Plenty to see out west

from Queensland Farmer Today - May 2023

New and consolidated Aussie Meat Trade Hub launched

By Breanna Lloyd

The Way Out West Festival in Winton kicked off at 4pm on 31 March, and had a string of live events for its audience.

The two-day festival brought a new line of performances to their viewers known as Bulls, Bands, and Bikes After Dark (BAD).

In addition to this, Winton offered guests with champion freestyle motocross riders, professional PBR bull riders and a series of live bands.

World champion Pat Bowden and record breaker Robbie Maddison brought their skills from Sydney’s Freestyle Kings to present their gravity-defying freestyle motocross show.

A prize of $50,000 was offered to the best and longest rode bull rider, leaving it to be ‘the richest bull ride in the west.’

PBR Australian General Manager Glen Young said what else riders competed for.

“In addition to the cash prize, riders were also competing for crucial points to them to qualify for the PBR Origin Series on 22 April,” he said. Mount Isa rider Dovonvan Rutherfurd, took home his first-ever PBR win, with Macaulie Leather from Calliope who grabbed second place.

Australian artists Amy Sheppard, Andrew Farriss, Robbie Mortimer, Hayley Jensen, Melanie Dyer, Andrew Swift, James Van Cooper, and Wade Foster all took to the stage over the weekend.

Due to concerns about a Covid outbreak, the show was postponed in 2022 and Glen said how the idea turned out to be a terrific experience for guests.

“This event was just an idea back in 2017, it was actually a great feeling to see the PBR team embrace the idea and develop it into an actual live event,” he said.

“It combines great Australian country music talent with daredevil stunts from the world’s best freestyle riders and then the best bull riders in the nation.”

PBR Australia Senior Consumer Marketing Manager Amanda Tuimalealiifano said how amazed she was with the turnout.

“The atmosphere was so electric, and it was great to see so many people come to the town for the weekend full of fun,” she said.

“We are looking forward to continuing to replicate our BAD events in other areas and seeing everyone from different corners of the country come together.”

Cattle report Report Date: 13/04/2023

Saleyard: Blackall

A total of 1,100 head were yarded at Blackall this week. The prime cattle consisted mostly of local cattle while the light weight yearlings included a run of 450 yearlings from Halls Creek, WA. Prime cows sold to strong demand and the inclusion of a live export order improved prices for heavy bulls.

There was solid demand from local restockers for steers over 280kg, with those 280 to 330kg selling to 394.2c to average 374c and medium weight steers returning to the paddock also sold to 394.2c to average 362c/kg.

‘C’ muscle light weight restocker heifers sold to 352.2c while a large run of light weight ‘D’ muscle heifers sold to the processor at a top of 246.2c to average 219c/kg. Medium weight heifers to the restocker sold to 350.2c.

Heavy prime heifers to the processor sold to 295.2c, medium cows sold to 266.2c to average 260c and good heavy cows sold to 280.2c to average 271c/kg.

Light weight bulls sold to 354.2c and heavy bulls to the processor sold to 276.2c to average 259c/kg.

A pen of PTIC heifers sold to $1840/head.

-Market reporter, Sam Hart

Report Date: 19/04/2023

Saleyard: Casino

Casino penned 1713 head which was 652 extra from last sale. Young cattle provided the bulk of the offering with cows accounting for just under half the yarding. The regular buyers attended to a cheaper market due to extra numbers and a lapse in quality for a portion of the offering. Steer weaners sold to dearer trends to restockers and processing steers dearer to 432c/ kg. The better bred weaner heifers were slightly dearer however the bulk of the heifer offering sold to considerably cheaper trends owing to large drafts of plainer quality and conditioned cattle. Yearling feeder steers were significantly cheaper as were the heifers selling to 350c/kg back to the paddock. Heavy grown steers sold to 302c/kg and heifers to 291c/kg. The cow market was cheaper with quite a few plainer cows offered. Medium weight cows sold to 248c/kg the heavy drafts firm to cheaper to top at 274c/ kg. Cows back to the paddock made 250c/kg.

