The price high at the Roma Saleyards doesn’t seem to be steadying with another week of impressive averages rewarding vendors from across the state.
Kaye and Jim Bock, Kilto, Wandoan, sold 89 heifers and 167 steers at Tuesday’s store sale. The heifer portion averaged 339c/kg at 321kg to return $1087/head, while the steers topped at 380c/kg and recorded an average price of 374c/kg for 318kg returning $1191/head.
Mr Bock said the sale turned out to be a positive part of his plan to shift back into a Santa Hereford cross herd.
“We’re gradually breeding out the Charolais and Angus genetics and in 12 to 18 months time we hope to be back to a predominantly red and white herd,” he said.
“The focus has been on phasing out those other genetics but today’s pens making that sort of money was really the icing on the cake.”
Mr and Mrs Bock’s faces undoubtedly lit up when the strength of Tuesday’s store sale was mentioned, and Mr Bock said his results were “up there with the best he had ever seen in Roma.”
“We sell everything through Roma and aim to turn cattle off between 300kg and 400kg as feed-on stock,” he said.
“Heading into the past winter our country looked pretty awful but we got under a few patchy falls that helped things along a little.
“We’re looking for rain again now as things have really dried off in the last six weeks but the money today will keep us smiling- there’d be something wrong if you weren’t happy with those prices.”
In fact, Mr Bock said prices well exceeded his expectations and he could now finally consider putting money back into his property.
“We imagined if our cattle made 350c/kg we’d be doing well and anything over 300c/kg is far more than we were getting a few years ago,” he said.
“Back in September when prices were peaking we made 392c/kg but this isn’t too far behind.
“For so many years no one could do any property maintenance so this will free things up a bit and allow us to focus on our land instead of handing it all back to the bank.”