Latest news with #Simmental
Agriland
4 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
330kg bullocks make over €2,000 or €6.20/kg at Delvin
Delvin Mart in Co. Westmeath hosted its weekly general cattle sale on Thursday, May 29 and speaking to Agriland afterwards, Elliott Potterton of Delvin Mart said there were 250 cattle on offerwith a full clearance. There were over 100 bullocks – 80% of which were under 500kg, and in the bullock sale, prices topped out at €6.24/kg for a year-old 330kg Limousin bullock that made €2,060, bought by a farmer. Bullocks under 500kg averaged €4.08/kg or €1,420/head on average. Potterton said: 'Last year, the May 2024 average sale price for bullocks under 500kg at Delvin Mart was €2.62/kg – an average price increase of €1.46/kg. 'That's the same across all weight categories – they were all about €2.60/kg last year and they're all averaging about €4/kg plus this year.' In the heifer sale, the top price went to a 325kg pedigree Limousin heifer that sold for €2,700 or €8.30/kg bought by a suckler farmer for breeding. Two Limousin heifers averaging 295kg sold for €1,480 or €5.01/kg and another 315kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,710 or €5.42/kg. Heifers under 300kg averaged €4.25/kg while the 300-400kg heifers averaged €4.01/kg. 400-500kg heifers averaged €4.14/kg, which was up from an average price of €2.70/kg this time last year, while heifers over 500kg averaged €4.06/kg. According to Potterton: 'The average price in yesterday's sale for cows over 500kg was €3.18/kg. That's up from €2.05/kg in May 2024. 'In money terms, cows over 500kg were averaging €1,270 in May 2024 and and at the sale on Thursday, they averaged €2,000/head and there's a lot of Friesian cows in the sale here. 'There was a 655kg Friesian cow that made €2,580 or €3.93/kg at the sale here on Thursday.' Calves at Delvin Mart There were over 130 calves sold in the Thursday sale, leading to a full clearance with strong prices continuing. Potterton said: 'There were beef-sired calves sold here of Friesian/Jersey-cross cows coming into €500, you'd have change out of €150 buying some of them last year.' The top price in the calf sale went to a reared Simmental bull calf off a Friesian cow that made €790 and was bought by an exporter. Potterson said that some farmers sold May-born calves at the most recent sale that averaged €350 and the same calves 'would have done well to average €200 last year'. The mart also hosted its sheep sale on Thursday with the trade described as 'a little easier' and 40-50kg lambs averaging €3.84/kg, which was back on the average price from last year.
Otago Daily Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Optimism for bull-selling season
The next few weeks will tell if high export beef prices and a more upbeat mood rubs off on farmer spending at Canterbury bull sales. After stud breeders opened up their selections in annual bull walks last week farmers will be putting together a want-list now they have a better picture of the catalogue lineups for rising 2-year-old bulls. Canterbury's bull-selling season starts in earnest for the traditional breeds at Okawa Hereford Stud tomorrow, followed by the likes of Cleardale Angus on Friday, Orari Gorge Hereford on June 4 and Grassmere Hereford & Riverlands Angus a day later. Bidding got away to a good start further south with a black Simmental from Leafland Simmental in North Taieri selling for a top price of $42,000 to Tom Sanson, of Gold Creek Simmentals near Gisborne. PGG Wrightson Upper South Island genetics representative Simon Eddington said the bull walk days accompanied by good weather had been well supported and showed farmers were looking to buy bulls. Bull selections were showing the results of good breeding and a first-rate growing season. He said farmers were in a happier space overall. "There's a lot of optimism out there at the moment with good red meat prices, calf prices and hopefully that will flow into the bull sales as well. "Everything is looking pretty good and we got a good turnout for people looking and inquiring. "They've got their bulls at home and are thinking they can turn them over for $2500 to $3000 and that's not a big change-over for a lot of them so they can refresh their genetics." He said farmers who had kept bulls on last year because of a lack of buying power from a hard growing season and a dry North Canterbury would look at turning them over. "With the way the meat prices are going, they can quit those old bulls and get some younger bulls in and that's really what's happening. "Beef prices are strong and going forward they look like they will continue to be as well. "Some of the outlook for beef is we have a diminishing herd in large parts of the world, especially the United States, and they need our product." He said initial signs were promising after good sale results further south. "We've had some Simmental sales both in the North Island and South Island and they have gone well. "Price-wise, they have been very good and demand has been good too with more bulls sold and better clearances than last year which indicates guys are looking. "We have had feed pretty much the whole of the South Island except for parts of Marlborough and they are coming to it again now. "Generally speaking, it has been a very good growing season which is part of the good frame of mind as well." South Canterbury's Opawa Simmentals sold lot three for $22,000, averaging just under $10,000 for 25 bulls sold of 27 presented. Further south, top prices included $18,000 for a Delmont Angus bull in Clinton with the stud completing a full clearance of 33 bulls for a $10,000 average. Leafland had an average of just over $9000 after selling 22 of 25 bulls, Glenside Simmental from Waitahuna averaged about $9000 with a top price of $14,500 and Beresford Simmental had a top bid of $14,000. Mr Eddington said Canterbury farmers had plenty of feed after a slow start and were in a position of being able to finish stock to good weights and get the benefit of that in the marketplace. Stud breeders had put a lot of work into improving fertility, good calving and growth rates. "When somebody goes to buy a bull or two they might get one as a follow-up too if they have got the money to do that. "Costs have gone up as well and they will still be cautionary about what they are buying, but from what I have seen there is a good quality number of bulls from all breeds out there to get a fair chance of getting a good pick." He said farmer optimism was positive compared with the same time last year. "The only down side we are seeing is we are still losing land — and it's more in Southland than here — to trees. "That is still a big concern and when you drive around that lower part looking at bulls you are seeing good cattle country with trees on them."
