On The Land
28 August, 2024
Beef day delivers for local studs
THE best of the region’s cattle studs opened their gates to hundreds of visitors during the sixth annual Tablelands Better Beef Day this month.
With 14 studs participating across the region, the day was reportedly “highly successful”, with a record 12 breeds on display.
Part of the day’s success was the glorious weather that greeted visitors and made it easy to get around many of the studs which are located on the southern Tablelands that has had its fair share of wet weather lately.
“After an extremely wet year in 2024, visitors from across a wide area enjoyed the welcome sunshine, as did the cattle,” open day president Nick Trompf said.
Nick, who is also a principal of the Tallangalook Shorthorns and Santa Gertrudis stud at Barrine, said two new studs had participated this year and had tasted success.
“Both secured sales on the day as well as elevating the profile of their cattle,” he said.
“Many of the 14 studs participating also reported they were visited by existing, new and future clients.
“The ongoing recovery in livestock prices in southern and central Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria is beginning to spread north with the Charters Towers sale this week well up.
“This will build renewed confidence among beef cattle producers and is sure to lead to more sales for Open Day participants, with the event helping to establish the Atherton Tablelands as an important seedstock nursery of northern Australia.”
For John Cantorino from Gadgarra Murray Grey Stud at Lake Eacham, the day allows people involved in the cattle industry to connect with local studs.
John has been involved since the second year of the Tablelands Better Beef Day and believes the event provides the best vehicle through which to sell cattle, to exchange information with other studs, and connect with people in the industry.
“It was very, very good this year and I think the one-day format works well and having it on the Sunday,” he said.
“The weather was magic so we had a steady flow all day which is really pleasing.
“The open day is a tremendous vehicle through which to promote stud cattle from the north and up here in the Tablelands, better than any other avenue there is.
“The number of people that came through, the majority are cattle-related or industry-related people who are there to buy or find information on the breed.
“It is the premier event up here to showcase all breeds of cattle – it’s industry focused and it works.”
The day yielded sales for the stud, with John selling a bull, some heifers and steers and getting a good return for the animals.
John, who is the president of the Murray Greys Society, said he had been to several sales this year and the industry had been a “little flat, although you’ve got the odd breed of cattle going against the trend”.
“The bull achieved over floor price of most of the Murray Grey sales we’ve seen this year,” he said.
“Two of our return buyers were there and we pretty much think we have another two bulls sold as they seem quite interested in replacing what they have got there in the future,” he said.
“Buyers are local people from the Tablelands and north to Julatten, previously we have sold to stations down in Bowen, but our clients are predominantly in this area.
John said the stud planned to participate in the Better Beef Days again next year but he is also planning to show his cattle at the Brisbane Ekka.
