The opening salvo was fired in the autumn whiteface bull selling season with southern NSW stud Glenellerslie topping at $12,000 last week.
Stud principal Ross Smith hosted the on-property sale at Adelong on February 9, clearing 36 of the 45 bulls offered for an average of $4480 to a mix of stud and commercial buyers from NSW and Victoria.
The top price bull, Lot 3, Glenellerslie Outstanding K005, was a 23-month-old son of Bingeberry Trailblazer and out of 16-year-old matron Glenellerslie Carnation 67.
The bull was bought by repeat client George Hardcastle, McPherson Herefords, Casino, NSW.
Weighing 952kg, K005 had BREEDPLAN figures of +6.4kg for birthweight, +13 for milk, +38kg for 200 day weight, +58kg for 400 day, +89kg for 600 day, +56kg for carcase, +4.8sqcm for eye muscle area and 0.9 per cent for intra-muscular fat.
Second top price of $9500 went to Bluey Commins, Nunniong Herefords, Ensay, for polled sire Glenellerslie Outright K038.
Mr Smith said the sale was underpinned by commercial support from the Upper Murray, Victorian high country, Gippsland, Victorian western districts and southern NSW.
He said there was confidence in the Hereford breed following a strong weaner sale result.
“There were quite a few new buyers – I expected the result to be good,’’ he said.
“Herefords are alive and well – agents are remarking there is no premium for blacks anymore.
“People are realising they have got to have weight in their cattle.’’
Volume buyers included Pat and Julian Roche, Adelong, with six bulls at $3000 each, Ross Trethowan, Cookardinia, with two bulls to a top of $9250, and the Webb family, Adelong, with three bulls to $3750.
Mr Smith said cull cow prices and a bullish prime market had enabled commercial producers to increase their average spend on new bulls this year.
Glenholme/Kirraweena stud principal Geoff Bush agreed, rating visitation during the 2016 Beef Week field days as the best ever.
Mr Bush said visitors comprised a good mix of stud and commercial breeders, mostly from Victoria’s high country and Gippsland.
“We are into a second good year of weaner calf sales and there is confidence there,’’ he said.
Daryl Schipp, of Doodle Cooma Poll Herefords, Wagga, received visitors from South Australia, Victoria, and the NSW southern highlands.
Mr Schipp sold two bulls on the day and had strong inquiry for more.
“There is more optimism than we have had for a long time,’’ he said.
Mr Schipp described the outlook for the autumn bull selling season as positive, with commercial producers rebuilding their heifer numbers and increasing bull requirements.
Andrew and Serena Klippel, Sugarloaf Creek Herefords, Corryong, sold six bulls during Beef Week on the day to top at $15,000 and average $8000.
Mr Klippel said visitor numbers had doubled this year, with commercial breeders mainly from Gippsland and the Victorian high country.
“We had bull buyers from Benambra and Ensay saying they were having the best season in a long time,’’ he said.
Damien and Kim Halloway opened their Tobruk Poll Hereford stud for the first time during Beef Week, with strong interest in the 2015 spring drop calves.
“My early experiences were with Herefords but as an adult I have learnt from Angus operations,’’ Mr Halloway said.
“There are a lot of opportunities in Herefords…one of the strengths of our breed is temperament and as a general rule they are the quietest of the British breeds.
“The objective data coming through and focus on calving ease means Herefords have a hell of a lot to offer the industry.’’
Mr Halloway said the Herefords Australia Black Baldy crossbreeding trial was a positive move.
“Many commercial producers have bred those amazing F1 Black Baldy crosses and were blown away by the performance but slowly moved to a purebred herd of Angus, and are now finding the performance dropping away,’’ he said.
“For a commercial breeding enterprise not to take advantage of hybrid vigour is a bold thing not to do.
“Hereford and Angus are two breeds which complement each other.
“It is exciting times for Herefords and they are making a lot of ground as a breed.’’
The autumn bull sales will continue with the next scheduled for February 22 at Centennial, Allendale, Days Whiteface and Bowmont.