After a mild autumn, winter arrived this last week with a large area of the Darling Downs and Maranoa recording the first frost for the season. It’s interesting to note how patchy the season is over Queensland. Drought is still a real issue for many producers in seven shires. Richmond, Flinders, Boulia, Diamantina, Murweh and Paroo shires have been drought declared since April 1, 2013. A number of other shires have also been declared during this time and have been revoked after some useful rainfalls. Many of the drought affected shires had late winter and spring rain, but unfortunately these rains only generated herbage growth. The hot summer and limited storm rains have put many producers back to square one.
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As a result of these patchy conditions, cattlemen are turning off weaners and any cull types to lighten up for the winter months ahead. Col Brosnan, Anipro area manager and distributor based at Roma, told me last week that his area from Quilpie to Blackall and Warrego and Maranoa areas are feeling the bite of drought, with a large number of graziers ordering lick supplement.
The cattle market has maintained and in some cases improved over the past week, with Toowoomba, Roma, Dalby, Blackall and coastal centres recording average to larger yardings. Roma agents were booked 8000 cattle for this week's sale with some good quality lines to be penned. Matt Beard, manager of Landmark, Emerald, reported that the Emerald Combined Agents would conduct a special feeder and weaner sale on Tuesday with 4000 quality cattle to be penned.
Ryan Dellit, Graham Henderson & Co, Dalby reported a strong sale of 4840 cattle at Dalby last week. He said bullocks were up to 5c/kg dearer with cows 7-10c dearer. Yearling cattle and lightweight stores improved by up to 7c. Sales to note
Peter and Aileen Price, Churinga, Moonie sold Charolais cross cows 253c to $1550/head, and Hereford cross steers 299c to $1884/head. McLelland family, Belmont, Bell sold Charolais cross feeder heifers 324c to $1191/head. Brett Upton, Warmga Park, Bell sold Santa cross trade feeder steers 354c to $1302/head, and Santa cross heavy feeder steers 328c to $1397/head.
Dalby agents were predicting a yarding of over 5000 head for this week.
There was good news for graziers in the Pimelea affected areas, with AgForce announcing that they have negotiated funding with Meat and Livestock Australia, with the help of 40 Queensland producers who have pledged close to $400,000 to the research project which will be matched by MLA. At last the process to find an answer to this terrible disease has started. It has been a long road for many producers, especially the fact that over the past few summers, limited rainfall has affected the establishment of grass growth to help eliminate the scourge of the Pimelea plant.
