BASS Strait island buyers have again been strong supporters of the spring Landfall Angus sale at Launceston, Tasmania.
The top price of $8500 was paid for two bulls, Landfall Upward H501, an 856-kilogram bull, with an eye muscle area of +4.7 and Landfall Prosperity H818, an 866-kilogram bull which registered an eye muscle area of +5.5.
Both measurements were taken in August.
Prosperity was purchased by Bracknell, Tas, graziers Gary and Barb Lindsay, while the Brennan family bought Prosperity.
Stud principal Ed Archer said the sale had been delayed by a month, which meant a few buyers had bypassed the auction.
"It's pretty much on a par with previous spring sales," Mr Archer said.
"We have had some higher averages than that but we wanted to put more bulls in because we have had the demand.
"We wanted everyone who comes to get a bull so the average is based on the extra bulls."
Buyers travelled from Flinders and King islands, NSW, South Australia and Tasmania.
"The islands are very good supporters of our spring sale - big supporters," Mr Archer said.
Flinders Island grazier Darren Grace, Markarna Grazing Company, purchased 10 bulls.
"The Landfall bulls have been performing well for us over the past couple of years so this group should do the same," Mr Grace said.
"We are certainly starting to turn off some good cattle.
"The season is in the balance and the next couple of months will determine how the summer will treat us."
The company is joining more than 5000 cows while running a total of about 10,000 cattle,
Auctioneer Warren Johnston, Roberts, Western Junction, Tas, said it had been a difficult bull-selling season.
"We haven't seen a result like that in this bull-selling season, price wise or clearance wise," Mr Johnston said.
"It's dry, certainly in the south of Tasmania.
"The east coast is very dry and our breeding herd has been knocked around a bit in the last few years with the on-flow of the export industry crisis.
"There's just been a bit of resistance from people this year."
The abrupt suspension of the live export trade had a rapid flow-on effect, Mr Johnston said.
"We felt the effects of what was happening in a couple of weeks in Tasmania with the uncertainty of where beef cattle were going to be in a couple of years.
"A lot of people killed cows.
"In turn, if there are not as many cows, you don't need as many bulls."
