THE bull selling season kicked off on Tuesday with the first sale of the year, the Nutrien Livestock Great Southern Blue Ribbon Female and All Breeds Bull Sale at Mt Barker and it didn't disappoint.
There was strong demand right through the sale and buyers weren't afraid to bid up despite the recent downturn in the cattle market, ensuring a very positive start to the season.
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In the bull sale, prices hit a high of $19,500 for a black Simmental sire from Kevin and Janice Hard's Naracoopa Simmental stud, Denmark.
The polled bull, Naracoopa Senior S019 (P) (B) by Bullock Hills Patrick P3 (PP) (ET) (AI) (B) was purchased by return buyer Andrew Hann, Greendale Simmental stud, Esperance.
The next best price in the bull sale was $18,500 paid by the Cowcher family, Willandra stud, Williams, for a polled traditional bull, also from the Naracoopa stud.
The best price outside the Simmental breed was $14,500 for an Angus bull from the Ponderosa stud, Albany, when it sold to a buyer from Queensland operating on AuctionsPlus.
All up in the sale, 48 bulls were offered and 44 sold for an average $7932, which was up $1071 on last year's result.
In the breeders' sale, prices followed the trend of other female sales this season.
Prices topped at $4450 for a pen of 10 PTIC Angus heifers from Baboo Pastoral, Green Range.
The 20-22-month-old heifers, which were PTIC to Coonamble Angus bulls and due to calve from March 1 to April 30, were purchased by Clinton and Sharon Rayner, Norwood Ridge Pty Ltd, Albany.
The second top price in the PTIC heifer run was $4300 for eight Red Angus heifers from the Smith family, Kildarra Red Angus stud, Forest Hill.
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When it came to the offering of PTIC cows, FV Hortin & Sons, Torbay, sold the top-priced line at $3500.
The pen of eight second cross Angus cows, which had been joined to a Coonamble Angus bull and had a tight 15-day calving period, were purchased by Narribri Pty Ltd, Albany.
All up there were 675 breeders sold for an average of $2918, which was back $712 on last year's result.
Last year in the sale 731 breeders sold at an average of $3630.
