Stud sales: Top Australian bull prices of 2021

High commercial cattle prices and a shortage of bulls has pushed prices into unprecedented territory. See the top 21 sale averages of 2021.

Lawson Angus Rocky R4010 sold for $130,000 at the Lawson Angus Spring bull sale this year.

It has been a year like no other for the cattle industry with stud breeders finally enjoying the lucrative fruits of their labour.

For many, it has been the payday that has come after a lifetime of commitment to the industry, and building better genetics and commercial relationships with clients, through good times and bad.

From autumn auctions that saw many studs achieve an average price in excess of $10,000 for the first time, to spring sales where 10 grand was suddenly the baseline, it has been a bull run that hasn’t bulked at new highs.

In autumn, The Weekly Times analysed results from the major southern Australia’s seedstock auctions and found scores of studs averaged prices above $10,000, for the first time in their history.

Of 40 major southern Australian bull sales reported on then, a staggering 23 averaged more than $10,000 and all displayed lift in averages, year-on-year.

But what made headlines at the start of this year has proved closer to the norm as spring arrived, with early September bull sales not just lifting but making average prices double 12 months ago.

Very quickly, $10,000 and well above that, became the norm from major studs.

In spring 2020 only 15 southern studs achieved averages over $10,000, led by Millah Murrah Angus which sold 78 at $20,384 while in spring 2019 only two spring-selling studs reported on by The Weekly Times sold bulls for averages higher than $10,000.

But, as the table on this page shows, averages for at least 20 studs sale this spring averaged more than $14,000.

The meteoric rise in prices reflects the charge in commercial cattle prices, with indicative prices again breaking new ground last week, and the three conspiring factor driving the situation - a herd rebuild after drought, global protein shortages and good seasons.

The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator last week closed at a new record 1042c/kg — 266c/kg higher than at the same time last year.

At the top end, there have also been some cracking individual sales.

Last month Millah Murrah Angus sold Millah Murrah Paratrooper R38, for $280,000 - setting the new national record for the breed in Australia. It was bought by Brooklana Angus Stud near Dorrigo, NSW.

Millah Murrah’s total clearance of 118 bulls averaged $34,220 — also a record average for the breed.

The red-hot sale saw another bull from the Paratrooper family sell to a syndicate for a staggering $240,000. A third Paratrooper brother fetched $110,000.

Before that, in July, Texas Angus, near Warialda in NSW sold an Angus bull for $225,000. The bull was bought by Macka’s Australian Black Angus Beef and Genetics Australia.

Spring also saw Victorian stud Lawson Angus at Yea achieve a top price of $130,000, sold to a syndicate.

The best Hereford bull price was achieved by a sire from Marc Greening’s Injemira stud, which sold for $160,000, purchased by ABS Global Australia, South Australian stud Ardno Herefords, and Vielun Pastoral Company, Mudgee.

The other bull from this breed to sell for a six-figure price tag was from the Mawarra stud in Gippsland, He fetched $103,000 at Wodonga National Sale, selling to Melville Park Herefords.

In the Hereford breed the top averages included Bowen Poll Herefords which recorded the whiteface’s record average at Barraba in NSW of $17,435.

Agricultural consultant Alastair Rayner said the bull prices remained relative to the price of progeny.

Bulls consistently sold for the value of eight feeder steers, or five heavy bullocks, he said.

However unique circumstances this year created extra pressure on prices and hefty selection pressure applied during drought made this year’s draft outstanding in quality stakes.

“Bulls sold now were born in 2019, so if they’ve made it (through drought) to sale in 2021, they really are the best-of-the-best and people recognise quality,” he said.

Optimism from producers, ongoing commercial price rallies and a lack of excess bulls, also translated to heady auctions.

21 of Southern Australia’s best bull sales of spring 2021

Averages:

1. Millah Murrah Angus, Bathurst, NSW

$34,220

2. Milwillah Angus, Young, NSW

$25,726

3. Palgrove Charolais, Dalveen, QLD

$17,848

4. Reiland Angus, Gundagai, NSW

$17,623

5. Futurity Shorthorn, Tamworth, NSW

$17,293

6. Circle 8 Angus, Marulan, NSW

$16,733

7. Banquet Angus, Mortlake

$16,717

8. Alpine Angus, Porepunkah

$16,683

9. Wirruna Poll Herefords Spring Bull and Female Sale, Holbrook, NSW

$16,190

10. Ben Nevis Angus, Walcha, NSW

$16,171

11. Crawford Angus, Tumut, NSW

$16,036

12. Rennylea Angus, Culcairn, NSW

$15,691

13. Glenisa Angus, Toowoomba, QLD

$15,271

14. Hazeldean Angus, Cooma, NSW

$15,150

15. Minnamurra Speckle Park, Coolah, NSW

$14,881

16. Manchee Agriculture Shorthorns, Narrabri, NSW

$14,854

17. Kidman Poll Hereford & Angus, Dubbo, NSW

$14,478

18. Ardrossan Angus, Talmalmo, NSW

$14,470

19. Trio Angus, Cassilis, NSW$

14,333

20. Murdeduke Angus Queensland sale, Gracemere, QLD

$14,294

21. Royalla Shorthorns, Dubbo, NSW

$14,128

21 of Southern Australia’s best autumn bull sales of 2021

Averages:

1. Speckle Park, Yeoval, NSW

$18,261

2. Te Mania Angus, Walgett, NSW

$18,327

3. Yarram Park Performance Genetics

$14,440

4. Banquet Angus, Camperdown

$14,434

5. Dunoon Angus, Albury, NSW

$13,832

6. Glatz’s Black Angus, Avenue Range, SA

$13,660

7. Te Mania Angus, Mortlake

$13,035

8. Wirruna Poll Herefords, Holbrook, NSW

$12,819

9. Nampara Angus, Mount Gambier, SA

$12,817

10. Wattle Grove Speckle Park, Toowoomba, QLD

$12,603

11. Rennylea Angus, Culcairn, NSW

$12,537

12. Injemira Beef Genetics Bull Sale, Book Book, NSW

$12,379

13. Sterita Park Angus, Lucindale, SA

$12,316

14. Sugarloaf Creek Hereford, Towong

$12,174

15. Merridale Angus

$12,162

16. Glendan Park Hereford, Kyneton

$11,842

17. Naracoorte Shorthorn, Naracoorte, SA

$11,646

18. Landfall Angus, Launceston, Tasmania

$11,583

19. Adameluca Angus, Kyneton

$11,486

20. Bull Oak Well Angus Bull Sale, SA

$11,481

21. Pathfinder Angus, Naracoorte, SA

$11,246