IT was another record-breaking result at last week’s Elders Boyanup Supreme Springing Heifer Sale.
The confidence of producers in the beef industry, following two and a half years of good prices, was on show for all to see as they pushed prices skywards for the quality first-cross heifers on offer.
The strong bidding from the 91 registered buyers meant Elders auctioneer Alec Williams had very little trouble finding new homes for the heifers ensuring record books would have to be written for a third year in a row - with a new gross, average and top price record set.
The red hot bidding resulted in a $3550 top price and a $2757 average which eclipsed last year’s record-breaking figures, while the sale gross of more than $2 million smashed the previous best of $1.83 million achieved in 2003, when 1443 heifers were sold.
When the final pen was knocked down after two hours of selling 760 heifers had been offered and sold for the record breaking gross of $2,095,650 and an average of $2757, which was up $346 on last year and $548 on the 2014 sale.
Regular sale vendors the Roberts family, KS & EN Roberts & Sons, Elgin, achieved the sale’s $3550 top price with a pen of nine Murray Grey-Friesians.
Bidding started at $3000 on the classy pen and quickly rose following some quick fire bidding from two interested parties before it was finally knocked down to Graeme King, Sylvania Farms, Donnybrook.
The heifers were AI synchronised mated to proven Limousin sire Unison Gong G31 and have a short 20-day calving period from January 20 to February 9.
The top price in the large Angus-Friesian offering was $3400 paid by Gerald and Denice Young, Yornup, for a pen of eight heifers offered by the Brooks family, JA & NA Brooks, Witchcliffe.