$7500 IN CHARBRAY BULL CREDITS UP FOR GRABS
By Penelope Arthur

CATTLEMEN planning to head to the National Charbray Bull and Female Sale in Rockhampton on September 22 now have an opportunity to score $2500 worth of bull credits before they even step into the Gracemere sale arena. The Charbray Society of Australia has teamed up with the Queensland Country Life to offer three lucky readers bull credits valued at $2500 each to spend at the National Sale.

Charbray Society President Matt Welsh said the joint promotion, worth $7500, is expected to attract plenty of attention from Charbray breeders around the State. Mr Welsh said buyers at the National Charbray Bull and Female enjoyed the security of knowing they were buying from registered Charbray seedstock producers.

Charbray Society President Matt Welsh

“We’d really like to encourage prospective Charbray breeders to not just study the bulls they are buying but to also take a serious look at the seedstock producer and the breeding program behind the bulls,” he said.

“It makes a lot of sense to buy bulls from a registered and recognised Charbray breeder and everyone can do that with confidence at the National Sale.”

“We are also really excited to be teaming up with another major player in the beef industry in the Queensland Country Life to run this promotion.”

Mr Welsh said registered Charbray seedstock producers invested a great deal of time and effort on breeding programs that aim to produce bulls and females to deliver long term gains to any herd.

“Real Charbray breeders are not just looking to take advantage of that initial hybrid vigor by marketing impressive looking progeny as a throw away product, predominantly for cash flow gain,” he said.

“A real Charbray breeder is prepared to take their initial progeny into a measured and calculated breeding program and build consistency of product and real viability.”

“In doing this we also have one very real advantage over other breeds and that is that the parent breeds of Charbray stand at the top of the class in their respective Bos Indicus and Bos Taurus breed groups.”

104 bulls and 42 females will go under the hammer at the National Charbray Bull and Female Sale on Wednesday September 22.

Charbray National Sale Lot 71

Mr Welsh said the sale was already attracting strong interest from prospective buyers keen to capitalise on the marketability of Charbrays.

“We have seen some encouraging growth in the level of enquiry for the sale and that’s largely been driven by producers who are looking for greater flexibility in their marketing,” he said.

“We have seen some changes in the live export market recently and a lot of producers who have traditionally targeted that market are looking to the Charbray breed to help them produce a product that suits a variety of markets.”

CHARBRAY 2010 COMMERCIAL FEMALE SHOW & SALE
By Penelope Arthur

The introduction of a Commercial Female Show and Store Sale to the 2010 National Charbray Bull and Female Sale at Gracemere in September will add an exciting dimension to the annual event.

Charbray Society of Australia President Matt Welsh said the decision to include a Female Show and Sale comes after a high level of interest in Charbray females from breeders across eastern Australia.

Mr Welsh said the Female Show and Sale would provide a valuable opportunity for breeders to showcase their females in what is expected to be a premium marketplace.

“There are many very good quality lines of Charbray females out in there and this is an opportunity to showcase a number of them and hopefully earn a premium for the breeders,” he said.

“We would recommend to all those people that marvel over what good Charbray females they have to bring them along and help us put the Charbray breed on show.”

Entries are open to all commercial Charbray breeders and vendors can enter a minimum of ten head in each pen.

Mr Welsh hopes the concept will become an annual event as part of the National Sale which will be held at the Gracemere Saleyards on Wednesday September 22.

“This is just a new dimension to the National Sale which is gearing up to be a big event again this year,” he said.

“Everyone has a much more enthusiastic outlook on the industry this year following the awesome wet season.”

The Charbray Society of Australia is also hoping those heading to Rockhampton will spot a new billboard promoting the Charbray breed on their entry into the city.

Mr Welsh said billboard was created with the input of members and had been designed to draw attention to the Charbray breed.

“The Charbray breed will always promote itself through performance in the paddock and the marketplace so the billboard is simply there to try and grab peoples attention as they drive past,” he said.

For more enquires on the Female Show and Sale or the National Charbray Bull and Female Sale please contact the Charbray Office on (07) 49 250 510.

