Remember when: Looking back on headlines of December 17,1977

In September 1974 a Californian rancher sold a prize bull to a Canadian livestock breeding consortium for $US2.5 million - more than five times the highest amount ever paid for a farm animal.

The golden bull was one of the world's first Beefalo - crossing domestic cattle with American buffalo.

The breed retained the buffalo's general resistance to disease while its carcase shape and meat flavour was from the domestic cattle side. After eight years of experiments, the rancher produced the first cross bred Buffalo that was fertile; out of a Friesian cow. He then turned to beef and produced a fertile beef cross.

Another eight years of experiments were carried out before he decided he'd produced the best hybrid; Buffalo, Charolais and Hereford. Another contained Buffalo, Hereford, Angus and Shorthorn. It was said to grow to 450 kilograms in less than a year on roughages.

A three-year-old horse was making a name for herself with another win at the Townsville track.

She was one of the few youngsters in training in the north with an Appaloosa bloodline. Her sire was Australia's leading racing Appaloosa while her dam raced with success in Townsville at the same age.

Queensland was cementing itself as the beef capital after increasing its herd despite a national cut-back in the face of the continuing export market crisis.

With a record 11 million beef cattle, Queensland's herd for the 12 months to March that year was up 1.8 per cent.

The only other state to show a beef number rise was the Northern Territory - up by just about the same figure.

By comparison, New South Wales dropped nine per cent.

Some 37 shires were eligible for the state government's drought, fire and hailstorm relief scheme.

Loans were available for $5000 to assist with rate and rent payments and those looking to restock were given $10,000 at three per cent over seven years. There were also freight concessions for forced stock sales.

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