A FOCUS on genetics has been the key to improving their Droughtmaster herd for Greg and Tammy Sibson, Blue Valley Cattle Co, Collinsville.
The Sibsons run about 800 breeders on their 9100 hectare property, which sits about 65km north west of Collinsville on the junction of the Bowen and Burdekin rivers in North Queensland.
Mr Sibson's father started breeding Droughtmasters in 1969 at a previous property and bought Blue Valley in 1974, which was mainly stocked with grey Brahmans.
They started putting Droughtmasters over the Brahman females and over time made the shift to pure Droughtmasters.
Mr Sibson said he liked the breed for their flexibility and suitability for a range of markets.
"I suppose you could say I was born into them," Mr Sibson said.
With the Minlacowie and Wingfield bulls we have risen the average bullock weights by over 30kg.
- Greg Sibson
"They just have a good temperament, we have 800 breeders and they're Droughmaster cross, or high content infused Droughmasters.
"I like their saleability, you can send them to feedlots, or send overseas to make the Jap Ox market."
Mr Sibson is a regular buyer at the Droughtmaster National Sale, held each September at Gracemere, and his focus is on purchasing bulls that will improve the genetics of his herd.
This year he purchased 22 bulls, which have already been put to work.
Mr Sibson is a repeat buyer of Minlacowie and Wingfield Droughtmasters, and this year bought 10.
"I have been a repeat buyer of theirs for 16 years, and with the Minlacowie and Wingfield bulls we have risen the average bullock weights by over 30kg," Mr Sibson said.
He said they try to breed predominantly for the live export Jap Ox market, and have turned over about 450 this year.
Fat bullocks and culled cows are sent to the Lakes Creek Meatworks in Rockhampton.
Their culled heifers go to whoever is offering the best return at the time.
Up to one metre of rain fell at the Sibsons' property, during the wet season.
But despite the early soaking rain, a lack of follow up has seen the North Queensland property quickly dry out.
Two weeks before a lingering monsoon flooded Townsville and vast swathes of north west Queensland, the Sibsons enjoyed heavy rain.
Their property recorded about 685mm of rain in just three weeks in January and about 965mm over the entire wet season.
"We had a really good wet season, a lot fell in the three weeks at the start," Mr Sibson said.
"But the big rain came in all at once and then it was average after that.
"It just ran off, it was that dry and hard beforehand. Now we are just as dry as everywhere else, though we have a fair body of dry feed.
"It's just business as usual and we're looking forward for the next season to start."
While there is little sign of rain on the horizon, Mr Sibson is hoping for the rain clouds to roll in before the end of October.
