In a positive sign ahead of Victoria's on-property selling season - which begins today - a healthy 88 per cent clearance rate was recorded at eight sales in South Australia's South East, reports
The Weekly Times. From an offering of 381 bulls, 335 sold at an average of $3741. Total sales grossed $1.25 million.
"While prices were not red hot, demand was described as steady, with many stud principals happy to sell bulls given the uncertain climate of stagnant beef prices. However, there is renewed positivity in prime markets, with recent Meat and Livestock Australia data showing export prices to Japan and the US have risen 20 per cent in the past two months," writes Times reporter, Matilda Abey.
The market rally has been acredited to both low domestic supplies and a slight fall in the Australian against the US dollar. Last week's top bull price, of $20,000, was paid for a sire from the Woonallee Simmental stud at Furner. Weighing in at 988kg and sired by Barana Yeardleigh, Woonallee Dimension boasted an eye muscle area of 128 sq cm. Woonallee sold all 36 bulls offered and averaged $5833 each. Fellow Simmental stud, Waterfront, at Tintinara, cleared 28 bulls out of an offering of 35 at an average of $3027. The top-priced bull sold for $6000.
Angus bulls were in demand, with total or near-total clearance rates at all sales last week. "I was definitely nervous about the sale two weeks ago, but I am really pleased with the result," John Gommers, principal of Stoney Point Angus stud at Keith, told The Weekly Times. Stoney Point recorded a complete clearance of 56 bulls with a top sale of $11,000 and an average of $4004. "This was about $650 better on average than last year," Mr Gommers said. The stud's top-priced bull sold to a commercial client from Western Australia.
The Weekly Times also reported these other sale results:
- Granite Ridge Angus, at Reedy Creek, sold 53 of 60 bulls on offer. Top sale came at $9000; average of $3350.
- Glatz's Black Angus at Avenue Ridge cleared all 50 bulls on offer and sold five extra after the sale. The top-priced Glatz bull fetched $8000. The sale price averaged $4050.
- Hidden Valley Angus at Naracoorte offered 38 bulls and sold 28. The best sold for $6000, while the sale averaged $3135.
- Yerwal Estate Simmental and Angus stud at Lucindale sold all 29 Angus bulls offered to a top of $6000, and an average of $3164. 16 of 22 Simmental bulls sold to a top of $4750, and averaged $2865.