LATE August is typically when Australian footy fans start paying a lot of attention to the finals season of winter sports, whether it be AFL, Rugby League or Rugby Union.
Across the codes people start paying more attention to statistics, performances and possibilities. In beef breeding the discussions sound very similar to those that are being had among sporting fans.
By this point in August, there is enough evidence from bull sales for observes to start drawing conclusions and making comments on how the teams are playing.
In the beef industry’s case, the teams are generally represented by breeds and within each team there are always a few standout members who have their performances more closely examined and discussed.
While the bull selling season for 2024 still has some time to play out, the statistics leading into halftime are possibly a little better than some observers may have expected. To date there have been 4579 bulls offered across the major breeds.
As expected, Angus has dominated numbers offered so far, with 3270 bulls presented for sale.
This represents some 27 individual prefixes that have reported sale results for spring 2024.
More bulls on offer
It is interesting to note that 2024 has seen several new seedstock sales making their foray into the spring calendar. The total number offered across these sales is significantly higher than in 2023. At this point last year, there had been 2707 bulls presented. This year’s number represents a 20.7pc increase, reflect not only the new entrants to the calendar but increased offerings among individual breeders.
As expected, the averages offering per head have been lower than in 2023. Looking only at those studs that offered bulls in 2023 and 2024 in the Spring Sales period until this point in August, the 2023 average was $12,530/head. For 2024 that value has come back to $11,182, equating to a 10.7pc decrease.
The cattle market has inevitably had a lot to do with that.
Clearance rates
Clearance rates have remained reasonably high across most spring bull sales conducted so far.
Almost all breeds have achieved 85pc clearance rates, or higher. The average so far across 11 breeds sits at a 92pc clearance, which may be a little higher than expected by some in the industry. That’s been supported by some very strong sales among prominent studs, which have cleared 100pcof bulls offered.
Outside of the major breeds, sale results such as Siefert Belmont Reds again achieved 100pc clearance.
Looking across the performance of some of the “other teams” so far:
Herefords have continued to perform well in the season. The average per head for a Hereford bull up to mid-August in 2024 currently sits at $10,414, which is only 3pc lower than this time last year.
In the European breeds, Charolais have seen a lift in their performance compared to the same sales this time last year. The breed sales have seen clearance rates improve by 20pc, and the average value per head increase from $8107 to $9156 (a 13pc improvement) compared against the same sales in 2023.
The numbers offered have also been interesting to watch to this point of the year. The number of Angus bulls offered is 20.7pc higher than 2023. However, Hereford numbers are almost identical, increasing in 2024 by a total of just four bulls.
In the Charolais sales, numbers were significantly lower this year (-59) and Simmental numbers to date have also been lower (-24).
Focus swings to Queensland
There are still many sales to take place, with the Queensland sales dominated by tropically adapted breeds soon to take prominence in the calendar.
Over the next few weeks there are several scheduled large sales among the tropical breeds, including Rockhampton Brahman Week, Rockhampton Droughtmaster Sale, Central and Western Santa Sales circuits and others, where there are strong expectations of producer demand from northern & central Queensland locations looking to consolidate herds.
Looking over the results so far, it is unlikely to see the general average price for a bull increase dramatically, there is optimism that clearance rates and demand will see this year marked down as a solid year for seedstock breeders.
Alastair Rayner is the General Manager of Extension & Operations with Cibo Labs and Principal of RaynerAg. Alastair has over 28 years’ experience advising beef producers & graziers across Australia. He can be contacted here or through his website www.raynerag.com.au
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