Entry Fee: $25.00 Per Pen
Prizes:
Champion: Trophy & $1000 2010National Sale Credit
Reserve Champion: Trophy & $500 2010 National Sale Credit

CHARBRAY DEMAND STILL HIGH AT FEEDLOTS
By Penelope Arthur

CHABRAY genetics are providing northern cattlemen with valuable marketing options as Charbray cattle continue to prove their place in both southern slaughter markets and the live export market. An increasing number of producers across northern Australia are opting to use Charbray genetics to ensure the progeny will hit both markets.

The list of producers now using Charbray’s in the north includes some big names with S Kidman and Co and the Consolidated Pastoral Company both introducing Charbray genetics over the past decade.

Northern Territory Livestock Exporters Association CEO, Adam Hill, said the trend towards Charbray genetics is also flowing on to smaller, family run operations in the north.

“That bloodline is being targeted for its ability to hit both markets,” he said.

“If things go bad down south then producers can still sell their progeny well through the live export system.”

Greg Pankhurst heads up two Indonesian Feedlots jointly owned by the Consolidated Pastoral Company (CPC) and Jaya Juana Abdi Alam. The venture fed over 80,000 head of cattle in 2009, mainly for Indonesia’s traditional market where beef is used for meals such as curries and meatballs. Around 60% of the intake comes direct from CPC properties in the Northern Territory while the remaining 40% is sourced through the live export market out of Townsville, Darwin and Wyndham.

Mr Pankhurst said there has been a shortage of Charbray cattle coming through the live export system in the past two years as Australian producers opt to take advantage of premiums being paid for flat back cattle in the south.

“We only saw a sprinkling of Charbray cattle come through last year but if we could get some more we would certainly take them,” he said.

“They feed very well, yield very well and the buyers like them.”

Mr Pankhurst said the Indonesian feedlot sector has gone through a strong period of expansion over the past two years.

He said his own operation has expanded capacity by 12,000 head in the past four months while other established competitors have also increased capacity.

“This year Indonesia hopes to take a million cattle (last year they imported 780,000 head) and with that increased demand we hope to see more Charbray types coming into the system,” he said.

“The market is very strong but weather we see more Charbray cattle coming in will depend on what the market does in the south.”

“Charbray’s definitely give producers a good option and it’s an option that will continue to be there.”

CHARBRAY POPULARITY HIGH AT SELLING CENTRES
by Penelope Arthur

With the season broken and cattlemen scrambling to restock, the popularity of commercial Charbray cattle at selling centers across Queensland has never been more apparent.

Tony Thorn sources a large number of steers through the Roma Saleyards for his Wandoan based Warrigal Hills Feedlot and says he specifically seeks Charbray cattle for their ability to perform well in the feedlot. Mr Thorn has been operating his 500 head feedlot for seven years and aims to buy steers in at around 300kg and background them on grass at Wandoan before inducting them into the feedlot for 100 days.

He said Charbray’s are the ideal animal for lotfeeding in central and southern Queensland.

“We need a bit of the Brahman factor to give them the heat resistance and the Charolais factor gives them muscling and growth rate,” he said.

“Put them both together and you have a fairly ideal animal for this environment.”

“The Charbray’s also seem to give me ideal fat cover – they don’t often get over fat and we don’t have any trouble putting the fat on them.”

Just down the road, Jeff and Jackie Dann are also on the lookout for Charbray cattle. They finish steers on grass and oats for the Jap Ox market and aim to buy their steers in at 200-300kg. Mr Dann said he specifically looks for Charbray cross cattle when sourcing stock from centers such as Roma, Dalby and Kingaroy.

“You get your growth and weight for age and that’s what it is all about,” he said.

“We get paid for weight so we need to get on as much as possible in as little time as possible while still meeting the grading requirements.”

Further west, Mitchell grazier Tom Hartley has been using Charolais bulls over his Brahman herd for the past 12 years. The Hartley family own five properties north of Mitchell and a further two properties at Barcaldine and Aramac over which they are currently running around 17,000 head of Brahman cross cattle. The progeny are finished for the Jap Ox market and sold exclusively through weekly Roma Prime Sales.

Tom Hartley, Coopermurra, Mitchell sells his Charbray progeny exclusively through the Roma Saleyards and says he has always received favorable feedback from buyers.

Mr Hartley said he has received solid feedback from buyers regarding his Charbray progeny.

“The big advantage of the Charbray’s is the weight in them and that’s what puts them ahead,” he said.

“We have encountered no trouble from buyers receiving them and have always received favorable feedback.”