Report Date: 19/04/2023

Saleyard: Gracemere

Another increased yarding at CQLX Gracemere sale with 2865 head on offer, 1393 head more than last week. The yarding came mostly from the usual draw area with smaller numbers this sale from coastal areas around Bowen. Quality and condition were good throughout the major portion of the offering. Feeders, processors and restockers offered better competition to improve returns to most vendors. Light weight yearling steers reached a top of 525c/kg, averaging 369c to 427c/kg - relative to breeding and Bos Indicus content. Medium weight pens averaged 309c to 381c/kg with a 445c/kg top price.

Yearling heifers in light weight pens sold to 403c/kg to average 280c to 331c/kg. Score 3 and score 4 bullocks to processors made from 279c to 320c/kg average, with a 327c/kg top whilst grown steers to feed topped at 359c/kg to average 280c to 338c/kg. Grown heifers to the trade averaged from 282c to 299c/kg. Those to livex averaged 280c to 305c/kg and those to feed 282c to 305c/kg. Restocker cows averaged 230c/kg with heavy, four score cows averaging 273c/kg and topping at 279c/kg. Heavy bulls averaged 281c to 284c/kg to livex and processors with a top of 291c/kg. Cows and calves made from $1,800 to $2,350 per unit for the better bred pens with several pens of PTIC cows and heifers making from $1,100 to $1,400 per head.

-Reporter: Richard Thomson

Report Date: 19/04/2023

Saleyard: Dalby

Dalby agents penned 4,820 head a lift of 3,404 with 1,080 from far western QLD 190 from NSW and the balance from the local supply area. The regular processors and feeder operators plus restockers were active across the suitable lines however the lesser quality cattle received limited competition. Yearling steers to feed lifted in price by 11ckg with yearling heifers to feed firm a large run of good western heavy cows sold to prices that mirrored last weeks rates.

Light weight yearling steers to restockers made 496c/kg. Yearling steers in the 200-280kg range made 502c to average 424c/kg. Yearling steers over 280kg to restockers made 394c/kg. Yearling steers over 330kg to feed lifted in price and made to 438c to average 376c/kg. Heavy yearling steers to feed followed the trend and sold to 380c and averaged 358c/kg. Light weight yearling heifers to background made 378c to average 341c/kg. Yearling heifers over 330kg to feed made 344c/kg. Yearling heifers over 400kg to feed averaged 321c and sold to 340c/kg.

Grown steers to processors averaged 308c and sold to 320c with those to feed sold to 364c/ kg. Grown heifers to feed made 330c to average 305c/kg. Medium weight cows to processors made 255c to average 229c/kg. A line of PTIC cows to restockers made 274c/kg. Good heavy score 4 cows to processors made 278c to average 271c/kg. Heavy bulls sold to 302c and averaged 269c/kg.

-Market Reporter Errol Luck

Report Date: 13/04/2023

Saleyard: Emerald

Emerald vendors offered a slightly smaller yarding of 1600 head which were mostly drawn from the local area. There were good numbers of prime cows and well bred weaner steers and heifers along with quality pens of feeder steers. The usual lineup of processors and feeder buyers were present along with local and travelling restockers. Yearling steers in light weight pens sold to 471c/kg to return quality related averages from 337c to 382c/kg to restockers. Medium weight lines made from 320c to 367c/ kg. Yearling heifers in light weight lines made to 401c/kg, returning averages from 297c to 357c/ kg. Medium weight pens averaged 265c to 357c/ kg - quality related.

Grown steers went to feed to average 309c to 351c/kg, whilst the few bullocks offered made from 306c to 309c/kg. Grown heifers went to the trade to average 276c to 292c/kg with feeders buying their grown heifers from 274c to 288c/ kg average. Heavy, four score cows averaged 269c/kg and heavy bulls sold to processors to average 285c/kg and top at 301c/ kg. One pen of cows and calves sold for $1,890 per unit.

