Changing weekly sale dates at CQLX has been an early success - QCL
A NEW selling day at the Central Queensland Livestock Exchange, Gracemere, has met with immediate success and agents forecast even better days ahead.
Until last December, CQLX held weekly sale sessions each Friday but nowadays is doing so on Wednesdays, beginning 2020 with the sale of 2499 head comprising of 988 steers, 843 heifers, 599 cows, 24 bulls and 45 cows and calves on January 15.
A spokesman for the combined selling agents said the new format enjoyed a "very satisfying" start and tipped further improvement as the year unfolds.
"The future looks quite positive," Damien Freney, Savage Barker Backhouse, Rockhampton, said.
"The cattle were well presented and they reached a result we might not have expected so early in the year, especially with the drought conditions."
Corbmack Fanning, Fanning Rural Agencies, said there was a "different energy" at the sale with with vendors and buyers happy with the outcome.
"We enjoyed a full buyer panel with export and paddock buyers active," Mr Fanning said.
"One agent told me his client had booked in cattle a week before the sale and that does not happen often. It's not a revolutionary change - all we're doing is selling cattle 48 hours earlier than had been the case.
"But the results were good and I am over the moon the new format has started well and we can move forward with confidence."
Likewise, Brian Dawson, Brian Dawson Auctions Rockhampton, said the solid start would give producers confidence and the new selling day would be advantageous.
According to a post sale report, rates for fat cattle were up on the last sale of 2019 while feeder cattle remained firm. The younger cattle were well sought after with buyers from Townsville, Emerald, Monto, and local areas, the report added.
Milner Constructions, Alton Downs, sold Brahman steers for 296c/kg weighing 343kg to return $1017/head and Richard Creed, Bajool, sold Droughtmaster feeder steers to 300.2c/kg weighing 366kg to return $1100/head.
Jim Shannon, Jambin sold No.8 Senepol cross heifers for 282c/kg to average 437kg and return $1232 /head and Michael Leahy, Ubobo, sold Brangus cross cows and calves for $810 per unit.
In other sales Olderfleet Cattle Co, Mt Coolon, sold No.8 Brahman steers for 302c/kg weighing 442kg to return $1335/head.
Cedar Creek Grazing, Gogango, sold Droughtmaster cross cows for 243c/kg weighing 562kg to return $1,367/head.
A and J Bauer, Baralaba, sold Brahman weaner heifers to average 254c/kg, weighing 243kg to return $618/head and Nott and Mahood, Banana Sold a run of Brahman weaner heifers making 266c weighing 190kg to return $507/head.
The change of selling dates at CQLX has meant adjustments for the Biloela prime and store cattle sale. Previously held on Wednesdays, the Biloela sales will proceed on Tuesdays at the EU accredited saleyard.
