Speckle Park breeder Murray Van der Drift said he was surprised when he calculated his average speed from Victoria to Rockhampton last week after completing the journey with a truck load of cattle in just 25 hours.
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The Black Diamond Speckle Park stud principal made the 1815-kilometre journey with a co-driver from Marcorna, Vic, to Rockhampton, notching up an average travelling speed of 85 kilometres an hour.
"I brought a B-double interstate driver with me and he didn't want to sit at Goondiwindi for longer than two hours," Mr Van der Drift said.
"We had a shower, we had a feed and we'd watered the cattle, and he said 'let's go'."
Mr Van der Drift said he complied with logbook requirements, leaving Victoria at 5am on Tuesday, April 30 and arriving in Rockhampton at 6am the next day.
It is the first time the Victorian grazier has attended Beef Australia, opting to do so for a "new experience" and chance to market his bulls to new clientele.
Speckle Park studs line up
The Black Diamond stud is one of about 18 Speckle Park studs taking part in the tri-annual event.
"The cattle travelled really well and our bulls have held their weights reasonably well," Mr Van der Drift said.
"Our two junior bulls have put on 15 kilograms since they were weighed a few weeks ago, and the two senior bulls which are over 900kg have only lost 15kg.
"On a trip like that, we expected the bulls to lose more because we didn't have a lot of time between getting here, weighing and scanning."
Mr Van der Drift loaded two cattle per 10-foot pen, allowing the stock enough room to sit and stand.
"We chucked some hay nets in there and watered them at Goondiwindi, so they had a feed the whole way and a drink half way," he said.
The Black Diamond cattle will be offered for sale via a private treaty later in the week.
"The Beef Australia committee has been really obliging and I don't even think it's because we've travelled from Victoria," Mr Van der Drift said.
"I think they're just genuine, good committee members and have done anything they can to help us."
Bryce Eishold
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
