Texas Angus and Knowla Livestock: Bulls sell to $180,000

Texas Angus and Knowla Livestock bull sale results show there isn’t a confidence problem in northern NSW. See the breakdown of prices.

It has been a bullish start to spring sales in northern NSW giving hope to southern breeders there could be another strong selling season ahead.

The sale highlight to date was the Texas Angus sale at Warialda, NSW, this week, where more than 200 bulls sold to a top of $80,000 and an average of $28,057. The sale grossed close to $6 million.

And not far behind was the Knowla Livestock bull sale at Gloucester, NSW, where all 82 bulls offered sold to a top of $180,000 and an average of $26,512.

The results, among other high averaging sales in northern NSW, fly in the face of the dwindling confidence in the beef industry in both prime and store markets as producers face shrinking returns.

Elders Victoria stud stock manager Ross Milne said he was optimistic that southern spring sales would go well.

“You have to think about the returns that producers have made over the past couple of years and things have been pretty good in the beef industry,” Mr Milne said.

“Even with the dip in confidence – for whatever reason that is – you need to keep investing in genetics.”

Mr Milne said reports of the excellent season in many areas of Queensland and NSW were part of the reason for the confidence in those areas, in contrast to the south where winter and frosts were still limiting feed growth.

“Certainly a good season in the north is influencing sales there,” he said.

Mr Milne said he remained positive for the fixture of bull sales in southern NSW and Victoria.

“There is no reason that bull sales should not go on as they have,” he said.

“Producers are more conditioned to paying higher prices for bulls now and when you think about it, if you have sold 10 steers and they made $20,000, then there is the cost of your bull.”