IF THE prices at Roma's Heartland Santa Gertrudis Bull Sale are anything to go by, our cattle industry is heading in the right direction.

The annual sale on Wednesday saw 71 beasts go for an average of $8,866.20, with the highest grossing bull selling for a whopping $30,000.

Rob and Lorraine Sinnamon, of Yulgilbar, are now the proud owners of the Ekka-winning bull, which they plan to use for semen straws.

"We actually bred his mother, Apple Pie, over a decade ago and he was definitely the pick of the bulls here today,” Mr Sinnamon said.

Spring Creek's Andrew Doering sold four bulls, with his highest grossing animal sold for $15,000.

"This is the first time we've put our bulls in the auction sales and it's been a great year to start,” he said.

"The cattle industry has turned right around, the drought has broken and things are getting better in that regard, and as commercial producers, we are receiving record cattle prices for our weaners and store cattle and it's a flow on with the bulls.”

He said the money spent on bulls was well worth it in the long run. "The cheapest investment you can make in your beef herd is a bull,” he said.

"So you spend a bit more money and get a good quality bull and it flows on.”