Cattle producers elated by record spring bull season
We’ve crunched the numbers on the rising costs of bulls for eastern Australia’s producers to delve into the factors pushing prices for cattle genetics to unprecedented levels. Here are our findings.
FANTASTIC early spring weather for most of eastern Australia, a dearth of breeders and the world’s dearest cattle prices have teamed up to produce a record-breaking spring bull season.
From Victoria’s west to outback Queensland, records have toppled like never before.
In the past few weeks, we have witnessed:
AUSTRALIAN average price records smashed at Angus and Charolais stud bull sales.
A NEW Victorian on-property bull sale average.
RENOWNED NSW studs Reiland Angus, Rennylea Angus, Hazeldean Angus and Dunoon Angus recorded average price gains of more than $4000 on last year.
TWO-THIRDS of Victorian bull sales average price lifted by $1000 or more.
AUSTRALIA’S top bull price for the year of $210,000 for a Brahman in Queensland on Monday.
NEW breed average records carved out for several northern breeds including Droughtmasters and Santa Gertrudis.
This comes as Australian cattle prices continue to be the highest priced in the world, according to Meat & Livestock Australia.
The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator is now 777c/kg, 60 per cent higher than this time last year, as producers scramble to stock lush pastures after many years of poor seasons, particularly in Northern Australia.
Angus Australia chief executive Peter Parnell said the prices reflected “sheer confidence in the beef industry, driven by cattle price”.
“We’ve seen the same trend in the past, when a strong commercial cattle market will fuel a surge in bull sale results, it seems to even override seasonal impact,” Mr Parnell said.
A new Australian Angus average price record was set was by Millah Murrah Angus at Duramana, NSW, last month when 78 Angus bulls achieved an average of $20,384.
This was a $3123 boost on the previous Australian Angus average of $17,261, also held by the Millah Murrah for 69 bulls sold in spring last year.
The Australian Charolais average price also eclipsed previous dividends when the Palgrove stud in Queensland averaged $19,766 for 94 bulls, with a top price of $64,000.
The previous record, also held by Palgrove was $13,530, set in 2006.
Of the 13 Victorian major Spring bull sales covered by The Weekly Times, every stud recorded average prices jumps and eight studs realised average gains exceeding $1000 a head. Two inaugural spring sales, Bowman Performance Genetics and Jarobee Angus, sold achieved full clearances.
The Banquet Angus stud at Mortlake achieved the highest average price for the Victorian sales with a massive $15,356 averaged for 54 bulls.
Banquet principal Stephen Branson said the stud “more than doubled” their previous year’s $6904 average, when 43 bulls sold.
Lawsons Angus at Yea also scaled new heights for their top-priced bull Lawsons Miraculous which was the highest-priced bull of the Victorian spring sales at $52,000. Their sale lifted $1764 across the board, averaging $6820.
Several other breeds also broke records in Queensland, including a new top-price Australian Santa Gertrudis record of $126,000 for bull Glenn Oaks Palo, and Rosewood Charbrays achieved the new Australian Charbray top-price of $40,000.
And, Minnamurra Speckle Park at Coolah, NSW, also locked in a new Australian Speckle Park record with a bull making $40,000.
TeMania Angus principal Tom Gubbins — whose stud holds its major southern sale in autumn — said the season was “unprecedented”.
Southern producers were restocking and retaining heifers, driving interest in low birth weight bulls, he said as the high EYCI allowed producers more disposable income to spend on bulls.
In northern states, Mr Gubbins sales were even stronger, “as they’re closer to drought recovery” and herd rebuilding.
“Perhaps down in Victoria we’re not so much into herd recovery mode but we’re having to pay for the bulls because the marketplace has created a scarcity for bulls and an increased amount of disposable income,” he said.
“At the moment there is so much more feed than there is cattle; creating the gulf between supply and demand.”
Meanwhile, cattle isn’t the only sector booming.
The lamb market has also rebounded strongly in the past month with the Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator now 806c/kg, 6c higher than where it was this time last year, and last week young Merino ewes sold to $382 and averaged $330 per head at Jerilderie, NSW, in the strongest special Merino sale ever held in the Riverina.
The Weekly Times markets analyst Jenny Kelly is predicting the lead pens of first-cross ewes will make over $400 per head at the feature southern crossbred sales which start at Corowa later this month, before moving on to Bendigo and Naracoorte in South Australia.
New highest-priced bull for 2020
Nicneil Sugar Daddy’s record of highest-priced bull sold in Australia in 2020 has already been beaten. See the staggering price paid for Clukan Boabab – the new record holder.
Paringa bulls make big top at sale
As yearling bulls sell to an impressive top price at Paringa Livestock Genetics’ on-property spring sale in Victoria’s North East, use our searchable results database to plan the rest of your spring bull sales season.