ALL signs are pointing to a red hot northern bull selling season, with agents forecasting increases in averages of between $2000 and $3000 across the board.
New records, and lifts in averages to that tune, have already been recorded in the first of the northern NSW sales, along with a number of total clearances.
In Queensland, stud females have been highly sought this year with averages across autumn sales up by as much as 40 per cent and clearances higher than last year.
Record high cattle prices is providing the sort of funds for solid investment in genetics that have been missing for several years, stud stock specialist agents say.
Tamworth-based independent stud stock agent Paul Dooley said the roster leading into spring was similar to last year but numbers of bulls on offer were definitely up.
“More bulls are going to be put into sales as seedstock producers look to capitalise on what they believe will be a good market,” he said.
Four big sales a week will not be unusual from here until September for NSW and Queensland bull selling will kick off in earnest mid-August.
Mr Dooley said there was plenty of optimism that the strong cattle market would last for a year or two.
“Add to that the season is starting to fill in,” he said.
“And the fact the dry has been hard on bulls producers already have, knocking a lot of older bulls around, and it’s a recipe for strong demand for bulls this season.
“Cockies are confidence people and they have just had a big 12 months of returns and can see that investing now will pay off down the track.”
Mr Dooley said getting used to how much cattle were making now and how much had to be paid for bulls under the current environment would be an adjustment.
“Everyone gets used to the first part easily but the reality they are facing is that to buy bulls of similar quality to last year, they will need another couple of grand,” he said.
“Averages are likely to be up 20 to 30 per cent.
“It may take some time for buyers to get their head around this new paradigm of spending more than they used to in relation to to getting more for the end product.”
For that reason, agents are predicting that demand will get hotter as the season progresses - when people realise they could be left out.
Mr Dooley’s advice for buyers is to shop early at sales.
“We see it so often that someone will have a limit but they end up having to increase it and get a lesser bull in the second half of the sale because they held off,” he said.
“At the end of the day, if you don’t buy a bull you get no calves.”
Elders Toowoomba stud stock agent Andrew Meara said while western country had received rain, it was heavily destocked and it wasn’t likely that region would influence the bull market this season.
“However, we are likely to see Central Queensland buyers who were absent from sales last year back in the system,” he said.
“There has to be a catch-up effect from the commercial business but we don’t think the bull job will jump by the same extent.
“People will be prepared to pay if the bulls are right.”
Mr Meara pointed out trading up had never been better value, with heavy bulls making $3 a kilogram in southern Queensland this week.
Could Queensland run out of bulls?
“For seedstock producers, it is a two-year project so ramping up their numbers doesn’t happen overnight,” Mr Meara said.
“The market was tough last year when they weaned so they probably culled hard.
“There won’t be a lot of excess stud bulls around but I can’t see demand outstripping supply. “There are always bulls for sale, it’s just there will be upward pressure on prices for the most sought-after ones.”
How to get the right bull
THE selection and purchase of the right bulls is one of the most obvious ways to improve beef herd productivity and profitability.
Beef advisors list reproductive fitness, temperament and structural soundness, muscling and estimated breeding values (EBVs) as the main factors to think about.
Senior livestock officer with the North Coast Local Land Services Nathan Jennings pointed to a Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluation, which is a physical assessment of the bull’s reproductive performance.
“A lot of sale catalogues present their bulls as ‘vet checked’,” Mr Jennings said.
“Clarify what that means - whether it is just their health status or their reproductive fitness as well.”
A bull of poor temperament will be a problem on farm and it’s very likely his progeny will follow in his footsteps, he said.
However, bull buyers should keep in context ring behaviour on sale day.
“An open auction where a single animal is cut out, and there is a loud speaker blaring, will be a new experience for some rising two-year-old bulls,” Mr Jenning said.
“It can be hard to make an accurate temperament assessment if the first time you’re seeing him is under those circumstances.”
There is good value in viewing beforehand.
On the structural front, look out for post legs, or straight legs, as that exposes a bull to hock problems and arthritis in the hip as he gets older, and extremes in shoulder thickness, Mr Jenning said.
When using EBVs for genetic improvement, Mr Jennings says ensure the trait is of economic importance to your operation, it is at least reasonably heritable, you are able to measure the trait in progeny and there is variation in that trait so you can expect some gain.
Deniliquin veterinarian Dr Nigel McMahon, who presents at Meat and Livestock Australia specialised reproductive workshops, said bull buyers should rank offerings that suit their systems from the catalogue, then visit the stud several weeks before the sale to assess temperament, structure and soundness and talk about breeding objectives.
“Ranking means if you miss out on the one you want you already have back-up choices and won’t be forced to make hasty decisions under pressure,” he said.