CHARBRAY’S THRIVE AT SAXBY DOWNS
By Martin Bunyard

Acquiring one of Queensland’s largest Charbray herds, as part of a property purchase, has proven to be a steep learning curve for the McClymont family.

Just 18 months ago, Alistair McClymont and his family (AJM Pastoral) bought the iconic north-west Queensland property, Saxby Downs, situated north of Julia Creek. With the property came 5000 head of Charbray breeders all with calves at foot. At first Mr McClymont was “surprised Charbrays would have been the type of cattle for a property in the north-west region”, but after 18 months of running the new enterprise the Charbray cattle have proven to be a perfect choice for the type of country on Saxby Downs. The region is a mixture of frontage, downs and forest country.

“We have used Charbrays in a cross breeding programs on our other properties, but didn’t expect them to perform as well as they have up here,” Mr McClymont said.

The McClymont family owns another eight properties in which they run a number of different breeds, one that includes the use of Charbray bulls in a composite breeding program.

“We’ve been breeding Brahman cattle for over 40 years and been using Charbray cattle in our composite breeding program for over 10 years,” he said.

“Up until we acquired the Charbray herd, as part of the purchase of Saxby Downs, we wouldn’t have thought Charbrays could have handled the country in this region so well!

“But, after 18 months of running the property we’ve found they are thriving in this region.”

One of the best traits exhibited by our Charbray breeder herd at Saxby Downs has been their ongoing fertility in all different types of seasonal conditions.

“We are yet to sell any Charbray bullocks from Saxby Downs, but the current progeny is looking very promising.”

The purpose of AJM Pastoral buying Saxby Downs was to expand their business operations and they also plan to continue with the Charbrays herd acquired from the property purchase.

“We are developing as fast as possible with plans to continue expanding the Saxby Downs Charbray breeding herd by at least 10 percent a year.”

As part of the ongoing research and development in their cattle enterprise, Mr McClymont recently went on a trip to see Asia’s different cattle feeding operations.

“I discovered the Charbray breed has a very good reputation in the Asian region,” he said.

“Certainly with the live cattle export industry expanding rapidly in northern Queensland, we are very comfortable and confident that the Charbray breed will cater extremely well to the needs of the Asian live export market. “

Mr McClymont said the average Asian consumers doesn’t want much fat on their meat and that the Charbray breed characteristics prevent them from getting over fat while being feed grain rations in Asian feedlots. This has become a major advantage for the Charbray breed in Asian markets.

“Many feedlots in Indonesia are rapidly expanding their feeding operations. One feedlot I visited during my trip is doubling its capacity from 20,000 head of cattle to 40,000 head.”

More than 750,000 head of live cattle were exported from Australia to Indonesia last year and cattle market analysts forecast red meat consumption to continue increasing in the region as economic and social conditions improve.

“The Charbray cattle we saw in Indonesian feedlots handled the conditions extremely well, with their slick coats and good adaptability traits, and they continued to grow for as long as needed during the feeding process without becoming over fat.”

Another benefit Mr McClymont added was the strong demand in recent times for Charbray cattle domestically, with many Charbray cattle “commanding a 10 cent premium” in southern Australian saleyard markets.

“I attended several different cattle sales in southern Australia last year and found that the Charbray cattle were getting a 10 cent premium during the sale over other breeds.”

Mr McClymont’s son Rex McClymont manages Saxby Downs where all bulls are working in breeding herds at two-years-old with older bulls over six-years-old culled from the herd.

“It’s almost impossible to use pure bred Charolais bulls on our type of country, but the pure bred Charbray bulls are proving they can handle the country very well.”

The McClymont family’s cattle operation focuses on keeping the heifers that will have a calf on the ground before they are three-year-old. The maiden heifers are always joined and calved out on Saxby Down’s best country. Once they have had their first calf, they are moved to the forest or frontage country.

“All heifers that aren’t in calf at just over two-year-old are culled from the herd. Also, any calves that are weaned out of season aren’t retained.”

All steers either go onto the live export market or are taken to a different property to be fattened into bullocks.

“Saxby Downs is safe breeding country and we can turn-off cattle every year, even during unfavourable seasonal conditions,” Mr McClymont said.

“I believe the economic downturn that we are experiencing will improve towards an economic upturn and I predict a shortage of good breeding cows in the future.”