The astonishing cattle prices seen in Queensland's saleyards in the last month have been reflected online where Blackall's Alice Downs Grazing Company has been one of the beneficiaries.
The commercial arm of the Forest Park Santa Stud achieved what may have been AuctionsPlus's third highest price on record for weaner heifers on August 24 when their 149.3kg heifers sold for 643c/kg or $960/head to Hancock Prospecting P/L at Sundown Valley, west of Armidale, NSW.
Their brothers were knocked down for 552k/kg or $930/head.
Spokeswoman Liz Allen said her brother had texted her the prices while she was DNA testing in the cattle yards on the property and neither could believe what they were reading.
"It was a crazy day," Ms Allen said.
"We'd weaned early because of deteriorating seasonal conditions and trying to keep our cows in good condition."
While still to verify with AuctionsPlus, Ms Allen said she was only aware of a line of Santa Gertrudis heifers from Goondiwindi that brought more than 690c/kg, plus a line of Hereford heifers sold on the same day, exceeding the price paid for the Alice Downs offering.
The family went on to achieve the highest price for all steers and heifers on offer through AuctionsPlus last week.
"Our unweaned heifers made $930 or 573c/kg, weighing 162.2kg," Ms Allen said. "This is 90c above the average price for the week where heifers under 200kg ranged from 362c to 573c to average 483c.
"Our unweaned steers made $940 or 557c/kg, weighing 168.8kg.
"This is 55c above the average price for the week where steers under 200kg sold from 487c to 557c to average 522c."
Ms Allen said the result showed the attributes of their Santa Gertrudis cattle, who were returning pregnancy rates of at least 95 per cent despite nine failed wet seasons on their black soil Mitchell grass country.
"They cycle on a sniff of rain and are amazing foragers," she said. "They're perfectly positioned to carry on once it does rain."
She said they had just started putting out molasses to their stud cows.
AuctionsPlus has been the Allens' preferable marketing tool for close on 10 years for lighter conditioned cattle that don't need the stress of going through saleyards.
"It's better to keep them at home, ready to find a better home somewhere else," Ms Allen said.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
