THE first stud beef sale to be held at the Royal Melbourne Show (RMS) for 30 years was heralded a success.
Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria Beef Cattle and Carcase committee member and Charolais breeder Noelene King said she was thrilled with the sale outcome.
“Everyone was ecstatic; it couldn’t have gone better,” Mrs King said. “It was a great decision and while a lot of time, money and effort went into bring the beef cattle sale back to Melbourne Show, the breeders who chose to enter were well rewarded.” She said the results – which included a total clearance of eight females that sold to $14,000, average $6438, two of three bulls sold to $5500, av $5250, and a total clearance of four embryo packages, av $564 each – exceeded expectations.
“It was great for the Charolais breeders, for the show spectacle and it added another dimension to the livestock program,” Mrs King said. The stands were full with Brian Leslie, Dairy Livestock Services, helping the public understand what was going on. “Private sales were made in the aisles as well but an auction finds a price and it’s the true price.” Mrs King said the committee decided to only allow studs who were exhibiting to participate in the sale. And it tied in further with the heifer that topped the sale, Waterford Lady Gina L33E (P), also going onto win supreme junior champion beef breed heifer.
She said it gave them an opportunity to sell to a bigger crowd which also included people placing bids online through Elite Livestock Auctions. “We had studs from South Australia, Queensland, NSW and Victoria represented at the show and cattle also sold interstate, including to stud and commercial operations. It was great to get the cattle out there and the fact that commercial buyers bought cattle gives their stamp of approval for the breed.” Mrs King said she hoped the Victorian branch of the Charolais Society of Australia had set the bar for other feature breeds.
She said it would be wonderful for the feature breeds and the RMS more generally if the beef feature breed sale became a calendar event.
Mrs King said next year’s feature breed, Speckle Park, were talking about holding a sale. “With the Speckle Park breed being on the up and only being in the country for a short time, it would be a great opportunity to attract new breeds or give existing breeders an opportunity to acquire new genetics.”
