Scores of studs average $10k-plus for bulls at autumn sales

The Weekly Times has analysed returns from 40 major southern Australian bull sales so far this autumn, finding stunning results.

Banquet Qallop Q252 fetched $60,000, helping to propel this year’s Banquet Angus bull sale average to $14,434 for the 115 bulls sold. Picture: Madeleine Stuchbery

AUTUMN is delivering hefty bull sale returns to southern Australia’s seedstock producers with scores of studs averaging more than $10,000 for the first time.

Of 40 major southern Australian bull sales reported on by The Weekly Times so far this autumn, a staggering 23 have averaged more than $10,000 and all have shown a lift in averages.

Banquet Angus achieved an average of $14,434 for 115 bulls auctioned a fortnight ago while Yarram Park Herefords sold 59 at auction for an impressive average price of $14,400 and top of $40,000. 

Last autumn, only one stud, Banquet, exceeded $10,000 with an average of $10,041.

Other studs to post high averages this autumn include Glatz’s Black Angus, South Australia ($13,660), Dunoon Angus, Holbrook, NSW, ($13,832) and Te Mania, Mortlake,($13,035).

Other studs, such as Glatz’s Black Angus, Sugarloaf Creek Hereford, Dunoon Angus, and Ademeluca Angus have seen year-on-year increases in average prices of more than $5000.

The top autumn bull sale results mirror the heady prices of last spring when demand, particularly from rebuilding northern herds, pushed prices up rapidly.

Then, 15 major southern studs achieved averages exceeding $10,000, led by Millah Murrah Angus which sold 78 at $20,384.

In spring 2019 only two out of 62 spring-selling studs reported on by The Weekly Times sold bulls for averages higher than $10,000.

NSW genetics consultant Alastair Rayner said the extraordinary results were “an extension of what we saw in 2020 and the confidence people in the cattle industry have to bring in better genetics to their programs”.

He said there was clearly stronger demand for genetics refined by performance recording.

“In Victoria and SA I think we’re also seeing the result of people having held off a bit to update their bull team, when prices got so high, but they’ve gotten to the point that they cannot neglect to update their team any longer,” he said.

“The results of these bull sales are also down to the elevated weaner sale and PTIC heifer returns.”

There was very strong demand for calving ease and low (calf) birth weight bulls suited to heifers and much talk, but as yet little hard evidence, of moves towards moderating mature cow weights, he said.

“But overall, what’s happening is people are just rebuilding herds as fast as they practically can.”

Mr Rayner said some buyers tended to purchase bulls more on a stud’s “brand”, rather than investigating if other studs may also offer bulls – potentially at more moderate prices – that met their genetic targets.

Mr Rayner said it was “too difficult” to know whether bull prices would be sustained at the current levels, “bulls have been undervalued for some time”.

“It is unlikely bulls will return to $3000 averages – I do think people don’t valued enough the accumulative improvement in a program that the power of genetics has,” he said.

Te Mania director Tom Gubbins said the stud’s results did reflect the current market but were also a strong reflection of the “work we have done here for generations with objective measurement”.