TARGETING the EU market is paying handsome returns for central Queensland beef producers David and Elizabeth Hill at Clarkwood, Clarke Creek.
The couple, along with their children Lydia, 11, and Cameron aged eight, run 300 Charolais and Santa Gertrudis breeders joined to Belmont Red and Belmont Red/Angus bulls, and over the past 12 months have averaged about 375c/kg dressed weight for their progeny.
Mr Hill says they have a line of steers leaving this week as part of a B-double load consigned to Thomas Borthwicks, Mackay, and have been quoted a very lucrative 430c/kg on the EU grid.
The Hills turn their steers off at two to two-and-a-half years and consistently dress-out at between 320kg to 340 kg, while heifers finished at the same age hit 280kg to 300kg dressed weight.
"Historically at this time of the year, the EU market kicks, and we average more for our tail run than we do for our lead cattle that we sell in May and June," Mr Hill said.
Clarkwood consists of 8690 hectares of a mixture of brigalow and forest country, and the Hills run their cattle business as part of a family operation with Mr Hill's father Lindsay.
"We are looking to increase our breeders to 400 head, as part of the family succession plan, and when that happens we may look
to finish for the EU grainfed instead of the grassfed market, as we won't have enough finishing country," Mr Hill said.
They originally started with a straight Santa Gertrudis breeding herd and introduced Moongool Charolais, bought from the Price family at Yuleba in 1999.
"This cross gave us a lovely line of females, and we then introduced Belmont Reds from Mt Eugene Belmont Reds, Jambin, in 2010. More recently we have added Seifert Belmont Red bulls," he said.
"The reason we introduced the Belmont Red is to produce a more tropically adapted animal, better suited to our climate, while the eating quality traits of the breed are seen as an additional benefit.
"Since then we have taken a step further and introduced some Belmont Red/Angus-hybrid bulls sourced from southern NSW from a breeding program overseen by Greg Chappell, Dulverton Angus, Glen Innes, NSW."
Mustering takes place at Clarkwood every six to eight weeks to rotate paddocks and dip for ticks if necessary. "Also we are finding Indian couch is starting to be a problem, so we are splitting up paddocks to enable us to do more rotational grazing as a way to combat pasture rundown," Mr Hill said.
Ideally, bulls are put in with the breeders in January for a three-month joining window, and calving gets under way at the end of November. All cows are pregnancy tested at weaning time, which takes place in June.
Heifers are joined at two years, and cows are cast for age at 12 years, or earlier if they don't test positive in-calf.
Three months before the bulls are placed with the cows, all bulls undertake breeding soundness evaluations by a veterinarian.
Over the years the Hill family has been highly successful in competing and winning many carcase competitions, but they have taken a break since Mr Hill was appointed chief steward of the Mackay Show carcase competition and chairman of Beef Australia's carcase competition in 2012, and again for 2015.
He also was a founding member of the CQ Carcase Classic committee in Rockhampton.
More recently Mr Hill was nominated and appointed an independent northern director of Cattle Council Australia (CCA).
"To be appointed an independent director of CCA is both exciting and daunting," he said.
"To join the board at a time when farm gate prices have been at near historical lows, while global demand for red meat has never been greater, is challenging.
"And to be part of the process of getting more equitable returns for producers is obviously very important to me as my family endeavours to make a living from the same farm gate price that we all endure.
"To put it simply, I feel I represent the network of people that have helped me gain the knowledge of the supply chain that will allow me to effectively represent beef producers at a wider industry level.
"With the science-based gains made in the areas of objective measuring of carcases and improved meat quality and yield in the beef supply chain, it is critical that the CCA as the peak council for representing beef producers ensures that producers receive equitable returns for their product."