Elders Charters Towers auctioneer John Soutar knocks down the Kenilworth Grey Brahman heifers for what is likely to be an Australian record price for commercial cattle of 1174.2c/kg

WHAT is likely to be an Australian record price for commercial females of any breed was set at a special store sale at Charters Towers, North Queensland on Friday, when a pen of 104 Grey Brahmans sold for 1174.2c/kg liveweight.

No, that’s not a typographical error – the No. 9 heifers averaging 302kg made $3546 a head, when bought by pioneer Brahman breeders the Joyce family’s Tropical Cattle Co, The Orient, Ingham.

They were part of a consignment of 266 heifers offered at the sale by prominent Poll Grey Brahman breeders Kelvin and Margaret Maloney and Brad and Kelveen Hancock, Kenilworth Brahmans, Mt Coolon.

Their entire consignment of 266 heifers returned a whopping average of 925.4c/kg, or $3068 a head.

Proving the record-setting sale was not a fluke, James and Wendy Healing, Scona Pastoral, Charters Towers bought another two pens of Kenilworth heifers, including 61 heifers averaging 338kg liveweight which made 812.2c/kg; 62 heifers averaging 348kg, making 928c/kg or $3229.23; and 16 pink-pigmented Brahman heifers 342kg, for 604.2c/kg.

The first pen offered in the lineup – 23 head averaging 396kg, went to Kevin and Delia Herrod, Charters Towers, for a relative bargain of 510.2c/kg.

The Malony’s shot to prominence in 2016 when they sold an unregistered Brahman herd bull at Charters Towers’ Big Country Brahman Sale for $96,000, an Australian and possible world record price for an unregistered bull.

Elders Charters Towers branch manager Mitch Braithwaite said the Kenilworth Brahman cattle were much respected for generation-on-generation of quality poll breeding.

“They Maloney’s are not a registered stud enterprise, but they do sell a lot of bulls,” he said.

“But these were true commercial cattle, offered in a commercial cattle sale – they are not stud cattle, or eligible for registration,” he said.

“The cattle are much sought-after, and this was the first time that these cattle had been offered in this manner to the market. Prior to the sale we fielded inquiries from producers as far south as Gympie, and into northern NSW about these cattle.

“We also had a real crack at promoting them on social media prior to the sale. Just minutes ago, our social media staff told me that as of Noon today, the little Elders Charters Towers Facebook page video of the sale (see link to video below) had reached 236,958 viewers.

“Prior to the sale we were hopeful of +400c on these heifers, but the result – 925c/kg average across the mob – is beyond all of our expectations – it’s unbelievable,” Mr Braithwaite said.

In searching for answers about the record prices paid, Beef Central asked wither it was likely that the heifers were being targeted for unregistered herd bull breeding programs – reasonably common across northern Australia.

“I don’t know that they will,” Mr Braithwaite said. “I think there’s a chance there will be bull calves retained out of them, but certainly not for commercial sale. It’s just more for internal herd improvement, in our opinion.

“There were three genuine buyers there, that – rain, hail or shine – were going to buy these cattle, and that’s why these prices got to where they did. A genuine store buyer started them at 340c/kg, and the rest is history.”

“This was a tremendous result for the vendors – they were absolutely beside themselves,” Mr Braithwaite said.

Adding a feather to his cap as auctioneer on the day was Elders’ veteran caller, John Soutar.

Elders Charters Towers’ Malcolm Smith said the Maloneys had intended to retain the ‘beautiful line of heifers’ because they were intending to buy another place – “but it just got too dry to hold them.” Mr Smith said all the bidders were physically present at the Charters Towers sale on Friday, with some of them having driven through the night to get there.

“Kelvin Maloney is very, very particular about his cattle. He’s devoted to them and he’s been breeding top cattle for 50 years,” he said.

“Live exports has put a real base in our local market, gives our saleyards something to work on.”

Click this link to view a short video of the heifers being knocked down by Elders’ John Souter.