Cattle market high time continues for another week

Bernard Anderson, Alice River, Jericho, sold 33 weaners at today’s Roma store sale as opposed to his normal regime of grass fattening for the EU and PCAS markets and said the chips had lined up in his favour.

“This is only our second year selling weaners and we only sell calves off first calf heifers, the rest are taken back to our home property west of Clermont to finish,” he said.

“Alice River is tick free so that was one incentive to sell through Roma but the money is worth grabbing while it’s there.

“We got more than $1700 per head for weaners here last year and we thought that was tremendous but today’s result is unreal.”

Mr Anderson’s 18 steers sold for an average price of 410c/kg for 266kg to return $1092/hd. The 15 head heifer portion averaging 260kg sold for 371c/kg to return $964/hd.

Mr Anderson said while the season at Jericho had improved a body of feed was still some way off- yet another influencing factor in the decision to sell through Roma with rewards aplenty.

The weaners were out of Brahford heifers by Angus bulls and Mr Anderson said Angus sires were mated with maiden heifers for their size.

“We were losing a few cows to calving complications during really good seasons because the calves were ending up too big so we introduced the Angus bulls to encourage smaller calves,” he said.

Mr Anderson said smaller birth weight calves had improved calving percentages and apparently had no negative effect on marketability.

“It wasn’t that long ago we were getting these prices for bullocks- I’ve got no reason to change the system after today,” he said.

“If you can’t make a damn good living out of the cattle market the way it is I’d say you had better have a close look at what you’re doing.”

Roger and Jenny Underwood, Pine Hills, Wallumbilla, topped the sale with their 65 Droughtmaster replacement heifers that sold to average 408c/kg at 234kg returning $954/hd.