We head to the Droughtmaster National every four years to purchase a large group of bulls, to help boost our herd genetics.
- Greg Sibson, Blue Valley Cattle Co, Collinsville.
In what has become an every four-year ritual, Greg and Tammy Sibson from Blue Valley Cattle Co, Collinsville, made the trip to CQLX Gracemere and bought up big at the Droughtmaster National Sale in September.
The Collinsville couple went home with 21 bulls averaging $5380, which Greg said are used to replace the older bulls on-property, and diversify the genetics of their pure Droughtmaster herd.
The 22,500 acre property situated predominantly on river flats and rolling sandy granite ranges, 26 kilometres from the Burdekin Falls dam has been in the Sibson family since 1974.
“When we bought the business the herd was mainly made up of high grade Grey Brahmans but my dad was using Droughties at his previous property so we put the Droughtie bulls over the Brahman females to retain the high grade Brahman content but gradually make the shift to a pure Droughtmaster herd,” he said.
“I was born into Droughties, but I do love the breed, they offer maximum flexibility as they’re well-suited for the live export market, fit well into feedlots or can be grown out as Jap steers. They also seem to win plenty of carcass awards.”
He said there are currently close to 2000 head in the herd of which close to 60 per cent are breeders.
“We sending our Jap steers to Lakes Creek in Rockhampton, and sell our cull heifers to whichever market is offering the best prices at the time.
“We’re trying to breed bigger and better steers using poll Droughties for the Jap market, and to help with this we head to the Droughtmaster National every four years to purchase a large group of bulls, to help boost our herd genetics.”
Greg said they normally choose bulls with higher Brahman content that haven’t been overfed for the sale as they want them to be ready to work.
“I bring them home, quarantine them to make sure their aren’t going to be any problems with them, than they go straight into the paddock.”
Greg said he’s never known another profession in his working life, and never wants to as he “loves being in the bush working with animals, doing different things each day, being his own boss, and enjoying the quiet”.