WHILE much of Queensland has contended with dry seasons of late, northern Australia has experienced one of its best wet seasons.
On a recent trip to the Northern Territory, Australian Brahman Breeders' Association (ABBA) president Reade Radel discovered that mustering in some parts of the NT was still being delayed because of wet conditions.
"Unseasonable beneficial winter rain in many areas has resulted in exceptional weight gains being recorded," Mr Radel said.
"The market has held up well with the prices paid in northern Australia being comparable to anywhere else in the country," he said.
Mr Radel said all sectors of the domestic market was likely to prove attractive to producers in this region as the challenges associated with stringency on the selection of cattle for the live export trade to South-East Asia increases.
"During my trip to the Territory, I was repeatedly told that the Indonesian market was only taking high-grade Brahman cattle with no dark colours or short ear types being accepted."
BRED FOR THE NORTH
Mr Radel said the Brahman is the ideal choice of breed to strengthen any herd across the country but in particular the north due to its capacity for covering large tracts of country to forage and find water.
"The Brahmans ability to pack on kilos in less than ideal conditions has been proven over many decades.
"The breed is parasite and disease resistant, has high heat tolerance, improves yield and has proven feed efficiency off grass and grain."
RESEARCH PAYING DIVIDENDS
The Brahman continues to lead the way in tropical breed research.
"ABBA has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Repronomics project," he said.
"From this work and the data collated through the Brahman BIN project, high accuracy genomic estimated breeding values will be available on 82 per cent of the bulls drafted for this year's Rockhampton Brahman Week Sale (RBWS)"
Mr Radel said ABBA currently purchases all the steer calves from the Repronomics project and fattens them on grass at Taroom with meat quality data from these steers collected at time of slaughter.
"Earlier this year 45 steers bred at Brian Pastures, Gayndah and fattened at Taroom dressed 314kg with a P8 fat depth of 11mm and 100pc of them graded MSA, while 97 steers that originated from Spyglass, Charters Towers averaged 330kg dressed, with 12mm P8 fat and 92pc graded MSA."
BUSY SCHEDULE LIES AHEAD THROUGH '24
On the stud sale front ABBA and many of its members are gearing up for the RBWS being held from October 2-4 at CQLX, Gracemere, and the Gold City Sale, being held on November 3, at the Dalrymple Saleyards, Charters Towers.
Many of the vendors from these sales will then return to Charters Towers for the Big Country sale in February of 2024.
Mr Radel said strong support from Brahman breeders is also expected for Beef Australia, when it takes place from May 5-11 in Rockhampton in 2024.
"Beef '24 will provide a great opportunity for vendors at next year's RBWS to showcase the cattle they'll be selling five months down the road."
