PROLONGED drought and last year's dramatic dip in cattle prices forced the Titmarsh family to destock their Maryborough property to below half its carrying capacity.
Family patriarch Glenn attended the annual Toogoolawah weaner show and sale last Friday with his wife and four young boys; his pen of Limousin-infused Brahman heifers were awarded the champion pen, selling to return $810 a head.
Mr Titmarsh said increased cattle prices across Queensland had provided a welcome relief to many producers. "We're down to just 600 breeders and we've seen quite poor conception rates due to the drought. They've bottomed out," he said.
"Once we got rid of all our empty cows we decided not to buy anything else in when normally I would be buying PTIC heifers. We just destocked and kept whatever was pregnant on the place and let the property recover and now we have a good body of improved pasture going into winter."
Mr Titmarsh said the family had stuck by Brahmans because of their ability to handle poor conditions and crossbreed as a base herd. "They seem to be able to handle anything and carry themselves through drought and then fatten quickly in better times," he said.
The Titmarshes have worked the 4451ha property Tandora Grazing for 108 years and won't be leaving soon. "Mum and Dad are still on the property and I've been there all my life. I don't know anything else. I love the space and you are your own boss. It's great to come down here to Toogoolawah and win a couple prizes and get some money for your cattle - it makes it all worth it."
The young family hope prices will remain favourable in order to improve production. "The prices of cattle last year weren't able to justify setting up an irrigation system but, if they stay up for the next couple of years, we might be able to look into that and expand to potentially making silage - I want to get it up to 100 per cent running capacity.
"Everyone's in the same boat."
