Atherton's Pensini family sell PTIC Brahman cows at $1900 per head online

An early start to the wet season across the north has prolonged the start of several northern store and prime cattle sales, including Mareeba and Charters Towers.

Prophurst Livestock and Rural Property agent Bram Pollock is currently advertising 240 Brahman cows and calves online on account of the Pensini family of Tolga for $2500 a unit.

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The same vendor recently sold 50 pregnancy-tested-in-calf Brahman cows, joined with Angus bulls, for $1900 per head to Charters Towers buyer, Woodstock.

Mr Pollock said prices were starting to come back, which hadn't been common for this time of year.

"What we're seeing is the market just starting to level out a little bit," he told the North Queensland Register.

Mr Pollock said there had been a few southern buyers active online, expressing interest in cows and calves before the market started back up.

"These buyers were looking for better quality calves at foot on those cows and after a bit of frame on the cow, so those cows will be useful when they're finish with them," he said.

"There has been some very good rain in the central Queensland and down into the Darling Downs, so some of those southern buyers will take these cows on to better feed and of course, they'll have some ripping calves on them."

Mr Pollock said the 240 cows, offered by the Pensini family, were originally purchased as PTIC articles from west of Hughenden, before being brought onto the Tablelands to calve down.

"The Pensini family were looking to value add to them with calves at foot, turning them over that way," he said.

With the Atherton Tablelands experiencing a "magnificent" start to the season, Mr Pollock said agents weren't sure if the Mareeba cattle sale would return on February 7, due to pending rain and lack of numbers.

"Our wettest month is February, so we still have a long way to go in the wet season," he said.

The first orders for live export cattle out of Townsville in 2023 expressed interest in conditioned, clean coated crossbred Brahman cattle, with prices for feeder steers at 420c/kg, medium steers at 400c/kg, and feeder heifers at 380c/kg.

Mr Pollock said there had been a few coastal operators express interest in sending cattle onto the boat.

"One of the most unfortunate things as far as we can say is this market hasn't really opened up in the north," he said.

"I think a few eastern cattle operations will try and go a bit early before that traditional easter time market opens up.

"There's a boat coming into Townsville in early February, so I expect we'll see a few coastal producers jump on that."