Otago Daily Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Black beauty the star of the show
A black Simmental bull sold for $42,000 in North Taieri last week. Shawn McAvinue talks to Leafland Simental owner Everd Strauss about the big bull living up to the hype, the rise of the breed, balancing farming with his day job and his retirement plans. A black Simmental bull is living up to his sale pitch as "the star of the show". Rising 2-year-old black Simmental bull Leafland 230039 sold for $42,000 at the 24th Leafland Simmental bull sale in North Taieri last week. The bull buyer was Tom Sanson, of Gold Creek Simmentals in Mātāwai, about 45km northwest of Gisborne. In the sale catalogue, the bull was billed as "the star of the show" due to his exceptional growth, eye muscle area, intramuscular fat and docility. The hererozygous polled bull is the progeny of sire Rissington Rocketman 200230 and dam Leafland 1614190110. Vendors Everd and Marie Strauss, who have been married for 50 years, established the Leafland Dr Strauss said $42,000 was the highest price paid for one of their bulls, eclipsing a previous best of $27,500. He was expecting Leafland 230039 to fetch a good price. "He is an exceptional bull." The bull had positive estimated breeding values (EBV) for traits including carcass weight, marbling score, rib eye area, weaning and yearling weight. The "phenomenal" bull had created a lot of interest in the industry. "He was spoken about a lot nationally because of his figures — it is not often you have a perfect bull with EBVs like that." The bull was very docile. "He pretends to be a big boy but he is very quiet." At the sale, 22 of 25 bulls sold for an average price of $9022. Four of the bulls were sold to studs, Dr Strauss said. All of four black Simmental bulls at the auction sold for an average of $15,250. Black Simmental bulls accounted for about 15% of the stud and the rest were the traditional Simmental colour of red with white markings. The breeding programme might be adjusted to make the mix 50% black and 50% traditional, Dr Strauss said. Dr Strauss said the aim of the stud was to breed a moderate to large size cattle beast, maturing early and with "explosive" growth, producing a high carcass value at the works including premium for marbling at the meatworks, while maintaining calving ease. Docility was an important trait in their breeding programme, he said. "Anything that misbehaves is out." A sign of the rise of the breed was all of the more than 80 bulls on offer at Kerrah Simmentals in Wairoa selling for an average price of more than $12,000 last week. Dr Strauss was among the buyers at the Kerrah sale, paying $18,000 for a bull. Leafland sheep and beef farm was 315ha of "mostly hills" in North Taieri. Another 100ha was leased on Otago Peninsula. When the grass stops growing in North Taieri late next month, the herd would be moved to the peninsula block and return home a fortnight before calving. The sheep on Leafland were Wiltshires. The latest lambs sent to the meatworks, averaged nearly 20kg and fetched $168. Dr Strauss works as an anaesthetist five days a week in Dunedin. Among the crowd of about 80 people at the sale was Dr Strauss' friend and colleague cardiac surgeon Richard Bunton. "We worked together on the weekend doing a heart operation," Dr Strauss said. Dr Strauss was raised on a cattle farm in South Africa and the couple moved to Leafland farm in 1993. "We bought the first 40ha by fax machine." The farm size had increased as they bought neighbouring properties. After moving to Dunedin, they bought three heifers from Garry McCorkindale, of Glenside Simmentals in Waitahuna, and launched the Leafland stud the following year. Leafland Simmental stud was his "retirement plan". "I'm turning 72 and when I retire, probably in the next year or so, I want to carry on farming until I fall over." The Simmental breed was "on the up" and many Angus breeders were buying genetics to use in their herds, he said. Southern bull sale results last week: • Taiaroa Charolais, Paerau. Sold 20 of 22. Average $7775. Top $13,000. • Glenhu Shorthorn, Heriot. Sold 13 of 16. Average $6958. Top $12,000. • Delmont Angus, Clinton. Sold 33 of 33. Average $10,000. Top $18,000. • Leafland Simmental, Taieri. Sold 22 of 25. Average $9022. Top $42,000. • Beresford Simmental, Catlins. Sold 12 of 15. Average $7800. Top $14,000. • Hill Valley Simmental, Teviot. Sold 10 of 10. Average $7750. Top $12,000. • Locharburn Herefords, Cromwell. Sold 22 of 29. Average $6400. Top $13,500. • Glenside Simmental, Waitahuna. Sold 11 of 15. Average $9409. Top $14,500. • Stoneburn Hereford and Angus, Palmerston. Hereford: 16 of 16. Average $9812. Top $15,000. Angus: 24/24. Average $8250. Top $14,000.
