Bulk buyers tweak approaches to selecting and joining to get most out of bulls
Repeat volume buyers at the Roma Droughtmaster bull sale say they have tweaked their approaches to selecting and joining to get more value out of their sires.
At least nine buyers took home three or more lots in the annual multivendor sale at the Roma Saleyards on Friday, October 17, where the average was up on 2024 by about $1000 for the 74 bulls sold through the ring.
The Hickson family at Melinda Downs near Cloncurry and and Doce Pastoral based at Pleaseant Hills, Roma, bought five head each by the end of post-sale negotiations, for averages of $6000 and $10,000 respectively.
Melinda Downs property manager Danny Locke, who runs mostly Droughtmaster breeders over 13,000 hectares, said the bulls would have time to adjust to the property and the heat before being joined just before Christmas.
"Structural correctness and a tidy underline are important as always, as well as all-round quality bulls that will help us to keep the herd consistent," Mr Locke said.
"We generally turn bulls off at a younger age now - six or seven years as opposed to eight or nine - and we're getting fewer injuries."
Longtime supporters of the Roma Droughtmaster bull sale, the Hickson family purchased four bulls for the same average of $6000 in 2024.
Graham Anderson and family, trading as Devil's Nest Partnership and based on about 3600 hectares of freehold as well as 2000 ha leased country at Theodore, bought four head in total for an average of $11,000.
Mr Anderson said his family had gradually tightened its joining window to about three months in the years that they had been buying at the Roma Droughtmaster bull sale.
"We find that the Roma sale offers the softer bulls with high-quality carcase traits that we chase for our breeding and fattening operation," Mr Anderson said.
"We were looking for bulls at about 21 to 23 months today, homozygous polled and with good weight for age.
"There was plenty of value for money on offer."
The family's new bulls would be joined from late October or early November onwards, according to Mr Anderson.
"Tightening our joining window from across the year down to three months has helped us in a range of ways, from being able to plan effectively for branding, to identifying empty females," he said.
"We try to grow our cattle out to heavy steers before turning them off, when the season permits.
"But we haven't had good rain on our properties since August.
"Now, we can put together a larger and consistent line of feeder steers during dry times if needed, and turn them off early."
The Anscombe family at Mt Morris near Charleville also bought four head at the sale, for an average of $5000.
