AVERAGE PRICE REMAINS SOLID
Impressive results at Myall Plains despite tough economic conditions
TOUGH economic and climatic conditions created a sobering backdrop for the Balonne Bull Sale this week.
GDL Stud Stock Manager Harvey Weyman-Jones said the results were surprisingly solid.
“It could have been a lot worse as there is a shortage of cow numbers, a shortage of feed and a storage of money,” he said.
“Only widespread rain will firm up the bull selling market and restore confidence.”
The 54 buyers took their seats in the stands at “Myall Plains” Nindigully on Monday as selling agents GDL and Elders put 122 bulls from five breeds under the hammer.
The average sale price for a bull was $3680, similar to last year.
Less bulls were sold with the clearance rate dropping from 94% last year to 82%, reducing the sale gross from $400,000 in 2013 to $368,000 in 2014.
Mr Weyman-Jones said the figures tell a story with a 100% clearance rate for the two most popular breeds, the angus and santa gertrudis.
“When times are tough buyers revert to the tried and true rather than experimenting with other breeds,” he said.
The charolais, brangus and droughtmasters all struggled in the market bringing the overall sale averages back.
The charolais had a 45% clearance rate with a top price of $3500.
The brangus had a 30% clearance rate with a top price of $2500 and the droughtmasters had a 33% clearance rate with a top price of $3500.
The top priced bull of the sale was Lot 12 sold for $7500 by Darren Hegarty from Carabar Angus Stud, Meandarra to Frank and Lorna McNamara, Sunset Downs, Tara and their son Daryl McNamara, Ringwood Park, Tara.
The top priced santa gertrudis of the sale was Lot 99 from Cam Russell’s Swan Hill Santa Gertrudis Stud at Blackall and was bought by Russell Mocker, Surprise, Begonia for $5500.
The next Balonne Bull Sale will be held at Myall Plains on September 7, 2015.