Posted by: Charles Stewart - Livestock

Diversifying Business Lands Agent in NSW

30th March 2022

The opportunity to assist a client in diversifying his business portfolio has led livestock consultant Matt Baxter to rural New South Wales inspecting a mob of Brahman cattle.

Baxter recently sold a line of 800 mixed-sex Angus-cross weaners on agistment in Walcha, New South Wales for a client out of the Mortlake area, with the mothers of the calves yet to be sold.

"The job originally came about as I was looking for a trade on behalf of a client and through contacts from the north, I was able to come across this mob," said Baxter.

Baxter first flew to Dubbo and took the one hour drive north-west to Warren to inspect the cattle in November 2021.

"I inspected them on the Tuesday and had them bought by the afternoon when I was back at the airport preparing to fly home," Baxter said.

Following the purchase, Baxter arranged to have the cattle trucked to Walcha, north of Dubbo, on agistment. The cattle were originally bred out of the Northern Territory and consisted of 1000 Brahman cows and 1000 Angus-cross calves at the point of purchase.

"We have just sold the heaviest 800 weaners and we endeavour to sell the mothers later in the autumn", said Baxter.

"The weaners have gone onto a backgrounder in Southern Queensland before being sold onto a feedlot, with the heifers heading into a breeding program," said Baxter.

The opportunities for south-west agents to break into this type of market are increasing. 

"With the connections we now have, we will be able to create more opportunities like this, particularly when the season is on your side.

There is plenty of grass up north which means the demand for cattle is very high, New South Wales and Queensland simply can't keep up stock with the amount of grass," Baxter said.