Mr Hatton said.
The show and sale judges, Wes and Sue Presho, Utopia Downs, Taroom said the grand champion heifers were a great example of very high quality Santa Gertrudis cattle.
“They showed great growth for age, very even line, very quite, and a pen of cattle you would really want to take home and put on your place,” Mrs Presho said.
“We were happy to see the show and sale cattle in good order, I think they maybe in better condition than last year.”
The Hatton family’s pen of 380 to 500kg heifers also won best EU pen of cattle and their steers were awarded best steers under 320kg.
The females managed to overcome strong competition from a good quality line of Santa Gertrudis heavy feeder steers exhibited by Richard Reiser, Ormsary, Eidsvold.
The Reiser family’s pen won best steers 380 to 500kg section and they also took out best heifers under 320kg.
Glen Smith, Quayle Cattle Co, Gin GIn, was awarded best steers 320 to 380kg and best heifers 320 to 380kg.
Best Santa Infused cows and calves went to the Horn family.
North Burnett Santa Infused Show and Store Cattle Sale sponsor, Rick Greenup, said the event’s cattle were in very good order considering the current dry, patchy season.
“We have had a low growth summer for local pasture and the paddocks I’ve see don’t have much grass in them,” Mr Greenup said.
“Personally, we needed to lighten-off some of our country to let our little weaners come through.
“We are starting to pull weaners off really early to look after the little guys because some of the country is doing it pretty tough.”
Sale Report
Despite an ordinary season across the local district, North Burnett Greenup Santa Infused Show and Store Sale attracted a well presented yarding.
The annual sale was a sea of red with 1600 head of Santa Gertrudis and Santa-cross cattle penned.
TopX livestock agent Brett Miller said initial concerns were held about the effect of ongoing dry weather.
“I’m impressed with the overall quality and class of the yarding under extreme circumstances, which all farmers have been up against,” Mr Miller said.
Steers under 200kg sold 396c/kg and averaged 377c, while steers in the 200-300kg range earned to 370c and averaged 347c. Steers 300-400kg earned 353c and averaged 330c.
Heifers under 200kg sold to 302c and averaged 298c, while heifers in the 200-300kg range earned to 319c and averaged 289c. Heifers 300-400kg sold 324c and averaged 297c.
Hattons and Sons had a strong holding of quality cattle. Winning the Best Pen of Steers under 320kg that averaged 312kg and sold to 347c to return $1083/head.
Reiser Pastoral Company won Best Heifers under 320kg and averaged 311kg returning 324c to make $1008.
Best Steers 300-380kg category went to Quayle Cattle Co, Gin Gin, which sold to 330c to return $1095. They also won Best Heifers 320-380kg that earned to 297c to return $890.
Winner of the Best Steers over 380kg was also awarded to Reiser Pastoral Company, Eidsvold. These steers were a well-presented line 380kg for 329c to make $1253.
Best Heifers over 380kg category was awarded to Hatton and Sons with Santa Gertrudis Heifers also winning grand champion pen and sold to 292c for 438kg returning $1280. These heifers also won the Champion EU Pen.
The Horn family’s Best Cows and Calves pen sold open auction to $1400/unit.
Other sale highlights included, 155kg Santa-cross steers selling for 396c and returning $616.
Drinkwater Partnership presented 211kg Charbray-cross steers earning 370c for $784.
The Murray family sold Charolais-cross steers to 245kg for 343c returning $840.
Greenup Eidsvold Station sold 299kg santa steers for 353c and returning $1058.
The Mitchell family presented 362kg Santa-cross steers sold for 331c returning $1199.
Ventura Citrus Co, Mundubbera sold 230kg heifers for 319c to return $734.
The Muller family presented 254kg EU heifers that sold for 297c to make $756.
G Walsh sold 315kg Brangus-cross heifers for 299c to return $945.
Deepbank Partners presented a line of 406kg heifers that made to 298c to return $1211.