Brangus cows and calves reach $1190/unit at Emerald

The line, which included 65 Brangus cows with 50 unbranded Brangus calves at foot, were offered in one lot and drawn from an undisclosed Anakie vendor.

They sold to the Ford family of Forest Home Grazing at Capella.

The breeding stock were described through online marketing as being "medium to better frames, from two to 11 years old, with majority under nine years old, in forward condition".

Nineteen of the cows had been veterinary pre-tested in calf, two to four months, to Brangus bulls.

The Ford family have owned their property Forest Home, a predominately Brahman breeding operation at Capella, since 1951.

Brothers Guy and Cody Ford and their families, run Forest Home alongside their mother, Karina.

Guy Ford said the quality Brangus cow and calves run was a unique offering of breeding stock, which will now compliment their own breeding herd back home.

"This quality breeding line of cattle will fit right into our breeding program, with our cows, which are calving at the moment," Mr Ford said.

"They're a really good line of cattle, good frame, bone and length.

"The average age of the run was majority under nine years old, so they've got plenty of life still in them.

"It's also a unique offering of breeding stock at a saleyards and usually it's only 10-12 year old cows that got calves on them."

The Fords run approximately 2200 head of Brahman and Brahman cross cattle, including 1000 breeders, and in recent years, have been targeting the local weaner market.

"With how the weaner market has been in the last couple of years, our operation has shifted to turning off weaners into the market," Mr Ford said.

"Once it rains, I think the market is going to come back up.

"We've got a little bit of cropping in Capella, not too much, but a little bit of crop there so we can get that get him up to that feeder weight as well, but we haven't kept bullocks for a while now."

Mr Ford said their current focus was on ensuring the breeders were producing quality calves for the weaner market.

"At the moment, we're just focusing on trying to get our line of cows to get up to a high standard," he said.

"While the season has dried off, we still got a bit of feed about and I think we're a lot better off than a lot of people around the place."

Emerald combined agents yarded 1200 head, up 350 head on last Thursday's prime and store sale.

Cattle were mainly drawn from the local area, with a few lines coming from north of Clermont.

With all buyers and processors in attendance, agents said the market held firm on last weeks sale.

Steers weighing over 550kg topped at 224c/kg to average 217c/kg.

Feeder steers, weighing 400-500kg, topped at 198c/kg to average 189c/kg, while steers 350-400kg, topped at 204c/kg to average 186c/kg.

Weaner steers, weighing 200-280kg topped at 250c/kg, to average 221c/kg.

Heifers over 400kg topped at 184c/kg to average 172c/kg.

Cows weighing over 450-520kg, topped at 178c/kg to average 147c/kg.

Bulls over 600kgs topped 230c/kg to average 200c/kg.

The Daniels family of Stonybrook, Fernless sold Santa bullocks to 224c/kg and weighed 665 kilograms to return $1490 per head.

The Prince family of Melaleuca. Capella sold Droughtmaster steers for 192c/kg and weighed 463kg to return $890/hd.