Cattle For Sale QLD | Find Upcoming Cattle Sales Near You

Purchasing the right cattle for your farm can directly impact productivity and profitability. Learning to choose the breeds that best suit your environment, business goals and long-term vision is necessary to achieve growth and success.

Cattle auctions are an affordable, trustworthy and beneficial way to examine and bid on a range of livestock. They provide buyers with access to view the cattle in person, liaise with sellers and network with other farmers in the area. Plus, they have the added benefit of bringing all cattle into one location either online or at a physical saleyard - saving time-poor buyers from travelling from farm to farm searching for the breed of cattle they’re after.

There are multiple types of cattle sales - whether online or physical - and these can greatly help a buyer discern the market price of cattle, get insight into market trends and connect with other industry professionals.

What is a Cattle Sale?

While cattle sales can vary in form, they generally refer to a structured event where livestock is bought and sold. Livestock can range from cows and calves to heifers and steers and to bulls.

A cattle sale can take the form of an auction, private sale or direct transaction. In Queensland, the 4 main types of cattle sales you will typically encounter include:

1. Online Auctions

For buyers who are short on time or don’t want to travel to different locations to view livestock, online auctions are an easy option. Using websites or platforms, online sellers will list and enable bidding on livestock from the comfort of your property. Agents selling in online auctions are required to be third party accredited to ensure that the livestock description is accurate to industry standards.Online auctions do not require the livestock to leave their property of origin ensuring the highest standards in animal health and welfare.

2. Saleyard Auctions

Saleyard auctions is one of the most common types of cattle sale in Queensland. They involve transporting cattle to a central sale yard where they are then sold to the highest bidder. This means that cattle prices are determined by supply and demand, and set in real-time.

Saleyard auctions are ideal for buyers looking for specific breeds or requirements in their cattle, as it provides them with the opportunity to inspect the cattle in person before bidding.

3. Paddock Sales

Paddock sales involve cattle being sold directly from the vendor’s property. Unlike a sale yard auction, cattle prices are negotiated on a per-head or per-kilogram basis. This is why paddock sales can be suitable for buyers who have a set budget or a firm idea of the market price for cattle.

4. Over the Hook Sales

Over the Hook cattle sales involve cattle being delivered straight to abattoirs - with ownership changing hands at the abattoir scales.

This type of cattle sale is perfect for farmers producing livestock suitable for slaughter direct from on property as it helps to minimise carcass damage. It also reduces expenses for producers in terms of freight and saleyard fees.

Types of Cattle for Sale in QLD

In Queensland, the types of cattle for sale typically involve breeds that can withstand tropical and subtropical conditions. You can expect to find heat-tolerant and parasite-resistant breeds such as:

• Santa Gertrudis
• Angus
• Charolais
• Brahman
• Droughtmaster
• Brangus

How to Evaluate a Livestock Listing

As a buyer, it is helpful to go into a cattle sale bearing a few things in mind. These considerations will not only enable you to get the most out of the cattle sale but also ensure your protection.

When it comes to cattle sales, here are some measures you can use to evaluate a livestock listing:

1. Documentation

The first thing to look out for is documentation that verifies that you are purchasing from a legitimate seller. This will protect you from any scams or illegitimate schemes.

Some documents to request include:

• 1. National Vendor Declaration (NVD): For each lot of cattle, ensure that the seller provides a correctly completed NVD. This document is crucial for traceability and food safety.
• 2. Property Identification Code (PIC): Check that the seller also has a valid PIC, as this is required for all livestock movements.
• 3. National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) Tags: Finally, verify that all cattle have the correct NLIS devices in place. This will help cover your bases.
• 4. Accreditations: Grassfed, organic, antibiotic free are examples of accreditations that some buyer look for.

Ensuring that the seller has some or all of the above documentation will give you peace of mind and protection.

2. Healthiness of Livestock

If you are able to attend a cattle sale in person, observe the overall health of the livestock. Do this by:

• Assessing its physical condition: Consider its muscling and fat distribution as this can drive up its value - particularly for any meat farmers.
• Weight and age: One of the benefits of a cattle sale is that it gives you the ability to ask any questions. Enquire about the cattle’s weight for its age as this can give you an indication of growth potential.

3. Consistency

If you are a buyer looking for a group sale, you will want to look for consistency within the lot. Online auctions come with a full assessment of the individual animals that are then grouped for sale ensuring that the buyer has the most thorough data available.

Group assessments of the cattle can be undertaken in the paddock, around the fenceline or water point. They have even been carried out on horseback or from the back of a vehicle! This is an effective method where the livestock are unable to be put into holding yards prior to transport.

4. Treatment History

Check for information on the cattle's origin, its ownership history, and any chemical treatments it may have had as this could affect its current performance.

Browse Upcoming Cattle Sales in QLD with AuctionsPlus

At the end of the day, the right cattle can significantly enhance to your business.

As Australia’s biggest and most trusted marketplace for trading livestock for the last 30 years, AuctionsPlus gives buyers and sellers peace of mind.

Buyers can rest assured knowing that all commercial livestock is evaluated by an accredited assessor before being listed, and sold by an accredited agent. This means that only high-quality cattle from legitimate sellers are available for sale.

Find cattle for sale in QLD with AuctionsPlus, and start bidding online today!