The Kubota Weaner and Feeder Sale was a huge success as four champion pens were knocked out by three vendors in the Battle of the Cattle judging section.
CQLX agents said it was the biggest yarding they have had for over 30 years.
The total herd equaled 6585 and was split into 4746 steers and 1839 heifers, all located from the Central Highlands area including Nebo, Biloela, Middlemount, Marlborough, Yeppoon, Dululu, Calliope etc.
Within the challenge, five main breeds were split into sections, including, Brangus, Brafords, Charbray, Brahman and Droughtmaster.
Judges were separately appointed to each section.
Elders territory sales manager and livestock agent Morty Wilson concluded the challenge victoriously after his Droughtmaster and Brangus pens were both crowned champions for their class.
Morty, owner of Parker Cattle Co from Westwood, and his pen of 20 Droughtmaster heifers were the only female pen to achieve the champion title in the Battle of the Cattle Challenge.
The herd weight averaged 242.5kg and averaged priced at $727.98 per head.
John Atkinson, from Glenavon Droughtmasters, judged the Droughtmaster section.
The Brangus segment, judged by Mark Howard, chose Morty’s pen of 14 Brangus steers whose weight averaged 310kg and average priced at $1088.
Taking home the champion pen of Charbray’s was James and Deslea, Yeldham from Dululu.
The pen of 14 Charbray’s steers’ weight averaged 315.86kgs, priced at $1131.40 per head, and was dually judged by Janelle Forrest, Darnelle Charbrays and Leanne Winn, Breanne Charbrays.
Judge of the Brahman champion pen, Peter Day, chose a pen of 16 Brahman steers owned by Sid Farr of Garnett, to take home the champion title winning against the other 600 to 700 lots of Brahman competitors.
Sid’s herd’s weight averaged 264kg and the average price was $953 per head.
The final round of the competition/sale will be held on Monday 3 July.
The Central Queensland Livestock Exchange Gracemere (CQLX), said they have noticed a 20-cent increase in the better quality weaner steers and heifers across the board.
Nutrien Ag Solutions livestock marketing agent Sam Moy told CQLX agent Warren Matotek, the whole of Nutrien ‘Certainly looked forward to it.’
“The whole of Nutrien were looking forward to the sale and as a total, we presented 1300 head,” he said.
“We had a really good run of Brangus steers that came from Nebo.”
Not only were there over 6,000 head of weaners to be bought but also on offer is a Kubota RTV250.
To enter the draw, vendors must do at least one of the following to receive one ticket into the draw, pre-sale feed, post-sale feed, or dip/dectomax their cattle (one head equals one entry in the draw).
“It’s a great incentive for the vendors with all of the interest rates going up these things are only getting dearer,“ said Sam.
The raffle for the new Kubota will be drawn at the next Kubota Weaner and Feeder Sale on Monday 3 July.
