Santa feeder steers to be offered at MacDonald Downs’ special store sale at Blackall on May 30.

NEVER too old to try something new, veteran northern pastoral industry identity Bill Scott is taking a creative, customer-friendly approach to marketing a large portion of his 2024 steer and heifer turnoff.

For the past eight years, 81-year-old Bill and his partner, Dallas Scott have been developing their 2070sq km Central Australian grazing property, MacDonald Downs, about 290km northeast of Alice Springs.

Bill Scott, MacDonald Downs, Alice Springs

The couple’s annual feeder steer and heifer turnoff has up to this year been sold out of the paddock, mostly to commercial lotfeeders stretching from Queensland all the way to Princess Royal in South Australia. The large, even, well-managed lines of feeders have earned a strong reputation for feedlot performance, but this year the Scotts are trying something new.

Selling their turnoff out of the paddock on-property has in the past meant a massive logistical exercise for any buyer – regardless of which state they are from.

In response, the Scotts have decided this year to ‘ship their cattle to the buyers,’ footing the bill for 1300km of transport in order to hold a MacDonald Downs special store sale in Blackall, central-western Queensland on 30 May. The uplift of more than 1000 steers and 300+ heifers will involve seven or eight road trains, totalling around 42 decks.

The decision to market a substantial portion of this year’s feeder steer and heifer turnoff through the Blackall yards is designed maximise market recognition for large, even lines of one-brand, well-bred, well-managed young cattle. It’s anticipated that demand will come from lotfeeders as well as grass finishers.

Bill Scott, who has worn his distinctive eye patch after an accident decades ago, forged a formidable reputation as a senior operations manager with the old AMP-owned Stanbroke Pastoral Co, acting in later years as group manager for the company’s Channel Country holdings based out of Tanbar, and general manager property operations.

He and Dallas have developed MacDonald Downs over the past eight years with new yards, waters and fencing. Despite their age, the couple have been enthusiastic adopters of new technology, including extensive use of remote water monitoring systems.

The MacDonald Downs herd is made up of quality Santa breeders carrying Gyranda and Rosevale blood. More recently Ardrossan Ultrablack bulls have been used over some Santa breeders.

Sample of Ultrablack x Santa F1s to be sold at Blackall

This year’s inaugural MacDonald Downs sale at Blackall on 30 May will include 1050 steers, either straight Santa (70pc of the offering) or Ultrablack x Santa F1s (30pc), and 315 Santa heifers. All will be 0-2 teeth, around 16-18 months of age, and estimated to average 410-430kg. Heifers will be preg-tested before sale and sold in groups either PTIC or empty. Lot sizes will be deck-loads, each of around 25 head.

The sale cattle will be in fresh forward condition, after a brilliant season across this part of Central Australia that’s produced a heavy body of buffel grass, mixed native grasses and herbage amongst mulga and gidgee timber.

Seasons permitting, it is planned to hold similar sales as an annual event.

• Roger Halliwell, who along with Bill Scott was one of Stanbroke’s first employees from 1966, has worked with Bill on marketing and shifting large lines of northern cattle for decades. Roger is assisting the Scotts in the execution of the first Blackall special sale, and the sale of their cattle on an ongoing basis.
• Acting as agents for the MacDonald Downs special sale will be Richard Simpson, Simstock Longreach 0427 580 252 and Jack Burgess, GDL Blackall 0427 576 949.