FarmGate Auctions to 'boost competitiveness' for producers selling livestock online

FarmGate Auctions will host its inaugural online sale on October 8, with the platform set to boost competitiveness in the virtual selling space.

The application, which can be downloaded to a smart device, will allow vendors to complete online assessment forms on-property with or without internet and means sales can take place paddock-to-paddock instead of through the traditional store sale system.

FarmGate Auctions director Guy Gallen, Gunnedah, NSW, said the application had taken three-and-a-half years to develop and would give vendors a second choice when selling livestock online.

"I have been an agent all my life as was my father," he said.

"My business partner Matt Murphie and I were talking one day and I happened to mention that online livestock selling was gathering pace.

"We had a bit of a chat and a look about what was happening in that market ... and there was only one player and from there we thought we would have a go."

FarmGate Auctions is set to rival AuctionsPlus, another online livestock selling platform which has dominated the marketplace for the best part of two decades.

Mr Gallen said FarmGate Auctions would create a second option for producers as they trialed less traditional methods to sell sheep and cattle online.

"People can either live in the past or be part of the future and that's the way we see it," he said.

"The future of store stock is online and we're only interested in store and breeding stock, we're not interested in cattle to slaughter for online auctions.

"Up until now, there's only been on player so if you want to buy and sell livestock online in the auctions system, vendors now have a choice and a second choice has only got to be good for the industry."

Benefits of selling livestock online include reducing livestock stress, transport costs to and from sale yards and other associated administration fees.

"We're trying to eliminate all the need for paper so now you can just do it in the palm of your hand," Mr Gallen said.

"If they reach their reserve price, of course they are sold and delivered, whereas if they don't meet their reserve, they're in the paddock and not at the sale yards."

The FarmGate Auctions app will allow producers to add videos and photographs of their stock, as well as enter details to online entry forms without internet, saving the data until the user connects to internet at a later time when the information will be uploaded.

"A great percentage of producers have no internet connection," Mr Gallen said.

"Having the ability to enter data and save a lot offline is a huge step forwards for buyers and sellers of livestock.

"FarmGate Auctions now gives the industry the advantage of choice where previously there was none."

The October 8 online sale will take place at 1pm.

Listings include 100 2017 drop Hereford heifers joined to calve in March/April to Hereford bulls.