A new Australasian record average price was set at the Semex Spectacular Holstein sale at International Dairy Week (IDW) late last week. IDW’s co-director Brian Leslie and Semex’s general manager Jim Conroy slightly taken aback by the depth and buying power in the bidding that carried the sale through to its massive $9146 average at Tatura, in northern Victoria. The average trumped last year’s average of $7318. The top price of $36,000 was also up from last year by $3000.
Higher milk prices in parts of New South Wales and Queensland were given some of the credit for the sale’s energy and Japanese buyers were also in on the action, securing two lots. “I was expecting good prices,” IDW’s co-director and Dairy Livestock Services’ auctioneer Brian Leslie said. “I wasn’t expecting an average like that, although in saying that, I wasn’t totally shocked because I thought it was an excellent catalogue.”
“Japan bid on a handful and that also made it interesting. The crowd was a good sign that there is interest in good cattle. It was huge.”
The buyers of the top lot were validated in their decision to buy Cairnhill Goldwyn Pretty, a daughter of the cow who would go on to become this year’s IDW grand champion just 24 hours later, Dryfield Dundee Paradise-Imp-ET. Her daughter was bought by the Bryce syndicate, of Numbaa. The September 2008-born heifer was by the Semex sire of the moment, Braedale Goldwyn. Goldwyn has recently been acknowledged for siring the most show-winning daughters worldwide in 2009.
Jim Conroy was also pleasantly surprised at the competition for the high profile lots. “In the current environment I guess we went conservatively about the number in the catalogue and conservatively towards the customer in terms of what we thought the cattle would make, but at the end of the day to achieve a record result in the current climate was exceptional,” Jim said. “It was very, very pleasing, very rewarding and great for everyone concerned.
“I think it says that there’s probably a better level of confidence in the industry than there was at this time last year. But I think more than anything it tells us that the value of high credentialed, well-known, well-publicised, well-promoted and good quality stock is always there and is increasing every day.
“Buyers are getting more turned on to that and the income generated through livestock exports is helping people have more confidence in breeding more and better cattle all the time. And, they’re looking to invest the money they make out of export cattle into new genetics that have been proactively marketed.”
He was also excited to see Japan in the mix. “The Japanese have been known as extremely astute buyers for 40 years and to have them step in and buy says that we have the kind of stock that they have traditionally been buying out of North America.”
The second highest price of $33,000 was paid for lot five, the Red and White Holstein entry, Ponderosa SS Jodie-Imp-ET-R, who travelled from Western Australia to be part of the offering. Jodie was bought by Greg and Michelle Anderson, of Gin Gin, in Queensland.
The Japanese buyer, Sojitz Japan, bought lot 32, Fairvale Damion Josie 56, for $8800 from Ross and Leanne Dobson, Tasmania, and lot 26, Murribrook FC Passion-ET, for $9100, from Murribrook Holsteins, at Moss Vale, New South Wales. The Final Cut daughter was born February 2, 2009. Both heifers will be exported to Japan within the next year.
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