Bob Murphy's faith in the Santa Gertrudis breed and their selling power at the Blackall saleyards was repaid handsomely at Thursday's Blackall sale.
Thanks to demand from southern processors, a lower Australian dollar and a healthy export market for beef to China, Mr Murphy, Everton, Aramac, and other producers sold on a rising market at Blackall.
Mr Murphy and his daughter Ann were among a big crowd enjoying the buzz of good prices at the fortnightly Blackall sale, watching their 36 head of 10-year-old Santa Gertrudis cows snapped up.
One pen, weighing 582kg, was sold to a top of 244c/kg to return $1422 per head while the second brought 237c/kg, weighing 615kg, to return $1458 per head.
Mr Murphy said they'd fattened on 40mm of rain from ex-Cyclone Trevor in March.
He described his season as "alright", saying his sandy country had responded well to the rain, but said they would be looking for more by the end of the year.
He recently purchased four decks of Santa Gertrudis cows and calves from Tranby at Winton through AuctionsPlus, paying $1820/hd, saying he was chasing the Walker family's Santa Gertrudis genetics.
His family purchased a bull from Owen Walker at a bull sale at Tara, Barcaldine in 1977 and has had Santa Gertrudis cattle for over 60 years.
"I chase the dark red colour that's the heart of the breed," he said. "I don't follow the tropical trend - they look too much like Droughtmasters."
His cattle were part of a yarding of 3288 head drawn from Windorah, Jundah, Cloncurry, Winton, Torrens Creek, Jericho and local areas.
There was a good yarding of bullocks and heavy cows and Ray While Livestock Blackall representative Andrew Turner said the fat cattle market was 15c stronger than three weeks ago.
Best cows were 252c/kg, best heifers were 278c/kg and the best bulls brought 282c/kg.
He said the market was benefiting now that the flood of cows was out of the system, along with demand from southern processors.
"There's a healthy export market to China thanks to the effects of African swine fever, plus a lower Australian dollar," he said.
Market report
Elliot Cattle Co, Longford, Winton sold good young Charbray bullocks for 296.2c at 554kg to return $1640/hd.
WJ & JE Scott, Budgerygar Station, Quilpie sold Droughtmaster HGP steers to 280.2 weighing 556.7kg to return $1559.78 per hd.
BF Birchley & RC Birchley, Gartmore, Tambo sold Braford steers for 250.2c/kg weighing 753kg to return $1884/hd.
Ged East Grazing, Maxvale, Charleville sold Brahman cross steers for 289.2c/kg averaging 745kg to return $2154.54/hd.
GJ & JM Bambling, Glenavon, Aramac sold heavy Brahman bulls for 284.2c at 795kg to return $2260/hd, also selling very good Brahman cows for 240c at 626kg to return $1507/hd.
Copai Pastoral Co, Politic, Aramac sold heavy Droughtmaster cows for 234.2c at 516kg to return $1208/hd.
Clarenden Cattle Co, Clarenden, Blackall sold Santa/Charbray cross heifers for 282.2c at 489kg to return $1379/hd.
Chandler Grazing, Hillalong, Barcaldine sold Droughtmaster cows to a top of 243 c/kg weighing 633kg to return $1540 per head.
Hinrichsen Pastoral, Durrandella, Tambo sold Brahman cross cows at 228.2c/kg weighing 598.3kg to return $1365.40/hd
DKM Pastoral, Athol, Blackall sold Droughtmaster bulls for 266.2c/kg weighing 870kg to return $2315.94/hd, and Droughtmaster cows at an average of 218.7c/kg, weighing 491.70kg to return $1075.59/hd.
Georgina Partnership Number 2, Caldervale, Tambo sold very well finished crossbred cows to a top of 236c/kg weighing 527kg to return $1245 per head.
Killarney Park Grazing, Killarney Park, Tambo sold Santa cows to 236c/kg weighing 546kg to return $1291 per head.
JHG Weston, Claren Park, Augathella sold Angus cows to a top of 235c/kg weighing 573kg to return $1346 per head.
PN and SJ Fearon, Ivanhoe, Tambo sold Angus cows to a top of 220c/kg weighing 481kg to return $1060 per head.
Maranda Pastoral Company, Maranda, Barcaldine sold Santa cross heifers to a top of 277 c/kg weighing 592 kg to return $1643 per head.
Cremorne Cattle Company, "Mt Calder", Blackall sold Brahman cows to a top of 235c/kg weighing 536kg to return $1260 per head.
RA Russell Pastoral Company, Sumnervale, Blackall sold Charolais cross cows to a top of 240c/kg weighing 680kg to return $1632 per head.
Neverfail Cattle Company, Neverfail, Blackall sold Droughtmaster cross cows to a top of 230c/kg weighing 613kg to return $1411 per head. They also sold Charolais bulls to a top of 273c/kg weighing 807kg to return $2206 per head.
GJ & MJ Owens, Arranmore, Longreach sold Santa cows to 245.2c/ kg weighing 594kg returning $1456.49 per hd. They also sold Santa bulls to 278.2c/kg weighing 785kg to return $2183.87 per hd.
Nugent Livestock, Tambo Station, Tambo sold Santa bulls for 280.2c/kg averaging 650kg to return a head value of $1821.30 per hd.
Mandy Curran, Talleyrand, Longreach sold Santa cows at 229.2c/kg with an average weight of 552.5kg returning a head value of $1266.33 per head.
R Allen, Tambo sold Droughtmaster cross cows for 223.2c/kg with an average weight of 223.2kg to return $1290.84 per head.
Poligolet Holdings, Jubilee Park, Barcaldine sold Wagyu bulls for 260c/kg weighing 675kg to return $1756.35/hd.
AS & HA Howard, Locharnoch, Jericho sold Droughtmaster cows at 209.2c/kg weighing 502.9kg to return $1052.10/hd.
Bailey Properties, Paradise Downs, Blackall sold Charolais cross bulls to 276.2c kg weighing 887.5kg to return $2451.28 per hd.