Report Date: 18/04/2023

Saleyard: Roma

The combination of seasonal conditions and no sale for two weeks due to the Anzac Day holiday next week, cattle numbers at the Roma store sale lifted to 7,713 head to be 5,013 more than the previous sale. Cattle were drawn from a wide area of the state plus 885 head from New South Wales. Buyer attendance was good with the larger numbers attracting additional operators. Buyers were able to absorb the larger numbers plus maintain firm prices across most categories and yearling heifers improved in price.

Light weight yearling steers returning to the paddock made to 526c to average 424c with poor quality lines at 331c/kg. Yearling steers under 330kg averaged from 403c to 416c with restockers lines to 450c and feeder classes 446c/ kg. Medium weight yearling steers to feed averaged 378c and made to 426c/kg. Heavy weight yearling steers to feed averaged 364c with one outstanding pen to 410c/kg. Light weight yearling heifers returning to the paddock made to 370c to average 349c and poor quality lines 272c/kg. Yearling heifers to feed averaged from 325c to 342c and sold to 370c/kg. Grown steers and bullocks to export processors made to 322c to average 313c/kg. Medium weight 2 score cows made to 246c to average 234c/kg. Heavy weight 3 score cows averaged 252c and good heavy weight cows made to 275c a large number at 267c/kg. Heavy weight bulls made to 302c/kg. Light weight bulls returning to the paddock made to 398c/kg.

-Market Reporter, Trevor Hess

Report Date: 17/04/2023

Saleyard: Toowoomba

The number of cattle penned at Toowoomba increased to 196 head. Young cattle were in the largest numbers and only a handful of cows were penned. A fair panel of buyers was present and operating across all classes. Light weight yearling steers to restockers averaged 7c/kg better. Yearling heifers to restockers and feed also lifted in price compared to the previous sale two weeks ago.

Light weight yearling steers under 200kg returning to the paddock made to 440c/kg. Yearling steers under 280kg to restockers averaged 378c and reached a top of 418c/kg. Yearling steers to feed for the domestic market made to 412c and averaged 400c/kg. Handful of heavy weight yearling steers to feed made to 336c/kg. Light weight yearling heifers to restockers or background made to 378c and averaged 338c/ kg. Yearling heifers to feed averaged 325c and made to 342c/kg. Heavy weight feeder heifers sold to 322c and averaged 319c/kg.

Grown steers to feed made to 312c/kg. The best of the cows made to 238c/kg. Cows and calves made to $2,320/unit.

-Market Reporter, Trevor Hess

Report Date: 18/04/2023

Saleyard: Warwick

With Anzac Day falling next Tuesday numbers lifted by 635 head to 916 at Warwick. The yarding contained improved numbers of bullocks and heavy cows plus quality lines of feeder and restocker yearling steers and heifers. All the usual export processors were present along with local restockers and feeder operators who competed strongly lifting prices across all classes.

Light weight yearling steers to restockers made 478c/kg. A good sample of yearling steers in the 200-280kg range to restockers made 472c to average 389c/kg. Yearling steers over 330kg to restockers made 442c and those to feed sold to 382c/kg. Heavy yearling steers to feed made 376c to average 343c/kg. Light weight yearling heifers to background made 426c to average 335c/kg. Yearling heifers in the 200-280kg range to restockers made 347c to average 325c/kg. Yearling heifers to feed for the domestic market made 348c with those to the wholesale meat trade selling at 412c/kg. Young bullocks to processors made 330c to average 318c/kg. Grown heifers to processors made 312c to average 298c/kg. Light weight cows to processors averaged 254c and sold to 259c with good heavy score 3 and 4 cows averaging from 257c to 270c and selling to 278c/kg. Heavy bulls to processors made 293c to average 270c/kg.

-Market Reporter Errol Luck