Northern dairy sale: Wet spring forces producers to look ahead
Next year’s autumn calving cows sold to a $200 premium over unjoined cows at a multi-vendor Northern Victoria Livestock sale in Shepparton.
DAIRY producers favoured autumn calving cows at a multi-vendor sale in Shepparton last week as the wet season throughout much of Victoria makes production increasingly difficult this spring.
Northern Victoria Livestock agent Jayden Ferrari said autumn calved cows pregnancy tested to calve again next autumn had around a $200 premium over unjoined cows.
“People were very keen to secure the cows that had already been pregnancy tested back for next autumn,” Mr Ferrari said.
“Prices were very good without being over the top and for the quality of the cows they sold extremely well.”
The largest vendor Bingarra Park dispersed 105 first to fourth calving Friesian and cross bred cows for an average of $1826 and top of $2150 for three five-year-old autumn calving cows.
“To average $1826 and only have a top of $2150 highlighted the cows were a pretty even group,” Mr Ferrari said.
Stelley Park offered 50 mostly first and second calving Friesian cows for an average of $1562 and top of $1900. The cows were all rejoined to calve in autumn 2021.
“They were probably a score lighter in condition than what you would really want them but for what they were they sold extremely well,” Mr Ferrari said.
The third and final vendor Arryanne Farms, based in Nanneella, offered 30 crossbred cows to calve in the next four weeks for an average of $1485 and top of $1800.
“There were three or four guys chasing those cows to calve in September and being crossbred cows, they sold very well,” Mr Ferrari said.
Mr Ferrari said the heavy rainfall in key dairying areas across the state has put a few producers off restocking their herds.
“I think a lot of people want to buy cows but it’s too wet so they’ll wait for it to dry out a bit. That’s the downside to the season being this good but guys are going to have plenty of feed going forward,” he said.
Export prices for young Friesian heifers to China are also holding up the sales
With export prices for young Friesian heifers similarly strong Mr Ferrari said producers had the ability to be more active at the sales to top up herd numbers.
“A 200kg Friesian heifer is making $2100 for export to China and then they can turn around and buy a cow in-milk,” Mr Ferrari said.
“Instead of carrying a heifer on for 18 months they’re selling the heifer and buying a cow to put back in her place.
MORE
BEHIND AUSTRALIA’S CONTINUAL DAIRY-INDUSTRY CRISIS
‘No one knew it was coming’: Tongala cow abattoir shuts
The livestock industry and local community have reacted to Greenham’s closure of its Tongala cow processing plant.
Victorians want to feel guilt-free about eating meat
Research – to guide a Victorian Government-funded pro-agriculture campaign – has revealed how consumers feel about the state’s farmers and what issues need to be addressed.