The Year in Review - spotlight on October

“It certainly appears the areas where the headers were rolling, harvesting winter crops. have received more, while the areas looking for rain to plant a summer crop have virtually missed out,” AgForce grains section president, Wayne Newton said.

As Queensland Country Life went to print with the first edition of October, Emerald had received 75mm, well above the October average of 39.2mm.

Further north Dysart district farmer Brian Gregg said he had received only 25mm, which would hold up harvest for a few days but was not expected to do any damage.

At the time his harvest was two-thirds of the way through and was progressing fairly well, with crops thriving on stored moisture.

“The chickpeas have been excellent,” he said.

Mr Newton said growers on the Darling Downs had been disappointed by the October falls. 

“There were plenty of places that received only around 10mm, which was a bit of a blow, given the promising forecast,” he said.

The strong rainfall pushed south of the Downs through to the south-west, where centres such as St George received around 50mm.

Ray White Livestock coordinator Bruce Birch said the rain had delivered plenty of confidence. 

“Where there has been 25mm-plus falls there should be some good response,” Mr Birch said. “But where there have been those heavier 75-100mm-plus falls in central Queensland, there will be plenty of producers who will be holding cattle back from the market to put on more weight. That is likely to tighten up supply considerably, adding more pressure to the market.”  

Rod Turner, Landmark, Roma said 30-110mm in the Maranoa and good falls in the Warrego had changed the mood of the industry.

“It was just so dry for so long. Let’s just hope it keeps coming,” Mr Turner said. 

For Kumbia cattle producers Ian and Megan Barbour the rain was a “godsend”.

They received 40 millimetres across their property, Holly Park in the South Burnett area.

“We only really had a one-off rain event earlier in the year with no other good summer rainfall.”  

Their property had received no rain since the wet weather from ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie in March.

Parts of Queensland and NSW received good rain in October and many analysts and agents anticipated the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator would climb quickly to the $6 market and hover there until Christmas.

Meat and Livestock Australia’s October industry projections update agreed if the positive rainfall outlook for eastern Australia in October came to fruition, it would go a long way to supporting young cattle prices.

MLA’s market intelligence manager Scott Tolmie said the herd rebuilding cycle meant the availability of lightweight stock through markets would remain limited.

“Based on the more positive rainfall outlook for the rest of 2017, producers are not expected to further accelerate their current turn off at this stage,” he said.

Agents across the country reported an enthusiastic mood from store buyers and long faces on meatworks buyers.

Darren Perkins, George and Fuhrmann at Casino, said the market jumped very quickly on the back of the rain and inquires had increased out of sight.

Central Highlands agent Terry Ray, Landmark Emerald, said yardings were expected to be well below average the New Year. 

The Camm family said it would be ‘business as usual’ for the Camm Agricultural Group (CAG) following the sale of their three Charters Towers beef properties in a deal worth $72.5 million.

Australian-owned Rural Funds Group paid $53m for Natal Downs, Longton and Narellan, spanning 390,600ha. CAG still owns three CQ breeding and backgrounding properties, a breeder block in the South Burnett and farming land between Surat and St George.

They also own and run the 9000-head Wonga Plains feedlot at Bowenville.

One hundred years to the minute, 100 horsemen and women from Australia and New Zealand rode themselves into history in Israel when they took part in the re-enactment of the charge of the Australian Light Horse at Beersheba on October 31.

As well as honouring their ancestors, the riders in their slouch hats spread the message across the country that the Anzacs were back, much to the delight of thousands of flag-waving residents and visitors.

QCL journalist, Sally Cripps was one of the riders and you can relive her experiences retracing the steps of her great-grandfather and great-great-uncle, General Harry Chauvel, here.

Leading Queensland seedstock producers, David and Prue Bondfield, Palgrove, were the latest agribusiness to partner with a superannuation fund in order to grow their business.

They released a statement in October saying their business had entered into a partnership with the New Zealand Superannuation Fund (NZSF).

NZSF’s Portfolio Manager, Neil Woods said they’d been drawn to the Palgrove opportunity for several reasons. 

“The Bondfields are viewed as leaders in the beef seedstock industry, they have a significant history of development and growth.”

Full story here.

A SENIOR executive with experience working with major corporations, running farm operations, advancing agricultural research and in international trade became the new CEO of AgForce.

Mike Guerin said there had never been a more critical time for agriculture.

“With demand for Australia’s high quality food and fibre growing, I look forward to doing my bit to drive the profitability, productivity and sustainability of the sector,” he said.

IT WAS the Carinya stud that stole the show in the grey bulls at Brahman Week, selling two of the top three bulls. 

The grey bulls finished after lunch on the Tuesday, with 460 bulls selling for an average of $9084, and a gross of $4,178,500. 

Top priced grey bull was Carinya Hazelwood, who sold for $115,000 to Owen Scott and family, Ruan Grazing, Clermont. 

Hazelwood, a 23-month-old bull, weighed 875kg and had an EMA of 132cm sq and a scrotal circumference of 37cm. 

Mr Scott said his family operation had recently been focused on buying one great bull instead of multiple, cheaper bulls in an attempt to breed their own high-quality bulls for in-herd use. 

Second top priced grey bull was Carinya Hayden, who was purchased by Andrew and Anna McCamley, 2AM stud, Dingo, for $70,000. 

Hayden, a 23-month-old bull, tipped the scales at 905kg.

Both the top and second top price honors in the red draft were shared by four leading sire prospects. 

It was lot 841, Brahrock HJ Sir Jax, offered by the Sommerfeld family, Beaver Rock, Maryborough, who reached the top price of $100,000 first when he sold to the partnership of Andrew and Anna McCamley, 2AM Brahmans, Dingo, and Matthew and Janelle McCamley, Lancefield M, Dululu.

But two hours later Sir Jax was joined at the top price podium by Len and Sandra Gibbs, Muan Pastoral, Biggenden, and their bull lot 925, Muan Rafter, who sold for $100,000 to Bizzy Brahmans, Nettle Creek, Copmanhurst, NSW.

Relive the week with our extensive online coverage here and here.

In October we caught up with a St George family, who lost 70 head of cattle, including 12 bulls, to pimelea poisoning.

John and Queenie Kilpatrick, daughter Kylie Savidge and her partner, TJ Moroney, were hoping to return to sheep for the first time in 13 years when they begin installing a cluster exclusion fence.

The family operates the 11,000 hectare property, Southampton, 110km north west of St George, where they run a Santa and Droughtmaster cross Hereford and Brahman herd of about 500 breeders.

While this season has been dry, it was made more difficult by the resurgence of pimelea poisoning, which grows on about 8000 hectares of the property.

Since November last year, the family has lost 70 head of cattle including 12 of their 18 bulls to pimelea. The six surviving bulls will be semen tested to ensure their fertility hasn’t been compromised. 

Southampton has been in the family since it was drawn at ballot in 1923 but the recent pimelea outbreak is one of the worst. 

The property was previously sheep based and had about 10,500 sheep including 2500 ewes in the 1980s.

By 2004 the family had 4000 sheep but the downturn in the sheep market and the rise of wild dogs saw them turn their focus to cattle.

After successfully receiving funding for their exclusion fence, the family is looking at returning to the sheep game. 

While much of how pimelea impacts animals remains unknown, sheep are definitely less susceptible than cattle. 

In the State of Queensland’s Understanding Pimelea Poisoning in Cattle it was noted that sheep don’t experience oedema like cattle as the muscles in their lung venules are less developed.