BUYERS from around the country took up the opportunity to purchase fullblood Texas Longhorn genetics at the first Queensland sale in Roma on Saturday.
Crowds filled the grandstand and stood on catwalks to catch a glimpse of the 48 lots on offer from three vendors at the ‘Trails West’ Texas Longhorn Sale.
The sale averaged $2318 with a top of $8000 and 85 per cent clearance with some lots brought after the sale.
Michael and Lynda Bethel, Horseshoe B Longhorns, Charters Towers couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces after topping the sale when their almost 11-month-old heifer, HBL Marianna, sold for $8000 to Brendan and Monique Schick, Crows Nest.
The fullblood heifer sired by Superman and out of HBL Malibu was the Bethel family’s youngest offering at the sale but they agreed she was a standout nonetheless.
The Bethel family sold six heifers to average $5333 with the Schick family purchasing half of their draft.
The Schick family run Santa cross cattle on their property at Crows Nest and while they already have six longhorns they purchased their first fullblood Texas Longhorns at the sale.
They plan to use the three heifers in an AI program using imported semen.
Mr Schick said they had dreams and plans for Texas Longhorns and wanted to establish their herd with the best quality cattle.
“It is an experiment with the passion to grow the biggest horns,” he said.
“Paying that short of money for the longhorn, that’s only going to hopefully help the industry.”
John and Megan Hoare, Yennel Longhorns, Tasmania arrived in Roma at 3.30am on the morning of the sale and made the most of their trip purchasing five lots.
The couple, who manage a robotic dairy in Gunns Plains, have been growing their Texas Longhorn heard over the last 12 months as “timeout from the dairy”.
Their cattle purchases were travelling to Gunnedah on Sunday (February 26) before arriving in Victoria on Thursday night to hop on a boat on Friday and arrive at their new home in Tasmania on Saturday.
Mr Hoare said they had heard about Texas Longhorns through the rodeo scene in Tasmania and could see an opportunity within the state to develop the breed.
“When you look at return per hectare the Longhorns not only offer you the price for meat but there is also the opportunity to value add through hide and horns and things like that as well,” he said.
“There is potential to virtually double your return per hectare on breeding Longhorns.”
Other bulk buyers at the sale included Clifton Hill Holdings, South Australia who brought 10 lots via online bidding.
The sale also featured an auction of Texas Longhorn memorabilia with one of the items, a belt buckle made in Texas, selling to online purchaser Kathryn Alton, Canada.
Vendors: Gordon and Desley Davidson, D7Spur Texas Longhorns, Tambo,Cory Miles and Alison Irwin, Cowboy Cattle Company, New South Wales and Michael and Lynda Bethel, Horseshoe B Longhorns, Charters Towers
Selling agents: Landmark
Full report in this Thursday’s Queensland Country Life
Lucy Kinbacher
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
