One week out from Brahman Week: What to expect from Qld's largest bull sale

With just one week to go until the largest bull sale in the southern hemisphere kicks off, attention is turning to how the market will perform at this year's Rockhampton Brahman Week Sale.

RBWS has catalogued 814 grey and red Brahman bulls for this year's three-day event.

While some withdrawals have occurred, the lineup features 259 horned, 109 homozygous polled, and 445 polled scurred Brahman bulls.

Australian Brahman Breeders' Association president Reade Radel told Queensland Country Life that RBWS was widely regarded as the pinnacle event for the breed.

"Most of the leading studs deliberately hold their very best bulls back for this event. That means we consistently see depth of quality right through the catalogue, with genetics to suit a wide range of commercial and stud buyers," Mr Radel said.

"The enduring appeal of Brahman Week really comes down to two things. Firstly, buyers know they're getting access to the very best bulls from the leading studs. Secondly, the sheer numbers on offer make it unique."

"With 814 bulls catalogued this year, there's tremendous depth of quality. If buyers are prepared to be patient and disciplined, there's always value to be found right through the catalogue."

Last year, bulls were sold into New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia.

Mr Radel expects that trend to continue, especially with renewed demand from the north.

"I'd expect we might see even stronger demand from the Territory this year, with the live export market running well and a strong preference for high-grade Brahman cattle in that job," he said.

"It really underlines the confidence producers have in the breed and its ability to perform across northern Australia."

Looking back at 2024, Mr Radel acknowledged the challenges vendors faced in a tougher market.

"The 2024 sale was one of the toughest seen in a while, which was naturally disappointing for vendors," he said.

Despite those challenges, clearance rates remained solid. Of the 752 bulls offered, 685 sold, representing a 91 per cent clearance, grossing nearly $6.9 million and averaging $10,061 per bull.

"The flip side was that buyers walked away with real value for money," Mr Radel said.

"Those who bought last year know the strength of the cattle they secured, and I'd expect to see them back again this year."

Stud stock agents weigh in

Elders stud stock manager Michael Smith believes market forces will reward quality.

"I think it's going to be a lot like a lot of other multi-vendor sales that we've done this year. The better quality article is going to sell and sell well, and the lesser quality articles are going to be a little bit difficult," Mr Smith said.

Out of the 814 Brahmans bulls on offer this year, only 259 sires are horned.

"The run-of-the-mill horned bulls are progressively becoming harder and harder to sell, but if you've got a horned bull of stand-out quality, they're certainly still saleable," Mr Smith said.

"I've been going to Brahman Week for 20 years, and I haven't seen a result that you'd call a disaster."

Mr Smith said Northern Territory buyers were expected to attend, albeit more conservatively than in previous years.

"We've been missing a bit of support out of the north the last couple of years, and it just gets back to the supply in the Brahman business... they'll still be operating for sure," he said.

Last week's Clermont Beef Bull Sale offered a positive signal for Brahman breeders.

A total of 52 out of 53 bulls sold, achieving a 99 pc clearance rate and an average price of $11,586.50, up $3386 on last year.

Nutrien Ag Solutions stud stock manager Dane Pearce said it was a clear sign of what good cattle can achieve.

"People are more than happy to pay more for that better quality bull," Mr Pearce said.

"They're looking for something that's going to improve their herd in some aspect that they're chasing.

"At the end of the day, it's all relative, back to a commercial market.

"People want to buy good bulls. If you stand up good bulls, they'll sell well."

With a full catalogue of genetics on display, Mr Pearce said Brahman Week still remained a must-attend event for stud and commercial producers alike.

"You can see just about most of what the Brahman breed's got to offer in some way, shape or form at Brahman Week," Mr Pearce said.

"We've got clients in the north and they say no matter what, they love coming to Brahman Week, because they can see everything that's on offer."