Improved seasonal conditions, coupled with a shortage of supply, has given a much needed boost to the Australian Beef industry in 2016 with record prices and record margins for beef producers, fuelling increased confidence in the breeding sector.
Most beef breeds have seen this enthusiasm played out across the spring bull selling season with many breeds recording improved averages on 2015.
The Shorthorn breed has again maintained its dominance of British breed averages, with Shorthorn Beef members posting an incredible overall average of $8,243 for bulls sold at auction in 2016, with many sales posting new record averages for their auction sales.
What is perhaps most pleasing is that despite the reduced numbers of breeding cows in the Australian Beef herd, volumes of bulls sold at Shorthorn auctions have also increased by 29% since 2014, making the Shorthorn breed one of the fastest growing British breeds in Australia.
Whilst the spring bull sales enjoyed tremendous optimism for the season, this was in extreme contrast to autumn sales, which saw southern breeders enduring one of the worst starts to the season in decades.
Despite this, Shorthorn Beef breeders posted an outstanding 96% clearance at auction and sold 12% more bulls than 2015 with an overall average of $6,968, defying the tough start to the year.
Spring sales also faced their challenges, with the extremely wet conditions causing flooding and road closures. Buyers braved the conditions however to see Shorthorn Beef members clear 15% more bulls than at 2015 auctions and average an incredible $9,096.
Yamburgan Shorthorns set a new Shorthorn breed record average auction price in 2016, achieving a total clearance of all 100 bulls offered to average $10,930, becoming the first Shorthorn sale to break the $1 million mark.