Big-scale stud livestock auctions are not usually the sort of business canvassed by independent livestock agents, but southern Queensland agency Grant, Daniel, Long is making its mark doing just that.
The Dalby-based livestock and property firm, which boasts 15 offices, from Cunnamulla in the west to Longreach in Central Queensland, will run this year’s Australian Wagyu Association elite sale in Albury on the NSW-Victorian border in May.
The agency’s specialist stud stock team is also touting for the right to auction bulls at the big National Poll Hereford Show and Sale in Dubbo next year.
It has already built a sizeable on-property stud sale portfolio in Queensland and NSW, often in partnership with other independent agents and the Ruralco network.
Stud sales management has traditionally been the province of big name agency corporates Elders and Landmark, and the various pastoral houses long ago absorbed into their networks.
However, Grant Daniel Long (GDL) started challenging the status quo and developing its own independent stud sales agenda within five years of its agency starting in 1997.
Last year special stud cattle auction sales managed by GDL stud stock team – Harvey Weyman-Jones, Mark Duthie and Peter Brazier – grossed $26 million for 3623 head, up from 1728 in 2010 worth $8m.
“A decade ago Elders and Landmark dominated the stud stock sales game – it’s pretty much been a marketing duopoly for years,” said Mr Weyman-Jones, GDL’s stud stock manager.
“But we’ve seen quite a changing trend in the past five years.
“Once you’d have the corporates in first and second place, daylight came third and we’d be number four.
“That gap has closed quite a bit as stud owners look around for alternatives.
“We’re certainly not number one, but we’re sharing the table with the corporates at many significant sales events on the stud calendar, and independents are generally far more active than ever before.”
For the past few years GDL has joined forces with fellow Ruralco stablemate SBB in Rockhampton to share the auction rostrum with Elders and Landmark at the big Bos Indicus national breed sale events where Brahman, Droughtmaster, Braford, Brangus and Charbray stud cattle go on show and up for sale at Gracemere saleyards.
Ruralco has owned a 51 per cent stake in GDL since 2007.
The Queensland stud stock team also works with Ruralco’s Rodwells agency at Wodonga’s Hereford Australia national bull show and sale in May.
While there was no formal national Ruralco agenda for GDL’s stud sales team, Mr Weyman-Jones said being selected as sole agent for the Wagyu breed’s elite sale would “further open the door for the Ruralco network”.
That sale coincides with the national Wagyu conference, with more than 50 head on offer representing cattle or genetics from the top 10 per cent of the breed.
“We’ve been growing our stud stock business in Queensland for a while, but to market Australia’s fastest growing beef breed at its national sale is a significant step up,” Mr Weyman-Jones said.
“I think the fact Ruralco and other non-aligned independents are active as strong, viable stud stock alternatives is good for the industry.
“It’s not so unusual to see some bigger on-property sales handled by independent agents now.”
Former Elders auctioneer, turned independent sales service contractor at Wodonga, Michael Glasser, agreed “the book is being re-written”.
More stud clients were selective about how they wanted sales conducted, and by whom.
“Our business took up the US model, offering a total sales management service,” said Mr Glasser, whose auctioneering skills are also contracted by corporate and independent agencies.
“The game is changing. People want to control their own destiny on sale day.
“Some stud principals might not want to pay for an agency’s involvement at all.
“Many independent agents don’t necessarily have the platforms to run stud sales themselves, but their involvement may still be important in getting a stud sale to work and bring buyers down the driveway.”