Echuca dairy dispersal: Cows top $2350

Young cows sold to a $50 premium over heifers at an Echuca dispersal last week which offered all spring calving cattle.

100 Holsteins sold to an average of $1791 at the Sullivan’s dispersal at the Echuca Selling Centre. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin.

SPRING-CALVING cows sold a top of $2350 in a dispersal sale at the Echuca selling centre last week.

Vendors JM and GM Sullivan’s from Merrigum dispersed a total of 100 Holstein cows for an average of $1791.

The cows sold to full clearance in what Dairy Livestock Services auctioneer Brian Leslie said was “a solid sale right the way through”.

The top price of $2350 was achieved twice by two four and five-year-old cows pregnancy tested in-calf to AI bull Spock. Both cows sold to a buyer from Tatura.

The offering Included 90 cows and 10 heifers mostly Holstein with a selection of Jersey cross cows. All cows were in-calf to commence calving in late July with most due in August.

As none of the cows were in-milk Mr Leslie said there was less demand for them than he would have expected for a working herd and stronger demand was seen for the cows that were closer to their calving date.

“There’s certainly a stronger demand for in-milk cows at the moment but I thought it was still a strong sale for having non-calved cows,” Mr Leslie said.

Younger cows saw the most bidding action and made, on average, a premium of around $50 over the heifers on offer.

Mr Leslie said there wasn’t a large crowd present, but the sale saw was strong bidding on most lots.

“Most of the cattle stayed here in the Goulburn valley and about a dozen went to Gippsland and Warragul area,” Mr Leslie said.

The Sullivan’s sold the autumn calving portion of their herd privately last autumn and are looking to retire after 45 years in dairy.

“They’ve had a good run and are retiring to grow hay and run cattle,” Mr Leslie said.