Agriland
25-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Up to €4.88/kg paid for heavy bullocks at Kilkenny Mart
There were 500 cattle on offer at Kilkenny Mart on Thursday, May 23, with as high as €4.88/kg paid for heavy bullocks at the sale. Commenting on the trade, auctioneer George Chandler noted that there were a smaller number of cattle on offer this week but said: 'Trade remains very strong, with more animals than ever exceeding €3,000/head. The Kilkenny Mart auctioneer said that this trend indicates that 'more beef-type cattle are being offered for sale in the marts'. The highest price in the bullock ring was €3,780, which was paid on two occasions in the sale. An 840kg Simmental bullock fetched the price as well as a pair of Charolais bullocks averaging 775kg each. In the heifer ring, a 715kg Charolais heifer made the top price of €3,500. Bullocks over 600kg averaged €4.10/kg, with bullocks from 500-600kg averaging €4.05/kg. In the lighter weight categories, bullocks from 400-500kg averaged €4.03/kg and bullocks below 400kg averaged €4.23/kg. Sample prices included three Angus bullocks with an average weight of 365kg that sold for €1,610/head or €4.41/kg. Beef heifers at the Kilkenny Mart sale averaged €4.10/kg in the sale, with forward-store heifers averaging €4.31/kg and light store heifers averaging €4.15/kg. Sample heifer prices included two Limousin heifers with an average weight of 690kg that sold for €4.67/kg or €3,220/head. Another entry of five Charolais heifers with an average weight of 530kg sold for €4.47/kg or €2,370/head. Three Hereford heifers with an average weight of 370kg sold for €4.05/kg or €1,500/head, while two Friesian heifers averaging 440kg sold for €3.84/kg or €1,590/head. There were 120 cows on offer in the sale and the lower-grading cull cows sold from €0.80c/kg to €2.40/kg, with better-type Friesians making from €2.70-€3.60/kg. Continental-bred cull cows at the sale at Kilkenny Mart made from €2.80-€4.59/kg, with a top price in the cull cow ring of €4,020.
NZ Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
More Kiwi farms added to INZB genetics programme
'Commercial farms are an important part of the programme, as they provide increased linkages throughout the beef industry and contribute to genetic evaluations through recording data and incorporation of data into breeding value prediction. 'Ultimately, this will increase the accuracy with which breeding values, or genetic merit, can be estimated. 'The INZB programme is helping commercial farmers understand the value of better genetics and offering them the opportunity to easily select the right genetics for their system to drive greater profitability on their farms.' The 10 new farmers are from Marlborough, Otago, Manawatū-Whanganui, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Waikato and Northland. The herds represented include Angus, South Devon, Angus x Charolais x Simmental and composite cattle. 'Participating in the programme also helps the farmers to achieve more accurate heifer selection in their herds, which will have a lasting impact on these commercial herds' progress,' Shaw said. 'The commercial farmers provide the programme with accurate pedigree recording, assessing bull teams' performances, ensuring accurate information for heifer replacement selection and work with their bull breeders to make more rapid genetic progress. 'The farmers adopt a recording schedule across the year and can also, if they wish, carry out genotyping of their cow herd and, on an annual basis, calves and sires. 'They are also able to benchmark their herd against others involved in the programme.'
