Santa Gertrudis cross heifers make $1625 at Malanda Store Sale

The Santa Gertrudis cross line, drawn from D & H Nasser, Malanda, topped the heifer market on the day, to return a solid result of $1625/head.

Weighing between 240 - 270 kilograms, the quality draft was sold to local buyers' Arthur and Kylie Pons, who run a Senepol Droughtmaster cross commercial operation at Tarzali.

They plan to cross their Senemaster bulls over the Santa cross heifers.

Queensland Rural livestock selling agent Dustyn Fitzgerald said a strong local buying panel drove prices at this week's sale.

"Prices at the recent Malanda sale were reasonably firm and it matched most of the selling centers across Queensland," Mr Fitzgerald said.

"Cattle comprised of small but high quality lines of crossbred and soft Brahman cattle that sold to a competitive buyers panel being both local and southern.

"Though, prices weren't up on the previous sale, held four weeks ago, quality of the cattle was still up there."

In total, Queensland Rural livestock agents yarded 184 head of stock, which included 78 steers, 102 heifers, three mickeys and one cow and calf unit.

The yarding was drawn from many Local Coastal and Tableland areas such as Millaa Millaa, Yungaburra, Tarzali, Mareeba, Malanda, Silkwood and Atherton.

Other sale highlights included a total of 47 Brangus cross steers, offered by GAG Crystalbrook Pastoral, which made on average $1320.21 per head that ranged from 280kg - 330kg.

Two Droughtmaster steers, offered by Vitco Farming, made $1550/head at an average weight of 300kg.

Mr Fitzgerald said the Malanda Sale was ideal for local vendors looking to sell closer to home.

"Of course, the job isn't going to be what it makes down south like at Charters Towers, but the money is still here for quality cattle and it's not far behind those southern markets," he said.

"It's also a fair distance for beef producers in the Malanda and surrounding regions to cart their cattle to the weekly Mareeba cattle sales or down further down south, so they're able to take advantage of this local sale to save on freight costs."

The steer price remained firm, with 78 steers, weighing 180kg - 350kg, selling to average $1243 for a top of $1550/head, while 102 heifers, weighing 180kg - 400kg, sold to average $1030 for a top price of $1625.

Mickeys, weighing 280kg, sold to average $1175 and one cow and calf unit sold for $1625.

The next Malanda Store Sale date is yet to be confirmed.