A DEMAND for quality Australian cattle genetics has helped fuel a deal which has seen thousands of crossbred females from North Queensland producers sold to Vietnam.
Producers from areas such as Julia Creek, Richmond and Hughenden were part of the shipment organised by Nutrien Mackay and Austrex's Breeder Live Export boat out of Townsville.
Many of the cattle will go to the Gialai Provence, Vietnam with plans of being joined to tropical breed bulls to establish new self-replacing female lines along with heavy-frame cattle for the restaurant trade.
"We get orders periodically, probably every couple of years or so, and it proves to be a pretty handy option for the producers involved," Nutrien Mackay stock agent Paul Cooper said.
"The shipment was the guts of about 3000 heifers and they came from central Queensland, up to North Queensland and all coastal areas in between.
"These opportunities are always really rewarding and in this case, the vendors got a significant premium on the prices they'd have gotten if they'd sold them domestically through the saleyards."
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Lines of cattle included red Brahman-Droughtmaster cross females as well as red Brahman-Santa Gertrudis cross cattle.
"Vietnam is a destination predominantly for our slaughter cattle, along with other places like Japan and those areas have got a preference towards big heavy crossbred types," Mr Cooper said.
"However, every now and again they run into a problem where their breeder cows get a bit too old so they come back here to refresh their supply.
"They go to different provinces over there because those provinces are in charge of their own stocking densities and that sort of thing.
"Traditionally Brahmans have been very popular but so have the crossbreeds like Brangus and Charbrays and those types.
"They'll join these females to Brahman, red Brangus and Droughtmaster bulls for self-replacing females that have got a higher yielding carcase for the restaurant trade."
Mr Cooper said the quality of Australia's cattle genetics meant the overseas market would remain lucrative in the future.
"In the past, we have had similar deals go to places like Japan, Borneo and Indonesia," he said.
"There's no doubt we have some of the best genetics on offer in our part of Queensland and it keeps international traders like these coming back for more.
"It makes for a terrific option for producers when it comes to marketing their cattle."
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
