The Kleier family, Luxor Station, Clermont, have been buying from the Highlands sale for five years to aid in their goal of producing a high quality red coated article in their commercial crossbreeding operations.
The 22,662 hectare property, 80km from Clermont, and 40km from Dysart, was purchased by the late Don Kleier and his wife Dawn 40 years ago and is now managed by their son Fred.
Two breeding operations are run on Luxor, with close to 600 cows involved in each.
Steers from the familys' Kleier Pastoral Company are sold directly off their mothers at 200kg to 250kg store lines at the Emerald Saleyards, while in Mr Kleier's personal herd, calves are grown out to mainly three-year-old bullocks and purchased by Simon Fraser from JBS at 300kg on the hook.
"The comparatively higher value placed on red pens at the saleyards is what led us to introducing Droughtmaster bulls to put over our Brahman females close to 15 years ago," Mr Kleier said.
He said as there is quite a bit of rough country on Luxor they do try to keep a bit of Brahman content in the cows to contend with the conditions, though the Droughtmaster influence has provided them with a quieter natured herd.
"The temperament of the Droughtmaster is a lot better than that of most other breeds I've come across."
Mr Kleier said the bulls he has purchased from the Highlands sale are on par with those available at Rockhampton, with the added benefit of the Clermont sale being more convenient for him to attend.
"They're all locally bred bulls at the Highlands Sale, so they suit our conditions well, and there is a wide variety of good quality bulls to choose from."
While he doesn't buy exclusively from any one stud at the sale, Mr Kleier said the bulls he's purchased from Clermont locals Shane and Wendy Perry, Strathfield Droughtmasters, have particularly impressed him.
"I've bought two bulls from the Perry's, including one last year, and they both have faultless temperaments.
"I've kept some of the calves from the first Strathfield bull I bought at the sale for our own use. They're both performing very well for us, they acclimatised quickly and then they were right."
Mr Kleier said conditions on Luxor had been pretty tough since with their last rain falling in March of 2019 before the heavens opened in January this year.
"We've had 208mm for January and February, it's a nice feeling seeing green grass outside again, the buffel is up to the knees.
"While prices have been down a little for us recently, the market has kicked along a bit since the rain arrived.
"We're happy with the article being produced, so we'll stick to what's working."
