June 15, 2010

Non-seasonal rain forces cattle onto the market in Queensland, Australia

In Queensland's north-west, graziers had to send their cattle to market earlier than expected, after late rain spoiled their pastures.

Typically, summer brings a huge wet season there, and little rain falls during the cooler months. But this year, a few late showers around the McKinlay Shire have left Heather Moore's protein-rich Flinders grass wrecked.

"People are starting to sell off earlier now," she said. "We'd normally hold off until maybe after August to sell September-October, but because that protein's gone from the grass, we now have to unload much earlier."