THIS year’s Farrer angus bull sale was more proof of how tough the region’s producers are doing it right now, but still garnered “a pretty reasonable result.”
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Agriculture teacher Marty Peeters said the 36 animals sold at an average of about $4200, with a top of $9000 and 80 per cent clearance.
“It’s a bit down from last year, but so were our bidder numbers,” he said.
“We probably had about half as many registered bidders at the sale, which is to be expected based on the conditions, but overall it was a good result.”
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The on-school-property sale is thought to be the only one of its kind in Australia.
The Year 12 certificate III beef students raise the livestock from the previous year’s calf drop, handling everything from the animal husbandry, to collecting DNA samples, structural assessment of the animal and helping with freeze branding.
They organise and run the annual auction, too, during which the bulls are sold under the Helmsman system, where all lots are open for bidding simultaneously.
Naturally, there was also a steak sandwich on offer.
“The students did a fantastic job and everyone was really pleased with how the sale went,” Mr Peeters said.
“It was a pretty reasonable result, I think, based on the year …
“The number of bidders was an indication of how hard people are doing it at the moment with the drought conditions, particularly in our region.”
Heaviest in a while
Mr Peeters said the bulls were raised until late last year on the school’s second property on Monteray Road, which was “majorly affected by the drought”.
“There’s no irrigation out there, but luckily our dams and water supplies are holding up out there.
“Here at Farrer it’s not as big an issue, I guess.
“We do have a fairly reasonable water allocation.
“Last year we made the decision to spend a fair bit of money to put a lateral irrigator and centre pivot irrigator in, and they’ve made all the difference for us.
“These bulls have been back here since November last year, to try and lessen the pressure off the Loomberah property a bit at the time,.
“They’ve been on crops [millet and oats] the whole time, purely because of the irrigation, so we’ve been very luck in that regard.”
Mr Peeters said the the bulls were “actually the heaviest we’ve had for probably the last eight to 10 years”.
“That’s unusual, considering the conditions, but they’re looking fantastic.
“The boys have all done a great job, as usual.”
Carolyn Millet
Based at The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth, and Namoi Valley Independent, Gunnedah. Covering general news and features on community, council, arts, business, health, education, entertainment and rural matters.
Based at The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth, and Namoi Valley Independent, Gunnedah. Covering general news and features on community, council, arts, business, health, education, entertainment and rural matters.
